March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

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DeepSolar64
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March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Session time is from 1:10pm until 1:50pm EDT local time ( US ). The skies are partly cloudy, clearing from cloudy earlier in the day. Seeing is at least fair, much improved since yesterday. I did not have time to set up for imaging since I am going over to my step daughters to eat there shortly.


Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS. 16x, 21.5x and 33x ( Ha )
I can see two major plages on the solar disc. AR12810 is nearing the LCM in the north and a new AR is coming off the north eastern limb and is easy to see. I can also see a disturbed area north of a line between the two major plages that has a long thin filament within it. I see a tiny plage SE of AR12810 and another tiny one that contains a tiny filament SSW of the larger AR12810. I can see a couple of filaments within AR12810 itself. It's plage is large and sprawling.

I can see several filaments in the southern hemisphere with two in the SE being the most notable.

I can see a fine row of prominences on the limb near the NE active region. I can also faintly see a small group on the SE limb. I can faintly see two on the SW limb. Two of those that I imaged yesterday. They persist! I could actually see them in doublestack!!

The mottles cover the disc and are easy to see.


The soundtrack of today's session is Enya, Watermark album.


Orion 70mm Solar Telescope 27.5x and 83x ( WL )
I can clearly see one spot surrounded by bright faculae near the NE limb corresponding to the Ha plage located there. I can also hint the disturbance in the visible granulation betraying the presence of AR12810.

Carpe Diem!

James

P.S. Come nightfall I tried my hand at lunar imaging using my AT72EDII apochromatic doublet and ZWO ASI178MM monochrome camera. I have taken a number of decent images with my iPhone and DSLR but these first try images exceed them in detail! I can see all but the finest detail. Seeing was the limit tonight. The two I am posting here are stacked images. I also did a couple of snapshots and they are noticeably less sharp with more noise. They would still compete with my iPhone and DSLR though.

The moon is certainly easier to image than the sun is!

JP



GONGCerroTololoHa_3-21-21.jpg
GONGCerroTololoHa_3-21-21.jpg (636.05 KiB) Viewed 410 times
SDOHMIc_3-21-21.jpg
SDOHMIc_3-21-21.jpg (48.19 KiB) Viewed 410 times
Spots_3-21-21.gif
Spots_3-21-21.gif (685.52 KiB) Viewed 410 times


Moon

20_41_18_Stacked.jpg
20_41_18_Stacked.jpg (724.12 KiB) Viewed 395 times
20_41_18_2_Stacked.jpg
20_41_18_2_Stacked.jpg (775.19 KiB) Viewed 395 times
Last edited by DeepSolar64 on Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:55 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

These were taken around 10:00pm EDT local time ( US ).


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Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
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Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
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Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by ffellah »

Thank you for the report, James. The lunar images are excellent !

Franco


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Thanks Franco. I am rather pleased with these for a first try with the ZWO videocam. In time I will go after the planets and the brighter DSOs as well.

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
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Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by Montana »

What a great report James, it sounds like you are starting to have fun with the cameras :hamster: we listened to Enya all morning yesterday too, whilst we cleaned the house :)

Alexandra


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Montana wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:23 pm What a great report James, it sounds like you are starting to have fun with the cameras :hamster: we listened to Enya all morning yesterday too, whilst we cleaned the house :)

Alexandra

Yeah it's getting fun. One thing I found out is that the moon is easier to image than the sun is. It's features have much better contrast making it easier to focus accurately and there is no tuning!

Enya has been among my very favorites for two decades.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by Carbon60 »

Thanks for your report, James. Excellent moon images and solar WL.

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/
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Carbon60 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:12 pm Thanks for your report, James. Excellent moon images and solar WL.

Stu.
The moon images are mine but the white light solar images are from the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Thanks Stu!


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by rsfoto »

Hi James,

Very good Moon images. What is the difference between the two ? I see no difference


regards Rainer

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North 22° West 101°
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

I dunno Rainer. The moon seems much easier to acquire from the beginning. Do you do much imaging outside of solar?


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by marktownley »

Great report and nice moon shots James!


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Well good Lunar image, although I can see the difference between the two - as Rainer says.

My ETX-125 and the mini-observatory will also be used for Lunar and Planetary-imaging - when completed...

Cheers
Terry


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by eroel »

James:
Thanks for the report and for the Lunar images.
Best regards.
Eric.


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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

EGRAY_OBSERVATORY wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:41 pm Well good Lunar image, although I can see the difference between the two - as Rainer says.

My ETX-125 and the mini-observatory will also be used for Lunar and Planetary-imaging - when completed...

Cheers
Terry

I plan to use the ASI 178MM camera for not only solar but lunar and planetary as well. I might even eventually try the brighter deep sky objects. Solar will be my primary interest though.

Thanks everyone for your input.

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by Carbon60 »

DeepSolar64 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:53 pm
Carbon60 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:12 pm Thanks for your report, James. Excellent moon images and solar WL.

Stu.
The moon images are mine but the white light solar images are from the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Thanks Stu!
:lol: Ah....I thought the one labelled ‘Spots’ was yours.


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/
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Re: March 21 2021 Observations. Lunar imaging too!

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Stu,
If the weather will allow me I hope to image those spots sometime this week. The weather doesn't look good though.

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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