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Posts Made By: Dan Petersen

August 13, 2007 01:37 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

VENUS (57.0") 8-12-07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I managed to get a descent shot of our sister planet as she's about to race by us on the 17th. This five minute avi was taken at 2:32 pm CDT today. My posting is the best 40 frames out of 1500. I added a vertical extension to the top of my observatory (in order to block the Sun) so I can still observe and image using my 10" scopes full aperture. SPC900NC, Virtual Dub for capture, Rv4 for processing. Venus was 80 minutes past the meridian at an elevation of 49 degrees. Seeing was 4.5/10. Have a great day, Dan grin

August 20, 2007 11:39 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

2007 "Evening Star" Apparition

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi Guys:

This posting contains a few of my many color composite images of Venus in what you
might call a "unique arrangement", I hope you find it interesting. The time frame runs
from (March 29th... August 12th).

Cheers, Dan

September 23, 2007 09:17 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

VENUS (fl=5080mm) 9/23/07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi guys, here's my latest Venusian update. Seeing was near average but what a sight at magnitude (-4.8) it looks more like a Supernova! Drag your self out of bed and bring a pair of sunglasses because it's bright enough to cast your shadow. Cheers, Dan 8)

October 22, 2007 10:59 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Sunny day in Hellas!

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi guys:

I've been studying my latest Mars capture and noticed that inside the Hellas Impact Basin there are about six well defined CO-2 glaciers, two of the southern ones have peaks, their very tiny shadows give them away. I'm sure glad it was a sunny day in Hellas. Occasionally one of these glaciers will be at just the right angle with the Sun and act like a mirror reflecting sunlight with a dazzlingly bright white pinpoint blast that can last for 30 minutes and sometimes over an hour, I saw one of these back in 2001, it was a spectacular sight to behold. I'm hoping to capture one this apparition. The western 60% of this image contains many massifs, they're not false artifacts because everyone has their left side illuminated. Image acquisition; October 17th, 10:51 UT, Dia.= 10.9, Dist.= 80.0 million miles.

Thanks for viewing, Dan 8)

November 3, 2007 10:53 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Mars simulator

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I've been searching for Mars simulators to post beside my images this winter and have found a good one created by NASA. If you guys know of a better one that includes; the NPH, topographical labels or any other data I sure would appreciate hearing from you. This one is at http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/

Thanks, Dan smile

PS: I took the attached Mars photo the morning of October 7th, 2007 at 10:47 UT.

November 3, 2007 11:26 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars simulator

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I,ve been searching for a Mars simulator to post beside my future images this winter and have found a good one created by NASA, it's at http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/ If you know of a better one that includes; the NPH, topographical labels or any other data I sure would appreciate hearing from you. The attached photo was taken on October 7th, at 10:47 UT. Thanks, Dan smile

November 11, 2007 12:31 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars (Hood activity) 11/10/07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi Guys:

At 10:40 UT this morning I imaged enormous individual cloud cells along the North Polar Hoods extreme southern perimeter and a large gap in the hood just to the east of these towering formations. My guess is that relatively warmer air is starting to waft northward from more temperate latitudes causing this cloud development and ultimately the beginning of the end for the hood. There is also quite a large wall of these icy structures but they've already rotated out of view. Mars is currently 66.4 million miles away and 13.1" in size with an illumination of 92% (CM:57). Imaging setup: 10" SCT at f/20, SPC settings; 5fps, 1/25 sec. s/s, 100% brightness, 0% gamma. This is a 4.5 minute avi processed in Rv4 best 250/1300. The seeing was 4/10 and the temperature was 30 degrees with heavy frost. I hope we all get some good seeing - soon.

Have a great day, Dan 8)

November 11, 2007 01:41 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mercury 9/7/07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, Mercury's one tough target, this shot was taken through early afternoon heat on the seventh of September, 2007. Diameter: just 5.3"! It sort of looks like the Moon only 500 times farther away or 118 million miles when this image was captured. Thanks for viewing, Dan

November 16, 2007 02:21 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

HST Holmes in on comet!

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, here's a (HST) shot of comet Holmes just posted by NASA, it's now larger than the Sun, cheers, Dan. grin

November 18, 2007 09:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Blue light on Mars! 11/18/07

Posted By Dan Petersen
Hi, I was up for two hours waiting for the clouds to break when finally at 3:40 am they did. Wow, a bright pin point of pale blue light in the NPH was rotating into view, I managed to capture it even though seeing was only 3.5/10. The northeast limb of Mars might also be showing the start of a bright dust cloud, although this may be just a highly reflective albedo region. There was also lots of morning haze visible along the limb. Image acquisition (9:40-44 UT). Mars data; Dia.= 13.9", Dist.= .67 a.u., Mag= -1.0, Phase= 94%, CM= 330. I hope one of you guys can get a high resolution image of all this activity, we're socked in up here. Thanks for viewing, Dan grin

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