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Lion Nebula SH2-132 - RC71

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Posts Made By: Stephen Fugardi

July 6, 2009 10:41 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter, GRS 7/6/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
I had a rare chance to capture Jupiter this morning at its peak with the GRS transiting in good seeing. 600frames RGB stacked from 1min avis R,G 30fps, B 15fps. Gain 90%, gamma, brightness at defaults.

Regards,
Steve

July 10, 2009 11:21 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter f30 7/10/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Another morning of good seeing in CT. Image taken with C11, 1.8x Barlow + 2.5" extension, DMK21 at 100% brightness, gain, gamma. RG 30fps, B 15fps, 1min avis. 900frames stacked from RG, 600 for B. Europa was cropped out of this image since it needs to have the RGB aligned separate from the globe which I have not done before. After recovering from a computer crash trying to run Reg5 and IC capture at the same time, I was lucky to take advantage of the seeing. Ironically, the view through the eyepiece was bad as the eyepiece quickly fogged up from my eye. This is my personal best RGB Jupiter. Hope you like it

Regards,
Steve

July 14, 2009 09:21 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter f30 7/14/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Taken this morning in average conditions. I imaged all channels at 30fps 1/30s at full gain. Blue gamma was boosted to 125% to improve the histogram. 800frames each channel stacked. CSC predicted better seeing but light clouds kept passing over.

Regards,
Steve

August 3, 2009 04:30 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Rare Jupiter Occulation of star Cap 45 Tonight!

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Check out S&T web site, http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/52072127.html
I may have decent skies here in CT to capture the reappearance of 6 magnitude star called Cap 45. Good luck trying to capture / see it.

Regards,
Steve

August 4, 2009 08:20 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter, Io, Europa, Cap45: 8/4/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Had good seeing this morning after midnight. The Cap 45 occulation was already complete by the time Io & Europa reappeared and the clouds passed. Even at f10 I could not line all the moons up in 1 image so I opted for an f18 RGB diagonally captured to get Cap 45 and 2 moons. The GRS is also rotating into view. I am processing some f30 Jupiter avis as well as Uranus & Neptune data. Basically I hit the gas planet triple this morning.

Regards,
Steve

August 4, 2009 08:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Uranus f25 LRGB 8/4/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Taken this morning around 3:30am in good seeing with 150% Gamma, 100% Gain, 3.75fps, LRGB exposure times 0.5 - 1sec. Best 200 of 500 frames stacked each, resized 2x. Getting faint cloud details on Uranus is a first for me.

Regards,
Steve


August 5, 2009 02:07 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter f30 8/4/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
RGB data taken in good seeing at the peak altitude for Jupiter this morning, approx 34deg. f30 was achieved by using a 1.8x barlow with approx 3" of extension using 2.5" extension tube and tube & camera pulled out as much as possible. 1min avis, 100% gain, 100% brightness, 100% gamma, 30fps RG 15fps B, histograms approx 90% of max. Best 600 frames each stacked. I should have waited another 30min to catch a better view of the GRS.

Regards,
Steve

August 5, 2009 08:08 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Neptune f25 RGB 8/4/09

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
After imaging Jupiter in good seeing, I tried for my first RGB Neptune. Finding it with a Toucam took me at least 20min a couple years ago, but with the longer exposures available on the DMK21, it was easy. I set the focuser at f25 off Jupiter, then slewed to the coordinates under low power, recentered, then high power, recentered again, camera in, right on the screen. The Neptune image signal is very weak and it took 100% gain, 150% gamma, and exposures of 1.4 - 2sec to get a histogram close to 50%. Frame rate set to the lowest setting, 3.75. To process the avis, I had to use ninox to pre-sort the frames, then had to hold the gamma in Registax to 1.8 with blurring to enable auto alinging. No cloud details can be seen, but it was fun just to try.

Regards,
Steve

August 12, 2009 03:19 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter RRGB vs RGB

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Attached is a comparison of an RRGB (Red added in at 1.15 as Lum) vs RGB Jupiter using my recent data from 8/4. More detail can be seen and the amount of deconvolution can be reduced, potentially yielding a better image.

Regards,
Steve

PS: Try looking at these Jupiters approx 12" away, then cross your eyes for a 3D view

September 2, 2009 08:01 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter f30 9/1/09, 4/5 Seeing

Posted By Stephen Fugardi
Last night, I was fortunate to have a 4/5 seeing/transparency and have obtained my personal best f30 Jupiter data. After 3hrs of observatory and scope cooldown, my mirror was a perfect +/- 0.1degC vs ambient. After microtweaking the collimation at f25 on Altair, I re-tweaked at f30 and obtained 0.65arcsec resolution on a stacked basis, using metaguide and a red filter. This matches my previous "best" seeing nights. With my computer outside my observatory and the door closed, I collected avi data using my 1.8x TV barlow with 2.75" of extension, yielding approx f30. Using standard 100% gamma and 0 brightness settings, 1min avis were collected with histograms peaking at 90% of max scale using,
R 1023 gain 30fps
G 995 / 30
B 980 / 15
taken right at the 11:45pm transit (approx 32deg altitude). I've got good data +/- 45min to the peak, as well as new Uranus data to sift through. It was an incredible night, just wish I had a C14!

Regards,
Steve

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