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Posts Made By: Stephen Fugardi

December 6, 2008 11:25 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn f25 12/6 LRGB

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
After some re-collimation and slightly better seeing, I captured some new avi's right before the clouds rolled in at 5am. Collimation can still be better but my hands were frozen. This time I set brightness to 0, gamma 100%, gain approx 1000, 1/15s R,G 1/7s B. Used 2nd R as Lum since I couldn't finish the 2nd set of avis before it clouded over. Best 350 frames per channel. Titan is visible on left.

Regards,
Steve

January 10, 2009 04:15 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Venus f25 RG(UV) 1/9/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
My first DMK Venus using a Schuler UV & RG filters taken this evening around 5:48pm in a good transparent sky but under bad seeing fighting a steady 15mph wind. Normally I don't image under these conditions, but after 1 month of waiting I decided that "bad" seeing is better than "no" seeing. UV channel was taken at 15fps 1/15s 940gain 100%gamma for 4min. R,G taken at 60fps 1/109s 300gain 100%gamma 2min. Best 400 frames stacked and RGB combined with UV interpreted as B. Surprisingly, the UV filter showed some cloud contrast even under these harsh conditions. With a week to go before its greatest elongation, Venus will not climb much higher in the sky.

Regards,
Steve

January 13, 2009 03:58 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Venus f25 (UV)RG(UV) 1/12/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
I was fortunate to capture Venus with average transparency & seeing this evening. Best 400 frames of UV, R, G combined with UV interpreted as B & L. An interesting feature resembling a volcano is visible in the upper corner.

Regards,
Steve

January 16, 2009 01:50 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Rare Saturn Triple Transit Tonight?

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
According to the S&T website link to Saturn moon java script,

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3308506.html#

there will be a triple transit tonight. Can anyone else confirm this? I may have to buy another hard drive today, right now I only have 50Gig. Thanks

Regards,
Steve

January 25, 2009 04:19 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Venus f25 1/24/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Taken this evening between 5:27 and 5:39pm in 1/5 seeing, 4/5 transparency with my C11 @f25 DMK21. Best 400 frames stacked: L=UV, R=(R+G)/2, G=(G+UV)/2, B=UV. Basically this is a UV image with RGB color added.

Regards,
Steve

February 25, 2009 05:41 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Comet Lupin, 2/25/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
30sec image taken with my Nikon D70s and C11 with a 0.5x reducer under poor seeing conditions. Exposure time really needs to be at least 1 minute to catch the tail. Nice view in binoculars, even better through the scope

Regards,
Steve

March 5, 2009 09:38 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn 3/5/09 RRGB Good Seeing

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Finally some good seeing 3/5 this morning at -12degC just after midnight. Transparency was 2/5 but absolutely no wind. Best 1000frames each stacked from my C11 + 2.5x powermate & DMK21.

Settings used: (Gamma=100%, Brightness=0%, 4min avis)
L=R=1/15s 15fps gain=947
R=1/15s 15fps gain=947
G=1/15s 15fps gain=960
B=1/8s 7.5fps gain=1023

After determining the max histogram using the blue channel, I made sure the R,G maximums were identical by adjusting down the gain which helps keep the colors balanced.

My best Saturn so far.

Regards,
Steve


March 16, 2009 10:10 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn RRGB f30 3/16/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Taken this morning under 3/5 seeing and 2/5 transparency using my C11 + DMK21 + 1.8x TV barlow with 2.25" extension tube and camera pulled out another 0.25" yielding approx f/30. R,G @ 1/15s, B @ 1/8s, best 800 frames each stacked. I have some pure L data taken at 1/30s which I need to check out, for now this last run taken 12:19-12:32am, 45min past peak altitude seems to be the best although at 2am my eyes are foggy. The f30 image size works well under these conditions. My best of the year

Regards,
Steve

April 10, 2009 07:23 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn 4/10/09 f25 RRGB

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
My first Saturn in a month under 2-3/5 seeing & hazy skies. I had good collimation and a mirror within 0.1degC of ambient but still could only resolve 1arcsec filterless with metaguide. To brighten my image with less noise, I went back to my 2.5x Powermate & kept the gain to 95%, gamma at 100% (default) & brightness at 63 (max). L=R,G @15fps B @7.5fps. I used Registax5 with a preblur and a 10-255 prestretch. Approx 750frames per channel stacked after 1.1x resampling. Wavelets used: layer 1 default, 1=7, 2=10, 3=13, 4=1, 5=1, 6=26. Some faint banding can be seen but the marginal seeing was a problem as I found myself constantly tweaking the focus. Still waiting for at least a 4/5 seeing night this Saturn season

Regards,
Steve

June 13, 2009 03:26 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter 6/7/09 f25 RGB

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
My first Jupiter of the season, taken 2.5hrs before transit, 24deg altitude in below average seeing. DMK21 + 2.5x + C11, 1min R,G,B avis 30,30,15 fps respectively. Best 300 frames per channel stacked. The treeline blocks my observatory from catching Jupiter at its peak. it was only the 2nd time I was even able to use my scope in months - weather/seeing has been terrible!

Regards,
Steve

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