Saturn 21/01/2011

[oldfruit]

Hi all, i got up early again today to observe and image saturn and try to improve on my first attempt. Taken about 4am, philips spc900, 2x + 2x barlow. 15fps, 750 frames from 900 in registax.

I am a little frustrated as i am trying to improve results and it`s a slow process.

Here is the best result. What do you think. All comments or advice welcome.

Also the attatched image is the same as the one shown. I have only just learned how to show the photo thanks to some help from guys on here.

saturn 2.bmp

[JamesF]

That's a lot better than I managed last night, though I tried at around 12:30am when Saturn was only about 10 deg above the horizon and I have no idea what I'm doing at the moment It's mostly only so the kids can see what daddy's up to when he's out in a field half the night and can't get up in the morning mind, so I'm not that worried right now...

James

[Glen]

Hi Oldfruit nice image you got there, can make out the storm and the seperation in the rings ,somthing i find hard to do.. well done

[oldfruit]

Thanks for the comment. All i can say about this imaging lark is that it is a very steep learning curve. Interesting none the less and i will just keep at it until i get better results.

[oldfruit]

Hi Oldfruit nice image you got there, can make out the storm and the seperation in the rings ,somthing i find hard to do.. well done

Thanks Glen, your comment means a lot matey.

[carpman]

Nice shot , i'm still waiting view it never mind capture it on film seems to be loads of cloud in London at the mo lol

[JamesF]

It rises at about 11:40pm at the moment and disappears from view towards the south west once the sky starts to get light in the morning. 7:45am is probably the latest I've seen it this week. Staying up late or getting up hideously early seem to be your only options for the time being. It's been quite easy to find from here around midnight despite the full moon -- there's nothing anywhere near as bright in that part of the sky when I've been looking. I first saw it three nights ago and whilst I could make out most of Leo and could find Arcturus, Virgo (which it's bang in the middle of at the moment) was almost invisible. This week it's been pretty much the first thing I've seen when I step out of the door in the morning as it's right in front of me, with Venus clearly visible to the SSE.

James

[oldfruit]

Early mornings are a must at the moment if you want to observe Saturn. But that said, by March or April time it will just mean a late night so better for some. It will also be at opposition then so will appear larger.

[Space Cowboy]

That's a nice image! Try 10fps next time as compression kicks in at 15fps and above so you might see an improvement at 10fps. All the same that's a very good shot!

[oldfruit]

That's a nice image! Try 10fps next time as compression kicks in at 15fps and above so you might see an improvement at 10fps. All the same that's a very good shot!

Thanks for the comment. I have been experimenting with different settings on the webcam to see what gives the best results. Thanks for the advice. I will try 10fps next time i go out and see how it comes out.

[red dwalf]

space cowboy`s comments about fps in correct, with the webcam and usb connections if you go above 10 fps it compresses the data which loses some of the it, try 5fps first then 10fps, also the focus looks just alittle off, try using a mask which covers the front of the scope lens, if you are using a sct scope the collmination needs to be very good to get best results also, as you say it`s a big learning curve, took me three attempts just get an image onto the camera,

all the best.

[cgarry]

Definitely a step improvement on your last pic, well done. I hope my next Saturn pic improves as much, though it could be a while as I seem to struggle getting out of bed to capture the AVI in the early morning.

Cheers,

Chris

[oldfruit]

space cowboy`s comments about fps in correct, with the webcam and usb connections if you go above 10 fps it compresses the data which loses some of the it, try 5fps first then 10fps, also the focus looks just alittle off, try using a mask which covers the front of the scope lens, if you are using a sct scope the collmination needs to be very good to get best results also, as you say it`s a big learning curve, took me three attempts just get an image onto the camera,

all the best.

Thanks for the advice. Focus is where i seem to be struggling to get it just right. I have looked into getting an auto focuser to help as when i try to focus the image moves a lot and it is hard to see if the adjustments are good or not for a second or 2 until the scope settles.

I take it by mask you mean Bahtinov mask?

I`m currently using an 8 inch newt and collimate as best i can when the scope needs it.

Thanks again.

[oldfruit]

Definitely a step improvement on your last pic, well done. I hope my next Saturn pic improves as much, though it could be a while as I seem to struggle getting out of bed to capture the AVI in the early morning.

Cheers,

Chris

Hi again Chris. Thanks, i too feel it is an improvement on the last image i posted, so getting there slowly. Makes it all worth while when you get better results but i need to explain that to the wife as i have been getting up so early (3am or there abouts). She thinks that i`m bonkers getting up at that time and sitting outside with the laptop in the freezing cold, and you know what? I could not agree with her more.:evil1:

[Gadget]

That’s a great capture cassini is visible nice colour variations on the disc and the storm stands out nicely

Will be a challenge to better that

Nice one

Kevin

[red dwalf]

a bartinov mask or a hartman mask should help with the focusing, hartman are easy to make, just cover the front of the scope with a piece of card with three holes equally spaced out around the edge about inch, inch and a half in diameter.

the bartinov masks can be home made in much the same way, the daigrams to make one can be downloaded from the net.

focus is a problem when using the webcam as the image moves around alot and they all look rubbish untill you put them through registax

[black5f]

After several late nights / early morns and thousands of frames with only half a dozen looking anything like a planet (the rest cloud or mist or LP or atmospheric blurr), I think you image is pretty good!

[oldfruit]

Thanks for all the advice and encouraging comments.

[astroman001]

Well done, a definate improvement!

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Oldfruit,

Great image with nice detail, well done. I was viewing Saturn 'til 8.05 this morning and it was looking stunning. I tried imaging Jupiter the other night which turned out to be a miserable failure, just a white blob. I think it might be overexposed! Can I ask what might be a stupid question please, when imaging using a webcam, do you get the object at one side of the screen, start the capture then stop it when it gets to the other side? Or do you have to track it?

[Kokatha man]

Hi oldfruit - as others have said, that's pretty decent catching the storm on Saturn.....and it's allways a challenge to get a good image, seeing being a huge factor anytime!

If I was to suggest anything it's what you've already referred to above - "focus" - I'm a focus-aholic and I think, along with scope collimation and reasonable seeing, one of the prime factors in getting good images.....

On Saturn I look for focus affirmation in 3 main areas: ring outline (edges) sharpness, the sharpness/blackness/definition of the Cassini Division, and the division in colour tone on the disk between the brighter and lighter EZ (that area directly adjacent to the rings) and the next banding area above this, which is a slightly darker and creamier yellow.....

If I can nail the maximum sharpness/clarity/definition in these 3 areas I know that for a specific range of seeing conditions I've got the best focus.....although each will be supressed by poorer seeing conditions and vice-versa, the Cassini Div often only flitting in and out of view for example in poorer conditions.....in which case I'll opt for a focus setting where it "flitters" more in view than not, compared to any other focus position....!

[oldfruit]

Thanks all for your kind comments and as always, your much needed advice.

[oldfruit]

Oldfruit,

Great image with nice detail, well done. I was viewing Saturn 'til 8.05 this morning and it was looking stunning. I tried imaging Jupiter the other night which turned out to be a miserable failure, just a white blob. I think it might be overexposed! Can I ask what might be a stupid question please, when imaging using a webcam, do you get the object at one side of the screen, start the capture then stop it when it gets to the other side? Or do you have to track it?

Steve, if you have a motorised mount and align it correctly then you should be able to keep the object in the middle of the screen for the 1 or 2 minutes required for imaging.

Don`t be put off by poor first results. There is a lot of helpful info on here for webcam settings to get you off to a good start. If you cannot find what you are looking for then just ask.

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Thanks Oldfruit