My Assistant
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Observing Mars, Worst telescope in the world |
Sep 23 2005, 08:52 AM
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#1
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
At some point - i'll take a picture of my telescope doing it's thing with Mars - it defines the phrase Heath Robinson.
Anway - using my Powershot S2IS yesterday... ![]() then my very bad, un-collamated, wobbly, dented, occasionally rusty, dusty 4" reflector, on a dodgy tripod with no fine controls, wobbly paving and a webcam blue-tacked onto the focus assembley... ![]() Might not look like much - but it's the very first time, in more than 15 years of occasional observing that I've seen features on mars with my own eyes Doug |
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Sep 23 2005, 09:00 AM
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#2
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 |
Not bad, Doug! Looks like you can see an ice cap (the southern, I'd guess) at about the eleven o'clock position , near the limb. If that's the case, then the dark splotch might well be Syrtis Major.
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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Sep 23 2005, 09:32 AM
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#3
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
I'm going to try a few more techniques, then pressgang a friend of mine for a trip to use the 16" reflector at the Uni of Leicester
Doug |
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Sep 23 2005, 09:52 AM
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#4
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Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 378 Joined: 21-April 05 From: Portugal Member No.: 347 |
Not bad to start with!
You just need to colimate your telescope and wait for a very stable night. The images will only get better! -------------------- _______________________
www.astrosurf.com/nunes |
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Sep 23 2005, 11:26 AM
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#5
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Just re-processed.
Took the avi - output as sequential stills - photoshop action to crop, enlarge 400% and unsharp mask, then stacked the results - S.M. much more obvious now
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Sep 23 2005, 11:27 AM
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#6
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
My neigbours have a really bad cheap refractor with a barlow - I may try that instead tonight
Doug |
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Sep 23 2005, 11:39 AM
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#7
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 510 Joined: 17-March 05 From: Southeast Michigan Member No.: 209 |
Now, now - the best telescope is one that gets used.
Your cheap little reflector that you got those images with beats the pants off of a bigger, more expensive scope that sits in a shed collecting dust instead of photons -------------------- --O'Dave
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Sep 23 2005, 12:30 PM
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#8
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Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3009 Joined: 30-October 04 Member No.: 105 |
This is the power of digital imaging. Even using an old small telescope and a cheap digital camera, this image equals or exceeds the photos of Mars taken with much larger telescopes on film a decade or two ago.
--Bill -------------------- |
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Sep 23 2005, 03:50 PM
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#9
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 345 Joined: 2-May 05 Member No.: 372 |
I spy the Pleiades!
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| Guest_PhilCo126_* |
Oct 28 2005, 09:18 AM
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#10
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Guests |
I'm using a large refraktor ( 152 mm Diameter with 1200 mm Focal Length ) and at 300X I could easliy see the dust-storm in the Southern hemisphere of the planet Mars on 26th October 2005 ... the hemisphere was completely orange while I could see some 'details' in the other half of the planet.
Let's hope for clear skies and mild nights on 30th October ( Mars closest ) and on 7th November ( Mars in opposition ). Best regards, Philip |
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Oct 28 2005, 09:21 AM
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#11
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Hopefully, I may be at the eyepiece of something more powerfull after a talk next Thursday
Doug |
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| Guest_PhilCo126_* |
Feb 4 2006, 06:14 PM
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#12
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Guests |
Well as Mars is moving away from us... Saturn is a nice target for backyard telescopes
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Feb 4 2006, 06:17 PM
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#13
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Founder ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Indeed it is - the moment the clouds bugger off, I want to grab something of it - and Jupiter.
Doug |
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