Last Saturns of the year for what they are worth

[geoff_k]

Returning after a few glasses of pop last night, the skies miraculously cleared just after midnight.

I was going to go to bed, but I thought, what the hell? This will be the last chance to do something this year and achieve a result after a dismal month for viewing and imaging.

Unfortunately, the Moon was a little too bright and there were repeated gusts of wind so seeing was not fantastic. Saturn was jumping around the screen like a thing possessed.

The pictures below were taken with my Orion Optics Europa 250mm and a 2x Barlow and 4x Imagemate (that was hopeless as you can see) and probably the best which was a snapshot of the moons. I rather like the way the main moons are doing a Galilean moons impersonation either side of Saturn. I used the ATIK camera to begin with but tried the Toucam as well to give everything a workout. It also gave me a chance to use my bright shiny new laptop. At least nothing broke after having sat around for the best part of three weeks (and no, I wasn't drunk, it was the conditions!)

Better in the New Year, I hope.

[CELESCOPE]

well done Geof , nice to see someone got out ,albeit for a little while , nice capture as well , especially with that wind ,

Cheers

Rog

HAPPY NEW YEAR

[geppetto]

Nice ones 8)

With the weather as it is, it's worth a quick try even though

the conditions look poor.

About how many frames were stacked in those Geoff?

[SteelRat]

Yup - definately worth takin any chance at the minute. I like top left (x2) Nice stuff Geoff 8)

[geoff_k]

The one with the 2x Barlow which didn't come out too badly I suppose as the effects of the wind were minimised was about 500 frames as was the one with the moons.

The one using the 4x Imagemate was at least 800 frames and some of those were lost in the clouds which started to come over at the end of the session.

Thank goodness for that, as I was beginning to get worried that it would be clear all night and that would never do!