From: "cosmicrock2001" <ursamajor_1@mac.com>

Date: September 30, 2009 8:03:26 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [IOTAoccultations] Video Recording planning and preprations for the LCROSS i


Yes,  I agree,  its going to be a swag as to what we'll see and how best to image it.  This guide has more current guidance and images for main crater and talks about imaging it more like a 'planetary' image methods.   The link is on their google page I just hadnt downloaded it before the 2nd post. With my DBK I've used monochrome and 2x2 binning for jupiter.  2x2 binning and the mono red channel seem to help with my seeing the most.     Its great to have those options in AstroIIDC.  Ron


http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/observed/LCROSS/20090916LCROSSImpactUpdate.pdf 


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "milton_aupperle" <milton@...> wrote:


Thanks for the link, which is closer to what one will likely encounter.


The issue isn't one of just faintness, its' also an issue of over saturation and movement.


If your at long focal lengths, longer exposures and have any movement (tracking error or turbulence) then that "black" area they indicate that it will show up against will be obliterated.


You might want to experiment with 2x2 monochrome and 4x4 binning with the DBK in Astro IIDC too, so that you can keep the exposure time a bit more realistic (say 66.67 ms exposures or 15 fps).


HTH..


Milton Aupperle


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "cosmicrock2001" <ursamajor_1@> wrote:


There are good guides and image-maps here:


http://groups.google.com/group/lcross_observation/web/observing-how-to


and


http://home.comcast.net/~dave.dockery/Imaging%20%20the%20LCROSS%20Impact%20Event.pdf


I havent had a chance to read through all this yet. But due to suggested magnitudes and nebula like form, I'm thinking maybe I should use my DSI-Pro monochrome camera which is 16 bit and more sensitive than the DBK.  I can run it with Nebulosity on my Mac. Using an IR pass filter with it may help the seeing and the help separate the 'nebula' plume from the background moon in near IR or longer red wavelengths the camera is sensitive to.  I normally just use the DSI for guiding.


The LCROSS amateurs guide suggests setting exposures to capture nebula so that might mean 2 seconds or more? I think it might depend if the plume is seen against a bright lunar background or black shadow or black space above the limb.  Definitely need to run some tests and trials over the next few nights.  


Ron