First attempt at Saturn

[Kenny]

First attempt at Saturn capture last night / this morning. Clearly setting the bar low so lots of room for improvement, disappointed I couldn't split the Cassini division.

6" Newtonian telescope on the HEQ5 Pro mount. Celestron NexImage solar system imager CCD camera with x2 Barlow lens (Exposure/Gain wouldn't support x3 Barlow) captured via SharpCap2. 1 x 60 second video. Planetary Imaging PreProcessor to select the best 1000 frames from each video. AutoStakkert2 to stack best 250 frames from each PIPP avi into a TIFF image. Sharpened with wavelets in Registax.

[The Thing]

Hi Kenny, I think you are doing an excellent and prolific job, most first images are much worse!

Since all your images are a tad soft and you seem not to be able to get a well defined image through focusing I suspect your collimation is off. I would check it with the Neximage in place so any misalignment is corrected all the way to the sensor. Should be plenty of clear nights this week

[Carole]

Good first Saturn.

Carole

[JohnP]

Nice Kenny, Can just about see banding on planet - Cassini will come if you can use a larger barlow perhaps X3 or X4...





Made me go back & look at my first attempt - can't believe it was 2003...!!!!!! God I'm getting old...) I can actually remember the night in the garden with my Son Luke & processing it the next day & being gobsmacked at the outcome... Funnily it shows almost identical presentation (ring wise etc.) as yours.... http://jpastronomy.co.uk/graphics/archive%20images/saturn/saturn_1.html I used an old Russian telescope which for the price had very good optics...

[Kenny]

Thanks all.

Since all your images are a tad soft and you seem not to be able to get a well defined image through focusing I suspect your collimation is off. I would check it with the Neximage in place so any misalignment is corrected all the way to the sensor. Should be plenty of clear nights this week

I agree. This is my cheap unbranded asian import Newt from 2003-ish because it's the only scope I have that will fit the HEQ5 so can be tracked. I think it does need re-collimating but having fully dismantled the scope last summer and discovered its many flaws, I know it's never going to collimate perfectly. This means the focus point is very narrow indeed at higher magnifications. I'd prefer to use my 8" Orion Skyquest Dob - seriously considering buying a dovetail and mounting rings for it so it can be mounted on the HEQ5. I've also got the Meade 8" LX90 at the moment and, once the missing parts arrive, I will attempt some re-imaging as part of testing the scope.

Nice Kenny, Can just about see banding on planet - Cassini will come if you can use a larger barlow perhaps X3 or X4...

Made me go back & look at my first attempt - can't believe it was 2003...!!!!!! God I'm getting old...) I can actually remember the night in the garden with my Son Luke & processing it the next day & being gobsmacked at the outcome... Funnily it shows almost identical presentation (ring wise etc.) as yours.... http://jpastronomy.co.uk/graphics/archive%20images/saturn/saturn_1.html I used an old Russian telescope which for the price had very good optics...

I recently purchase Mick Welham's Televue x3 Barlow and it is very nice. I used it on Jupiter last night. I attempted to use it with Saturn but the image lost resolution and became a bubbling mass of pixels even close to focus.

I am very impressed with your first attempt John. Very nice. This is why I don't mind posting ym first attempts because you can see the journey. I've only been imaging since December.

[JohnP]

Hi Kenny,

Yes loads depends on the night/ seeing etc. pick the right night & you'll be amazed.. I've probably still got the video footage somewhere from my first effort - I'll see if I can find it & you can compare seeing on the night...

Also good fun with Saturn is if you purposely over expose then you can capture moons as well... (perhaps do a montage as they are certainly your speciality...)