December 26 2021 Imaging Session.

[DeepSolar64]

Today I didn't do my usual visual session. It was so warm out and comfortable and I had time so I set up for a long overdue imaging session! I used my Coronado SolarMax II 90 for Ha and my Celestron 102 for 540nm Continuum. The camera is my ZWO ASI178MM monochrome camera.

Session time was from 16:00 to 17:00 UTC. The skies were partly cloudy. Seeing is well below average. The temperature is a balmy 67F ( 19.4C )

Opinions are of course welcome.


James

AstroSphericApp_Seeing_12-26-21.JPG (48.64 KiB) Viewed 611 times

AR12916_18-19540nmC10212-26-21_JP.jpg (1.49 MiB) Viewed 611 times

AR12916_18-19_Ha_SMII90_12-26-21_JP.jpg (2.27 MiB) Viewed 611 times

AR12916-17-18-19_Ha_12-26-21_JP.jpg (2.68 MiB) Viewed 611 times

EasternSun_Inverted_SMII90_12-26-21_JP.jpg (1.62 MiB) Viewed 611 times

AR12916-18-19_540nm_Celestron102_12-26-21_JP.jpg (411.52 KiB) Viewed 611 times

SEQuadrant_Ha_SMII90_12-26-21JP.jpg (2.64 MiB) Viewed 611 times

Southern_Hemisphere_Clouds_Ha_SMII90_12-26-21_JP.jpg (1.37 MiB) Viewed 611 times

And a fallen Christmas tree! Blown over by the solar winds!!!

FallenChristmasTree!_SW_SMII90_12-26-21_JP.jpg (201.5 KiB) Viewed 609 times

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Hello James,
So very-excellent captures there. in fact all are excellent and the close views of AR2916, well show the complex make-up of this very active region.

In fact, an X-Flare could well occur soon from 2916 and if so, would be Earth directed and would also cause significant radio blackouts too...

Very well done and I wish I could be able take good captures as yours..

Terry

[DeepSolar64]

Terry,
I hope I can catch the flare if AR12916 pops one off!

Personally I don't think mine is outstanding in any way. Not against so many here who do such outstanding work. I was satisfied decently with today's session though I still have not been able to get the granulation like some do here. I always seem to be able to see the individual granules better than I can image them. They always seem to blur together in my images. Today's seeing didn't help, it was well below average and a bigger scope in better seeing would better my chances in imaging the granules. And I still need more imaging practice!!

Thanks for the compliment but you do fine. Just keep at it. I am limited with my SMII90 and Celestron 102 as their Losmandy AZ8 mount won't track. So it's short AVI files and single frame captures that work for me.

Blessings,

James

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Thanks my friend for those comments.

Indeed a decent tracking-mount does help, but the seeing is a major part of getting the fine detail such as the "porridge"..

One must remember also that the size of the objective of any given scope will also equal the final quality of the image and yes, so many here use these 100+mm scopes, (+ Barlows) and top of the range filtering of whatever sort/manufacture, that they ultimately will improve on what we mortals rely on our 50/60/80 scopes..
Having said that, you know we can see some fab captures from even the smaller scopes too from SolarChatters...

Of course with decent seeing or better and enough images to stack too, many superb results from any scope can result in such..

If I really wanted to, I could invest in a larger 80+mm Ha scope to better my Lunt 60mm and its' DS, but again the weather, time available and a limit to the scopes-length at least could cause a problem with some limitations within the main-obsy. Food for thought though...

Perhaps with that good-tracking to be available to you, as well as a good seeing, to take many frames in each capture and stacking might well improve upon your already excellent efforts. Also post-processing (after stacking) say with some sharpening etc etc., might assist for getting to the "porridge" stage... ??

Keep trying as practice makes purrrrfection...

Terry

[DeepSolar64]

Terry,
My C102 is on the bottom end of resolution to be able to see the individual granules. I wanna see rice grains not porridge!!

True, the more one practices the better they get. That certainly applies to visual too and I have far more experience at that!!

Here's today's setup. I noticed in the images that I left that cap off the BF and wedge when not in use. I usually put a cap back on or put an eyepiece in. I am thinking " why did I do that"!! Winter isn't a big deal but if I did that in the spring or early summer pollen would coat the filter or prism. I guess I was too concentrating on imaging....

James

Imaging setup.JPG (138.21 KiB) Viewed 593 times

CoronadoSMII90DS Imaging.JPG (107.02 KiB) Viewed 593 times

ZWOASI178MM on Altair wedge. C102.JPG (73.91 KiB) Viewed 593 times

[ffellah]

Great images on both Ha and WL. You were able to capture fine detail at both frequencies, James. The prom image also came out well. I hope to see your images more in the future…

Franco

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Yes James, my first reaction when seeing the set-up image (before reading your comments) was - "Where is that ***** dust-cover."

You are quite correct that perhaps not as important in the cold-winter period, but I said so often before to others - the need to keep at hand each dust-cover likely to be required immediately is paramount in keep those "dust bunnies" at bay (or preferably out of the optics.

In my main-obsy for instance, the three-scopes and their cameras are never (or very rarely) separated, so no problems occur, but still there are the dust-caps very handy on the stand, just in case...

It is quite surprising how much pollen, dust etc., is in our atmosphere in many areas and can cause the need for cleaning often. The objectives of the three scopes are usually blown-cleaned with an electric air-pump often...

The mini-obsy was and still needs vacuum-cleaning for now after the amount of wood-work cutting for the inside-lining and a little more difficult to keep the dust out, but another air-blower seems to help...

Cheers
Terry

[DeepSolar64]

Franco,
Thanks. I plan to image more in the future.

Terry,
I use my scopes so often that the objectives and ERF have to be cleaned often, especially in summer. In May-June pollen often coats the scopes looking like a fine yellow dust. It doesn’t show up on the gold Coronados like it does the black Celestron and Orion. I have found that a rubber bulb like one uses to clean one’s ears or a baby’s nose is effective at blowing off loose particles off the optics.

Having them enclosed in an observatory should help too!!

James

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

The rubber-bulb method is ideal as I also have one availabubble !!

So many of us either can't afford or have the place for an observatory, but as we have seen from both Nic/nicspenceryork and my new mini-obsy, costs can be reduced considerably by utilising existing pre-manufactured sheds. Mine had nothing to do with the costings, rather no-point in being bigger and some maximum size considerations...

Terry

[DeepSolar64]

In time I will have an observatory. It's in the plans. :-)

[Montana]

Well done James what an excellent set, especially the WL

Alexandra

[rsfoto]

Hi James,

Excellent images

[Ivan]

Great job James! I really liked your photos, I am happy about your success. Great and thumbs up!

Ivan

[DeepSolar64]

Thanks everyone!! I intend to start doing this more often, weather and time allowing.

James

[Ivan]

James, it will be great if you can take pictures more often. And congratulations on SPoD !!!

Ivan

[DeepSolar64]

Thank You Ivan!!

[jacinto]

Nice Images James !!!

[DeepSolar64]

Thank you Jacinto!

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Well done and congrats on the SPOD James.

In fact looking at that enlargement really does show the "porridge" very well, so you're doing everything correct.

If it was slightly out of focus for instance, the "porridge" would not show up anywhere near as good as in the SPOD image.

To get anything similar to the SC'rs level - really needs a closer (Barlow) view and equally good tracking too...

Thanks again James.

Terry

[DeepSolar64]

Terry,
I think lack of tracking and seeing probably worked against me as far as extreme resolution goes. But it still turned out ok. Thanks!!

James.

[Martin_S]

Hi James, you have some great Images in this post. The WL is amazing, congratulations on the SPOD.

Martin

[ffellah]

Congratulations on the beautiful SPOD James !

Franco

[DeepSolar64]

Thanks Martin and Franco!! That was one of my favorite images!! If only the seeing would have been better.

James.

[marktownley]

Great report and super pics there James!

[DeepSolar64]

Mark,
I was hoping you would see these!

James