Astrophotography Challenges for July 2008

[Mike]

Can be downloaded from here - http://www.amateur-astronomy.org/Filez/AstrophotographyChallengesforJuly2008.pdf

[Carole]

Does my Jupiter partly count as my wemcam won't see the moons unless it's right out of focus?

Carole

[Ian]

That's a challenge in itself Carole. It is possible to image the moons without overexposing the disc of Jupiter.

What is important with that is getting the focus spot on and having really good seeing and transparency, then setting the exposure setting to get as bright an image as possible without overexposing any of the colours

[Carole]

OK, I'll give it a go, but the only time I saw the moons the other night was when Jupiter was just a white over exposed disc. 

So my personal challenge for the month.

Carole

[Mike]

You should be able to get the moons easily. I did it many years ago with a far inferior webcam to yours. You can always take 2 images, one of Jupiter and then one of the moons and then merge them together into one picture. However, as Ian says, you should be able to get a properly exposed Jupiter with the moons in it.

[Carole]

168 of 222 frames@ 15fps
(I think it was the following: min shutter speed, 3/4 brightness, 1/4 gain)

I could do that, but isn't that cheating?

Carole

[Carole]

Something like this?


taken on Tuesday 1st, so I guess that's why Europa is missing.

Will have another shot at it tonight hopefully.

Carole

[Carole]

Just realised I copied the wrong quote at 12.59. I meant to copy the following:

You can always take 2 images, one of Jupiter and then one of the moons and then merge them together into one picture.

Then I said "I could do that but isn't that cheating?.

Thus, the picture above is a combination of two images, one of Jupiter and another of the moons taken with an over-exposed Jupiter with the better image of Jupiter superimposed.

Carole

[Carole]

Nope, I made a mistake there.  It is Callisto that is missing as it is way out to the left and out of the frame of the picture. 

Carole

[Mac]

Noctilucent Clouds.

Grabed this photo this morning on the way home from work.
03:55 Ealing Broadway. Looking Eastwards.



Full size image
http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/Cloud.jpg

[Mike]

That link doesn't work and they don't look like noctilucernt clouds from the smaller image.

[Rick]

It's hard to tell from the small image (and your link goes to a 404), but I'd say there's a very good chance they are faint noctilucent clouds.

[doug]

     Well done Carole. You are really coming on in leaps and bounds now, from one who can`t even get a decent pic of the moon.  Can`t wait for you to take a close up of Europa.

[Mac]

(and your link goes to a 404)

Sorry forgot to upload the original.

Full size image
http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/Cloudoriginal.jpg

[Mike]

I'm still not convinced personally.