Poor viewing conditions again
- [whrudey]
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Poor viewing conditions again
Not sure what's happening with the sun and our area lately but, conditions have been consistently poor - tons of scintillation. There was a time when I could not capture a poor image, even if I tried. Now, it's a major challenge to capture even a modest image.
Here's today's crop - the best of 15 + captures.
Cheers,
Bill
Here's today's crop - the best of 15 + captures.
Cheers,
Bill
- ffellah
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Bill: these images are anything but modest. They are great !
Franco
Franco
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Bill:
Most islands have an air laminar flow, so at your place you normally ought to have good to excellent seeing.
All your images resolve the solar granulation that has an average of 1 arc second in size, so probably making shorter avistreams may help to even up your frames.
Best regards,
Eric.
Most islands have an air laminar flow, so at your place you normally ought to have good to excellent seeing.
All your images resolve the solar granulation that has an average of 1 arc second in size, so probably making shorter avistreams may help to even up your frames.
Best regards,
Eric.
- [whrudey]
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Thanks Franco and Eric, your comments are appreciated.
I think my frustration stems from the need for perfection - though never attained but, encouraged by my late father. Secondly, I know that my setup can do so much better. On a really good day, the image on the capture screen is crisp and sharp with an even grey-scale. Hardly any post-processing is required at all and, every image could be a keeper. Now, perhaps only one in twelve captures have potential and, still require full post-processing.
As for AVI streams, I usually capture 300 frames and retain only 10 - 15% in AutoStakkert!2. My preference is to use a fast exposure but, override the fps in SharpCap such that the total sampling time is extended eg: at 100 fps, the sampling time is 300/100= 3 seconds vs: at 30 fps where sampling time is 300/30=10 seconds. The notion is that with a longer sampling time, one is more likely to capture some good frames. There have been times when the scintillation was so bad that one could not focus an image on the screen yet, 10 minutes later the image simply jumps out at you. It becomes a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Often, I'll check out NOAA's website for the Caribbean satellite view of Water Vapour. Here's today's - tons of Dry Air as shown by the orange. I'd have thought that dry air would be the best - not so sure now.
Many thanks for your thughts.
Bill
I think my frustration stems from the need for perfection - though never attained but, encouraged by my late father. Secondly, I know that my setup can do so much better. On a really good day, the image on the capture screen is crisp and sharp with an even grey-scale. Hardly any post-processing is required at all and, every image could be a keeper. Now, perhaps only one in twelve captures have potential and, still require full post-processing.
As for AVI streams, I usually capture 300 frames and retain only 10 - 15% in AutoStakkert!2. My preference is to use a fast exposure but, override the fps in SharpCap such that the total sampling time is extended eg: at 100 fps, the sampling time is 300/100= 3 seconds vs: at 30 fps where sampling time is 300/30=10 seconds. The notion is that with a longer sampling time, one is more likely to capture some good frames. There have been times when the scintillation was so bad that one could not focus an image on the screen yet, 10 minutes later the image simply jumps out at you. It becomes a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Often, I'll check out NOAA's website for the Caribbean satellite view of Water Vapour. Here's today's - tons of Dry Air as shown by the orange. I'd have thought that dry air would be the best - not so sure now.
Many thanks for your thughts.
Bill
- marktownley
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Nice images Bill and interesting info about your climate. Maybe consider an SSM to snap those best frames?
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Bill great pics nonetheless.You are not alone in your seeing however 2 years ago I had good seeing almost every second session however with a few drier years I hardly get a good day for higher mag.Still we take what,s on offer.
Derek
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
These are still fantastic Bill if I could just see the Sun!
Our weather is crazy too
Alexandra
Our weather is crazy too
Alexandra
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Great stuff Bill - your search for perfection serves us well! Hope you get better conditions soon.
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Maybe not perfect to your eyes, Bill, but remarkable nevertheless.
Stu.
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Hi Bill,
Nice granulations!! What filter/ERF did you use on your 8" Newtonian?
Alfred
Nice granulations!! What filter/ERF did you use on your 8" Newtonian?
Alfred
- [whrudey]
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Re: Poor viewing conditions again
Thanks everyone for your kind comments.
Mark: Have thought of using an SSM but, I think my tired old eyes can still see the difference on the monitor and then start the capture. What I need is a device to make scintillation go away.
Alfred: The only filter pack consists of a Baader Solar Continuum, IR/UV cut and ND3. These fit inside the eyepiece holder draw tube. The secondary is aluminized but the primary is stripped. Plain glass reflects about 4% of incident light so, this setup mimics a refractor with a Herschel wedge.
Cheers,
Bill
Mark: Have thought of using an SSM but, I think my tired old eyes can still see the difference on the monitor and then start the capture. What I need is a device to make scintillation go away.
Alfred: The only filter pack consists of a Baader Solar Continuum, IR/UV cut and ND3. These fit inside the eyepiece holder draw tube. The secondary is aluminized but the primary is stripped. Plain glass reflects about 4% of incident light so, this setup mimics a refractor with a Herschel wedge.
Cheers,
Bill