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The Astro-Imaging Thread


ProtoJeb21

Astro-Imaging Questions  

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  1. 1. What's Your Favorite Solar System Body to Image?



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Last night, I was only able to get to the Moon and Jupiter, but I'm quite proud of my results. I first got some new images of the Moon around 6:30 pm EST, then I began observing Jupiter and the Moon again around 9:00 to 9:30 pm EST. All four of the Galilean Moons were visible.

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Saturn and Titan. Seeing wasn't so good this time. that explains the blurriness.  This image is also a composite, which explains why Saturn looks grainy whereas Titan does not.

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Edited by Adstriduum
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1 hour ago, Adstriduum said:

I think that's his house or wall covering the Moon. (Is it?)

It's a neighbor's roofline. I set the telescope up just close enough so I could pretend I was watching the moon rise.

I think the eclipse is next month, July 27th or 28th. That's why it's confusing. Also I think I'm on the half of the planet that won't get to see it.

Edited by cubinator
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1 minute ago, cubinator said:

It's a neighbor's roofline. I set the telescope up just close enough so I could pretend I was watching the moon rise.

I think the eclipse is next month, July 27th or 28th. That's why it's confusing.

Oh.

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Jupiter. Seeing was awful and the GRS wasn't visible. The image still turned out okay, though.

BmE7hwR.jpg

 

Also, Neptune and Triton. I just processed these images a few day ago. The data was at least a year old.

O8ZBez5.jpg

 

Edited by Adstriduum
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@_Augustus_ Since you have far more experience with telescope construction and maintenance than I do, I was wondering how I would go about cleaning the main mirror of a reflector telescope. Mine is a little dusty - not too much, but I’m hoping to clear it up a bit for when I start using the telescope and my new camera to image Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, the Moon, etc. 

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13 hours ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

@_Augustus_ Since you have far more experience with telescope construction and maintenance than I do, I was wondering how I would go about cleaning the main mirror of a reflector telescope. Mine is a little dusty - not too much, but I’m hoping to clear it up a bit for when I start using the telescope and my new camera to image Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, the Moon, etc. 

Dish soap + tap water.

Make sure to blot it with a cloth to prevent the water droplets from leaving any mineral deposits on the mirror.

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I was surprised to read that some of the expert mirror-makers recommend using your bare fingers to clean mirrors, once wet with soap and water.  Just rub any debris away.  I assume fingernails are not to be used, though.

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Dartguy said:

I was surprised to read that some of the expert mirror-makers recommend using your bare fingers to clean mirrors, once wet with soap and water.  Just rub any debris away.  I assume fingernails are not to be used, though.

 

 

 

This doesn't sound like good advice to me.  Many of the mirrors used in decent telescopes and astrographs have reflective coatings on then which are easy to damage.  Everything I've ever read said to wear gloves when handling the primary, and to use the gentlest of gentleness when cleaning it.  It's such a touchy process that I've known astronomers who won't do it, and instead send their mirrors off to be professionally cleaned.

Honestly, between that and collimation, I gave up using a reflecting telescopes and went back to refractors.   

Edited by MaxPeck
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5 hours ago, MaxPeck said:

This doesn't sound like good advice to me.  Many of the mirrors used in decent telescopes and astrographs have reflective coatings on then which are easy to damage.  Everything I've ever read said to wear gloves when handling the primary, and to use the gentlest of gentleness when cleaning it.  It's such a touchy process that I've known astronomers who won't do it, and instead send their mirrors off to be professionally cleaned.

Honestly, between that and collimation, I gave up using a reflecting telescopes and went back to refractors.   

As long as you don't get oils on the mirror or drag dust along the surface, you're fine.

Professional cleaning is a scam by and large.

I use gloves when handling thin lenses and SCT corrector plates. That's it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My and my parents just dug out my old telescope that went missing when I moved to university, but I cannot remember much about using it! I want to get a good look at Mars tonight, but I can't remember if the telescope is really suited to it. It's a Celestron 9 1/4 inch Cassegrain-Schmidt. 

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1 hour ago, MinimumSky5 said:

My and my parents just dug out my old telescope that went missing when I moved to university, but I cannot remember much about using it! I want to get a good look at Mars tonight, but I can't remember if the telescope is really suited to it. It's a Celestron 9 1/4 inch Cassegrain-Schmidt. 

I have an 8" of the same, so I think you'll have a great view. If you're in the United States or at a similar longitude, look for Valles Marineris and Olympus Mons if the dust is clear enough (it probably isn't).

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On 7/27/2018 at 9:07 AM, cubinator said:

I have an 8" of the same, so I think you'll have a great view. If you're in the United States or at a similar longitude, look for Valles Marineris and Olympus Mons if the dust is clear enough (it probably isn't).

Last night I got my first close look at Mars in a while, and the only surface feature I could discern was a slightly darker brown smudge which I think is where the Valles Marineris is. Everything else was just orange. I think there's only one way to see Mars up close the way I want...

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The Perseids may produce a spectacular spectacle in August. High time is expected for the night from the 12th to the 13th, but the nights before could be good as well. After mid august they'll be gone. They are very fast (60km/s) and might contain some really nice meteorites. And no moon to disturb the darkness.

In the morning hours, when the place faces in flight direction, long exposures with a fisheye lens aimed at Perseus, stacked over several hours, could produce nice images. If i get out i'll try. Anybody else ?

 

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