Mars 2003 Jul 09

I woke up at about 2am, and the seeing looked "not bad", so I hauled my
kit outside and attempted my first ever astronomical digicam shots. I
still have to play with some processing, but my first effort is at:

http://astunit.com/tonkinsastro/images/mars01.jpg

Does not show as much detail as the eye did. Scope had not yet properly
cooled; was getting light before it did so.

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

"Robin Leadbeater" wrote:

Congratulations Stephen,

I find you are never too old to learn new tricks;-)

Robin - I've met Stephen - he is but a mere sprig of a youth.

Cheers

Martin

--------------
Martin Frey
N 51 02 E 0 47
--------------

"Robin Leadbeater" wrote:

Congratulations Stephen,

I find you are never too old to learn new tricks;-)

Robin - I've met Stephen - he is but a mere sprig of a youth.

Cheers

Martin

--------------
Martin Frey
N 51 02 E 0 47
--------------

Robin Leadbeater wrote:
Young and wise? a rare combination, lucky chap!

If only either were true! (Well, I'm young compared to Martin, but....)

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Robin Leadbeater wrote:
Young and wise? a rare combination, lucky chap!

If only either were true! (Well, I'm young compared to Martin, but....)

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 17:43:18 +0100, Stephen Tonkin
wrote:

I woke up at about 2am, and the seeing looked "not bad", so I hauled my
kit outside and attempted my first ever astronomical digicam shots. I
still have to play with some processing, but my first effort is at:

http://astunit.com/tonkinsastro/images/mars01.jpg

Does not show as much detail as the eye did. Scope had not yet properly
cooled; was getting light before it did so.

Hey that Oly is paying off - that's a nice shot to have as a first!

What eyepiece did you use?

Did you use the remote control software or via the viewfinder to
focus?

--
Pete
Homepage at http://www.pbl33.co.uk
CCD/digicam astronomy

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 17:43:18 +0100, Stephen Tonkin
wrote:

I woke up at about 2am, and the seeing looked "not bad", so I hauled my
kit outside and attempted my first ever astronomical digicam shots. I
still have to play with some processing, but my first effort is at:

http://astunit.com/tonkinsastro/images/mars01.jpg

Does not show as much detail as the eye did. Scope had not yet properly
cooled; was getting light before it did so.

Hey that Oly is paying off - that's a nice shot to have as a first!

What eyepiece did you use?

Did you use the remote control software or via the viewfinder to
focus?

--
Pete
Homepage at http://www.pbl33.co.uk
CCD/digicam astronomy

Andy wrote:
where was the image taken from?

Location in sig. It's my back garden; on the North Downs; the
significant "big lights" are Canterbury, Ashford, Folkestone, Dover,
Deal... (Not that this is a problem for planetary. What I am ruing at
the moment is a complete failure to even attempt Uranus -- once I was on
Mars, I was hooked and forgot all about Herschel's planet!

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Andy wrote:
where was the image taken from?

Location in sig. It's my back garden; on the North Downs; the
significant "big lights" are Canterbury, Ashford, Folkestone, Dover,
Deal... (Not that this is a problem for planetary. What I am ruing at
the moment is a complete failure to even attempt Uranus -- once I was on
Mars, I was hooked and forgot all about Herschel's planet!

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Pete Lawrence wrote:
Hey that Oly is paying off - that's a nice shot to have as a first!

Thanks, Pete; coming from someone with your skills in these endeavours,
that is a real compliment! Decent seeing helped, but I am actually
disappointed not to have got more detail. I need to crack this
processing lark.


What eyepiece did you use?

25mm Ortho. It's a generic Japanese one, branded "Telescope House,
London" (i.e. BC&F). I like Orthos, especially for planetary.

I also tried with a 12.5mm Ortho (vignettes the field) and a x2 Barlow
but, although it looked like I could get more detail, the combo was not
satisfactory. I hadn't bothered with the anti-vibration pads when I set
up, but with the 12.5mm and the Barlow, and zoomed in (x3) for focusing,
I began to wonder if a tripod-mounted Vixen GP is an adequate mount for
a C5! (But then, I think you know how fussy I am about mounts g)


Did you use the remote control software or via the viewfinder to focus?

Used the LCD (unlike yours, the C20** series does not have an electronic
viewfinder). I wasn't bothered about noise from the CCD with such short
exposures, but I shall definitely try the computer when I start trying
DSOs once the nights are a tad longer.

Best,
Stephen

--
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+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +