Meade Eclipseview 114

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Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Solarscout »

Eclipseview 114 is a major improvement over Skywatcher Heritage 76. 12.5mm plossl eyepiece. I used zoom on phone camera whem viewing through eyepiece and then tried to zoom in on sunspots as much as possible after saving image. The camera momentarily shows sharp details but then automatically adjusts lens which made images more blurry most of the time...
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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Solarscout »

Now for attempted closeup study of sunspots!
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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Peterm »

Well done in presenting these. Your 3rd image shows the Sunspots quite nicely. Your 6th image looks like you still have bug to iron out!


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Nice!

You might be able to get more detail out of them by processing them more by using an editor like Adobe PhotoShop or GIMP. If the image is not sharp enough to support being viewed full size, downsizing them a bit can help too. I use my iPhone for imaging sometimes too. The phone is always at hand for a quick image!

The third one down is my favorite. PS or GIMP can also rotate and flip the image to the correct orientation.

I almost bought a Meade EclipseView 60 about four years ago but chose the Orion 70mm Solar Telescope instead.

James

P.S. I played around with your third image a bit in PhotoShop CC2020 and GIMP. I hope you didn't mind. Here is the result. I like the vibrant color.


20230527_150451_Solarscout.jpg
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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Solarscout »

Thanks, its great how you can draw out more details in your picture. Is there actually a "right way up" and correct orientation for displaying the Sun? Since I'm using a reflector telescope I know it's inverted but there is no right side up in space


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by marktownley »

Cool pickies!


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Solarscout wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 8:00 am Thanks, its great how you can draw out more details in your picture. Is there actually a "right way up" and correct orientation for displaying the Sun? Since I'm using a reflector telescope I know it's inverted but there is no right side up in space
Compare it to a continuum SDO image and align with that. You are true in saying there is no right side up in space but the sun is turned a certain way as seen from the Earth.

James.


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Solarscout »

Are there any cameras suitable for this reflector telescope? I read that dobsonians generally are only for visual use and not imaging


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

I have a ZWO ASI178MM and a Point Grey Grasshopper video camera that I use for solar imaging and I use them a lot with my altazimuth mounts. Of the four mounts I have only one has tracking. I use the cameras most with my Losmandy AZ8 which has no tracking at all. Using either SharpCap or ASTRO IIDC I can save single frame captures or save AVI video files for later image stacking. The key with unguided mounts, like a dobsonian, it to keep the video files short around 300 frames so the stacking software can line them up. Stack 10 percent of the best frames ( 30 frames ). Then edit/process your images in whatever program you choose. Remember to keep the AVI files short so stacking programs can line them up. If all fails do single frame captures or manually select the best files in the video and edit them.

But yes, astro video cams will work with dobsonians or any altazimuth mount. It just imposes a few limits without tracking and even with tracking one has image rotation to tend with.

Choose a monochrome camera for solar. Add color back, if desired, while editing.

James


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

StarHugger wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 11:14 pm Nice eyepiece projection Solar pictures, taking photographs of the Sun can become a highly addictive and gratifying past time just so you've been duely warned...

Just Sayin :lol:
Yes, even for someone who has always been a primarily visual observer.


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Rusted »

As James has pointed out. Don't go for the largest possible image.
There really is lots of really sharp detail hiding in your image.
It took me only a few seconds with a very simple image handling software to reduce the image size.
Then a bit of - gamma. Reduce colour intensity to taste and increase contrast.
I have deliberately overdone this simple processing for maximum contrast.
Keep at it! You are doing well! :bow


StarHugger solar image.resize 600 pixels rotate 90 cw.jpg
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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Chris,
You did well editing that image. Better than I did. How did you get the spots a more natural color? I never could figure out how to get the reddish tint out of them. I resized, used gamma and increased contrast. I did not think to adjust the color intensity. Ahh..Maybe that's it! I also sharpened the image a bit, maybe a little too much.

Nicely done!!

Smartphones are certainly a viable way to image the Sun, especially in white light.

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by Rusted »

Thanks James. I would avoid sharpening if at all possible. It always seems to bring out artifacts.
I don't have PS. So I use a very old image handling software called PhotoFiltre 7. I have used it for years.
I seriously overdid the reworking of this image. As can be seen in the false arcs of shading.

Your version has better defined spots. It helps to have the raw data to play with.
I often copy forum images and try to rework them purely as a learning exercise.
Only very rarely do I post my results if I think it will help the originator.
Small is [usually] more beautiful. ;)


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Re: Meade Eclipseview 114

Post by DeepSolar64 »

PhotoFiltre 7 looks to work very well!

I usually downsize my images to where they look best. It serves no purpose if when viewed full size if you have no gain in resolution. It just makes a file that takes up more space unnecessarily.


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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