1090 replies to this topic

[azure1961p]

Thanks Ray,

 

It's a conflict of itself in processing to cut through haze. Kinda like shooting photos on a foggy day outside then cutting through the fog with contrast adjustmenrts, which is great. In this case however it's working against me!

 

I'm familiar with the processing software dating back to Registax 5.  So wavelets and all aren't new to me, and I used a DBK21AU.04 going back to when it was new but my exercises were often land targets as I was still feeling it out.  Its the last year where I've done planetary however.  All this to say I'm still learning but I'm not a fresh newbie. 

 

 

Pete

Edited by azure1961p, 13 May 2016 - 08:10 AM.

[GoldSpider]

In an unusual turn of events, the clouds seemed to split around Mars while I took a total of ~14,000 frames.  This allowed me to dig pretty deep for details using Registax wavelets with a minimal "overprocessed" look.  Seeing was mediocre, and Mars was only 22 degrees above the horizon.

 

Edited by GoldSpider, 17 May 2016 - 06:29 AM.

[nicolasM]

  the image is very close to what I posted on page 1. Which scope did you use?

[GoldSpider]

That was with the 5" Newtonian, 5X Barlow, and Quikcam.

[KiwiRay]

I reprocessed the image from May 11 above to remove most of the ring artifact (simply by keeping alignment points away from the left limb in AS!2).  Here it is again, along with an image from May 13, which I previously posted in a separate topic.  Comparing the two, it looks like the first was taken on a much hazier day on Mars.

 

May 11:

May 13:

 

Nexstar 6SE scope with ZWO ADC and 3x Barlow.  ZWO ASI224MC camera.

[nicolasM]

I reprocessed the image from May 11 above to remove most of the ring artifact (simply by keeping alignment points away from the left limb in AS!2). 

 

Could you elaborate please? I observed also a dark ring on Mars and it is an artifact. Is it due to AS!2? I though it was coming from deconvolution...

[KiwiRay]

Nicolas:

 

Here is all the elaboration you could possibly want (and probably a lot more!):

 

http://www.cloudynig...-rind-artefact/

 

It's not due to AS!2, but it seems the effect can be reduced by keeping alignment points away from the bright limb of Mars.  From that old thread, most people have other tricks in Photoshop or similar software to reduce it (or at least that's what they did four years ago).

[volkerw]

Here it is Mars w/ 150/1800 Mak and ASI 178mc COOL

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[KiwiRay]

Goldspider: Good capture, Adam!  The polar cloud and the cloud around Elysium Mons are showing up really nicely.

 

Volkerw:  That's a classic-looking Mars image!  

Edited by KiwiRay, 19 May 2016 - 07:49 PM.

[KiwiRay]

From yesterday morning.  Seeing was good, but high cloud made the capture brightness constantly vary, and made it hard to get consistently good quality frames. Almost no south polar cloud this time, but I did capture the tiny, remnant North Polar Cap.

 

Edited by KiwiRay, 19 May 2016 - 01:08 PM.

[Gucky]

My first Mars ever, captured with the ASI224MC, TSA-120 and a 4x Powermate.

 

I will have to find out the optimal gain/shutter combination. Here I used 100 ms with Gain=31. So I had 3000 frames in 5 minutes.

I somehow get the impression that he was smiling at me...

Edited by Gucky, 19 May 2016 - 04:33 PM.

[WarmWeatherGuy]

My first Mars ever, captured with the ASI224MC, TSA-120 and a 4x Powermate.
Mars_20160518.jpg

 

I will have to find out the optimal gain/shutter combination. Here I used 100 ms with Gain=31. So I had 3000 frames in 5 minutes.

I somehow get the impression that he was smiling at me...

 

Try using a gain closer to 300 rather than 31. Then you can use a shutter speed closer to 2 to 3 milliseconds. At 200 fps you can get 36,000 frames in 3 minutes. With a 4x Powermate you're at f/30. If you have a 3x it might help a little (or not).

Edited by WarmWeatherGuy, 19 May 2016 - 04:48 PM.

[Gucky]

 

My first Mars ever, captured with the ASI224MC, TSA-120 and a 4x Powermate.
Mars_20160518.jpg

 

I will have to find out the optimal gain/shutter combination. Here I used 100 ms with Gain=31. So I had 3000 frames in 5 minutes.

I somehow get the impression that he was smiling at me...

 

Try using a gain closer to 300 rather than 31. Then you can use a shutter speed closer to 2 to 3 milliseconds. At 200 fps you can get 36,000 frames in 3 minutes. With a 4x Powermate you're at f/30. If you have a 3x it might help a little (or not).

 

Thanks Steve, I will focus on a much smaller shutter speed.

I have a 2x Powermate (2") and also a 1.5x Tak extender. Will try them both combined as well.

[nicolasM]

Mars is really an exciting target!!

Edited by nicolasM, 19 May 2016 - 08:02 PM.

[KiwiRay]

I agree!  Especially now as it increases in size and the chances of improving on anything you got previously are pretty high.  It's fun seeing signs of cloud and how it changes each day, and its slightly longer day ensures each day we get a different view.  I just wish we had more time with a nearby Mars than a couple of months every two years or so!

Edited by KiwiRay, 19 May 2016 - 09:04 PM.

[nicolasM]

every two years or so!

 

Really?! 

 

When is the next opposition with Mars?

[WarmWeatherGuy]

Mars Oppositions from 2012 to 2027

 

Mars takes 687 to go once around the Sun. Earth takes 365 days. I did the math assuming circular orbits and calculated it takes 778.7 days to line up with Mars each time.

[GoldSpider]

I agree!  Especially now as it increases in size and the chances of improving on anything you got previously are pretty high.  It's fun seeing signs of cloud and how it changes each day, and its slightly longer day ensures each day we get a different view.  I just wish we had more time with a nearby Mars than a couple of months every two years or so!

 

That's what's got me losing sleep this week; it looks so much different (bigger!) from night to night and there's so much more to see.  Last night's imaging session yielded my first glimpse of the northern polar cap.

 

Edit: Not to flood the thread, but seeing was considerably better last night...

 

 

Getting them while I can!  My next and likely last near-opposition clearing, weather wise, will likely be Tuesday.

Edited by GoldSpider, 20 May 2016 - 12:46 PM.

[Lilvipa]

Syrtis Major captured by a C102R telescope and SPC900NC webcam @ 21 degree altitude from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.  Thanks for looking! http://imgur.com/rM5MoH3

 

 

Edited by Lilvipa, 20 May 2016 - 12:52 PM.

[Lilvipa]

Love it! Beaut! The heart is showcased nicely.  Also, your avator is Frac? I forgot that grasshoppers name.

In an unusual turn of events, the clouds seemed to split around Mars while I took a total of ~14,000 frames.  This allowed me to dig pretty deep for details using Registax wavelets with a minimal "overprocessed" look.  Seeing was mediocre, and Mars was only 22 degrees above the horizon.

 

[Lilvipa]

Flood all you want. We love us some amateur mars!

 

I agree!  Especially now as it increases in size and the chances of improving on anything you got previously are pretty high.  It's fun seeing signs of cloud and how it changes each day, and its slightly longer day ensures each day we get a different view.  I just wish we had more time with a nearby Mars than a couple of months every two years or so!

 

That's what's got me losing sleep this week; it looks so much different (bigger!) from night to night and there's so much more to see.  Last night's imaging session yielded my first glimpse of the northern polar cap.

 

Edit: Not to flood the thread, but seeing was considerably better last night...

 

 

 

Getting them while I can!  My next and likely last near-opposition clearing, weather wise, will likely be Tuesday.

 

[nicolasM]

 

I agree!  Especially now as it increases in size and the chances of improving on anything you got previously are pretty high.  It's fun seeing signs of cloud and how it changes each day, and its slightly longer day ensures each day we get a different view.  I just wish we had more time with a nearby Mars than a couple of months every two years or so!

 

That's what's got me losing sleep this week; it looks so much different (bigger!) from night to night and there's so much more to see.  Last night's imaging session yielded my first glimpse of the northern polar cap.

 

Edit: Not to flood the thread, but seeing was considerably better last night...

 

I agree, your picture shows much more fine details.

[KiwiRay]

Adam: You're not flooding the thread, but I say "flood away"!  We only get this chance every two years, and there apparently aren't that many of us trying this with smaller scopes.  I'll continue to post any decent image I get!

 

And that's a great image - you can see smaller spots north of Syrtis Major, and yes, the North Polar Cap!

 

The Clear Sky Chart promised clear skies and great seeing for me last night, but the clouds didn't break.  Partly cloudy weather next week, so there's some hope for a near-opposition image.  Closest approach isn't until May 30, and it stays above 18.5" until June 6.  Should be at least a couple of good nights in there.

[GoldSpider]

Syrtis Major captured by a C102R telescope and SPC900NC webcam @ 21 degree altitude from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.  Thanks for looking! http://imgur.com/rM5MoH3

 

 

Nice sharp prime focus capture there.  Maybe that's what I'll try on Tuesday (no barlow) and see what kind of detail I can capture.

[gustavo_sanchez]

Here is my Mars contribution,  taken with my iOptron Rumak 150mm Maksutov-Cassegrain: