CCD Imaging : Planets 2001

CCD Imaging 1 | First Light
CCD Imaging 2 | Deepsky 2001
CCD Imaging 3 | Planets 2001

Last update: 23 March 2001

Imaging Planets

Imaging Jupiter with the CCD camera did proof not to be as easy as I thought. The camera is easily saturated by the light from Jupiter. I had to buy more filters and I have to take the right filter for the chosen focal length. This problem comes from the circumstance, that the shortest exposure time is 0.6 sec, which is far too long.

The Mak 100/1000mm seems to be a good lens for planetary imaging.

Jupiter compositions from 5 March and 12 March 2001

The images were made under the circumstances described below. I had difficulties in finding the sharpest position with the Mak lens. My old laptop I use does not show images on the LCD good enough, so I will switch to my old 486/66 MHz again with monochrome monitor.

In the lower row you can see Jovian moon IO coming closer to the limb very quickly.

	Saturn Instrument: f=1:10 Maksutov 100mm f=1000mm and M42 2 times teleconverter projection. Estimated focal length is about 5 meters. All on NP mount. Film: LcCCD 07 Filter: Blue to get no saturation of chip. Exposure time: Composition of 30 images with 0.6 sec integration time. Date: 12 March 2001, 19.50 UT Weather: Excellent, temp about +2°C, but seeing medium to worse Note: I am not satisfied with this image; could have been better, but it is the first.
	Jupiter Instrument: f=1:10 Maksutov 100mm f=1000mm and M42 2 times teleconverter projection. Estimated focal length is about 5 meters. Film: LcCCD 07 Filter: Combined Blue AND Gray ND13 (=13%) to get no saturation of chip. Exposure time: Composition of 30 images with 0.6 sec integration time. Date: 05 March 2001, 21.04 UT (Same as in the compositions above) Weather: Excellent, temp about -3°C, but seeing medium Note: I made a bunch of experiments with imaging Jupiter and this came out. Processed with IRIS. Astonishing for this small optics. The Jupiter virtual diameter is 38". The GRF (Great Red Spot) is just goig around the limb on the lower right.
	Jupiter Instrument: f=1:10 Maksutov 100mm f=1000mm and M42 2 times teleconverter projection. Estimated focal length is about 2 meters. Film: LcCCD 07 Filter: Combined Blue AND Gray ND13 (=13%) to get no saturation of chip. Exposure time: Composition of 50 images with 0.6 sec integration time. Date: 05 March 2001, 21.35 UT Weather: Excellent, temp about -3°C, but seeing medium Note:Used lower magnification than above, but the image has not been sharp.
	Moon Instrument: f=1:10 Maksutov 100mm f=1000mm focal Film: LcCCD 07 Filter: Combined Blue AND Gray ND13 (=13%) AND Green in front of lens to get no saturation of chip, but it was still too bright. Exposure time: 0.6 sec integration time. Date: 05 March 2001, 22.13 UT Weather: Excellent, temp about -3°C, but seeing medium Note: I made only one short test with the moon - The Moon is too bright and I have no more filters to reduce light.

All photos are Copyright © of C.Petermann DF9CY

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