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Posts Made By: Dan Petersen

December 21, 2007 09:56 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars ( North Polar Cap) 12-20-07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Greetings:

The "NPC" is finally observable, you can see it in this photo taken Wednesday evening, the hood clouds are just about gone now. Lets hope a global dust storm doesn't start up and obscure everything. For this shot I used my 10" SCT and SPC900 set at; 30 fps (uncompressed), S/S= 1/30, brightness= 100%, gamma= 100% and the image enhancer was set at 100%. I processed the two minute avi (400/3329) in RV4, post processed in Microsoft Digital Image. Seeing 5/10, transparency 2/10. cheers, Dan grin

December 26, 2007 12:09 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars at Opposition!

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi guys:

Last night was the 2007 Opposition of Mars, I captured twenty seven avi's, here's a color composite from video #13 taken at 10:25pm CST on December 24th, with the Red Planet showing a 284 degree central meridian, seeing was decent for a change. This is from a 3 minute avi recorded at 10fps taken through an SPC900 and UV/IR filter attached to my 10" SCT at F/27. 147/1900 processed in R4. I plan on assembling some larger and smoother stacks later.

Take it easy, Dan 8)

December 27, 2007 10:34 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars images from Opposition night!

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi:

Here are several images taken Monday evening. I also enjoyed observing through the scope, the dark features on Mars are very high in contrast this apparition, I don't know why, but who's complaining! 8O The Mars images in this composite form the letter "M" and the montage is shaped like a Lunar Lander, you may have noticed this already.

Take it easy, Dan

December 28, 2007 03:38 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Magnificent Mars!

Posted By Dan Petersen
Greetings:

The Red Planet (or as one famous author wrote, "the Martian home world" by H.G.Wells) reached its 2007 Opposition Monday evening, so I headed outside with webcam in hand and had a go at it, the attached color montage is the end result, it's shaped like a Lunar Lander and the Mars images form the letter "M",I hope you like it.

Cheers, Dan smile

December 29, 2007 11:57 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars (best of the batch) 12-25-07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi:

It has taken me three days of processing to come up with this one. I had to sort through 27 avi's, this is the best one #23 taken at 5:12 UT on December 25th. Several global colors are visible (notice the greens) along with intricate surface markings and all obtained in just average seeing conditions using very modest equipment, a 10" SCT and an SPC900 webcam. I need to keep improving my processing techniques so when good seeing hits I can really put together a nice one, hope you like it.

Cheers, Dan smile

January 16, 2008 01:28 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars (1/15/08)

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I recorded 19 videos last night, attached is a composite from one of them, we're now 21 days past opposition. Note the large streaming layer of faint blue clouds covering a considerable portion of Mar's southern hemisphere and to the north it's nothing but severe clear over the Polar Ice Cap now. This composite is from a two minute capture at 30 fps, best 333/3600 (zero compression) processed in R4, 10" SCT at f/27, SPC900 with a Baader UV/IR cut filter. Cheers, Dan smile

January 17, 2008 02:34 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn 1-16-08

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I was up all night imaging Mars and then the Ringed Planet - enjoyed every minute. Here's my first Saturn posting for '08, it's 2500 out of 3300 frames stacked using Rv4. Meade 10" SCT at F/27 - no filters. SPC900NC; 10fps, 1/10th sec. exp., gain: 52%, (brightness- gamma- saturation) all at 100%. I'm still pouring through avi's. Have a great day, Dan

January 17, 2008 04:05 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Saturn observation - 1/16/08

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I imaged and then observed Saturn this morning, the views are spectacular with the northern hemisphere showing high contrast belts and zones that have been hidden for many years. The long ring shadow on Saturn's globe is pitch black, it's one of the first features that jumps out at you. The Cassini Division is still clearly visible but not for long so get out and enjoy the ringside show. Attached is my Saturn photo taken at 3:19am (CST) this morning, it's actually a composite of 2500 frames stack one on top of the other and then processed in RegiStax. Cheers, Dan 8)

January 18, 2008 04:34 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars (Jan 16, 2008)

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi:

The Red Planet captured (at 5:57UT) two nights ago during an all nighter. You can see a very large transparent shield of clouds over Mar's southern polar regions. Meade 10" SCT and SPC900NC working at 30fps and running for one minute and fifty seven seconds. I processed the best 520/3476 in Rv4, hope you like it. Cheers, Dan smile

January 19, 2008 11:45 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Moon & Mars 1/19/08, 23:16UT

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, here's the Moon and Mars right next to each other, this photo was taken just a few minutes ago using my Sony CyberShot. Step outside and take a look... it's spectacular! Cheers, Dan grin

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