From: "doobisary" <tjp314@pacbell.net>

Date: September 26, 2010 12:22:09 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Jupiter Image

Hi Milton:

VERY NICE!  And encouraging.  I've been fiddling with my Scorpion on my Newts lately.  What I don't like most about RGB filter wheel imaging is that for my 6" f/10.3 and my Cave 8" f/7, I can't reach focus with all that hardware in the chain.  Last night with the Cave, I was able to reach focus if I put a 2x barlow in front of the filter wheel (manual Orion), but then the image scale was too big for the seeing.

I really prefer color camera imaging, and would think that would be the best way to monitor Jupiter for impact flashes (at least if one wants color of the event).

Your results have me encouraged here.  I've been torn between a flea3 with the 1/4" VGA Exhad chip and the Chameleon with more pixels.  I think I'll start with the Chameleon, color version, and maybe when I can afford it (and can set my Newts up with more backfocus, maybe a sled focuser) add a mono flea3 for filter RGB imaging.

-Tim.

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

Hi Folks;

My first jupiter since 2005, as this is the first time it's finally got higher than 30° above the horizon:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Astro_IIDC/files/Planetary/Jupiter_20100922_MJA.jpg

Details at the bottom of the image.

It's also the first time I have imaged with the 1280x960 Chameleon USB 2 camera on a scope, all my testing before has been indoors and bench testing. The EXHAD CCD is quite sensitive and I was imaging with 16 ms exposures and no gain at 2 meter focal lengths.

I tried shooting at 5 meter focal lengths, but it just falls apart into a blurry mass. I also had condensation on the corrector plate too (humidity was 85% @ 4°C), so that dimmed and blurred things a bit too.

TTYL..

Milton Aupperle