6 replies to this topic

[RobertPettengill]

The Lunar New Year brought a conjunction of Venus and Saturn only 21 arc min apart just after sunset at 2023-01-23 01:00 UT.

 

This HDR composite with a Questar 1280/89mm telescope, 2x Dakin Barlow lens, and Sony A6300 camera. There was substantial atmospheric dispersion creating rainbow abberations of the images which was compensated in processing. Exposures at f/30 and ISO 100: Venus 1/60, Saturn 2, and Titan 30 sec.  Titan is at about 4 o'clock below Saturn.

 

The 2% crescent Moon just below the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. Taken just after sunset in Austin, Texas, 2023-01-23 12:35 UT. Questar 1280/89mm telescope, Dakin 2x Barlow lens, and Sony a6300 camera. Exposed f/30 for 3.2 sec at ISO 100.

 

[gilbert80]

Love your pics!!  Does your Questar have BB coatings?  How old is it?  I'd love to see these pics a little bigger.

I know they lose some crispness but would love to see Saturn a little bigger.

Thanks,

Dave

[Ronin1956]

Robert

Nice images. It's been cloudy for over a week here in South Florida. I wish I would have been able to image the conjunction also. The weather report says  clear tonight. But as everyone knows a weatherman is the only job you can have and be wrong more than half the time and still have a job.

Paul

[RobertPettengill]

Love your pics!!  Does your Questar have BB coatings?  How old is it?  I'd love to see these pics a little bigger.

I know they lose some crispness but would love to see Saturn a little bigger.

Thanks,

Dave

Thanks! 2013 Zerodur BB coated.  Seeing was pretty rough with lots of dispersion near the horizon.  Deconstructing the frames, stacking, and processing Venus and Saturn was key to getting a sharp image.  Here is one frame of Saturn unprocessed:

 

[RobertPettengill]

Here is just Saturn processed

 

[Mike Allen]

Thanks! 2013 Zerodur BB coated.  Seeing was pretty rough with lots of dispersion near the horizon.  Deconstructing the frames, stacking, and processing Venus and Saturn was key to getting a sharp image.  Here is one frame of Saturn unprocessed:

_DSC5290.jpg

Rob, I really enjoy your images.  I have a question, in reference to your Saturn image above. It may be stupid, since I’m not an astrophotographer, therefore my apologies in advance.  If one were to use a light green filter while taking the initial frames, would that mitigate some of the atmospheric dispersion?

[gilbert80]

thanks for sharing,  I would love to be using a scope like yours.  I need to get another Questar.