Jupiter and its moons - 9/28/09

[ssracer]

My first planet with moons!!

Spotted this bright spot to the left of the moon as I took the recycle bin out last night. Grabbed my telescope out of the garage and saw little bright spots surrounding it. Naturally the next thing I did was grab my camera.

All are 100% crops from my XS

900mm telescope, iso1600, 1/2 second exposure
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/3964927282_c64fe9f652_o.jpg

900mm telescope, iso1600, 1/4 second exposure
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/3964927414_e8b8ca52ae_o.jpg

900mm telescope, iso1600, 1/6 second exposure
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3964927494_b978db99ce_o.jpg

900mm telescope, iso1600, 1/5 second exposure
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3964153513_a2b676c7b0_o.jpg

250mm zoom lens, iso1600, f/8, 1/4 second exposure
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/3964927634_fee373c1e6_o.jpg

250mm zoom lens, iso800, f/8, .3 second exposure
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3964153637_89b21cb514_o.jpg

In the last two I think that other little dot that is in a different place in each is maybe a satellite or something. It was in a few others that I didn't keep. Pretty positive it was not a plane.

[Adrena1in]

Bit of nasty CA on those 900mm scope shots, but good captures...I remember how chuffed I was the first time I captured Jupiter and it's moons. There's something extra special about shooting a solar-system object, then going back to it the next day and seeing how all the moons have changed places!! :)

Would have been interested to see a 1/100th or 1/200th shot as well, as you might have caught Jupiter's colouring.

And yes, I would hazard a guess that's a satellite you captured there as well! Nice going!

[ssracer]

Yeah, the scope isn't really made for using a camera, but it gets the job done. I was pretty stoked that I could actually get the moons.

I'd love to try some more tonight, but they skies are a not so lovely shade of gray today :(

Hopefully it will clear up for another chance in a day or two, if it does I'll try some faster speeds and see if I can't get some colors in there.

[Celestron]

If you want color in there your going to have to shorten the exposer the way your doing it . Long exposers cause burnout . Also drop your ISO down for Jupiter itself . Jupiter is bright making it burnout fast .

[VIGER]

Good advice.

The last shots are stable. Bring the ISO down ... you are on the right trak indeed.

[ssracer]

I'll try that next time. I was so focused on getting the moons I didn't even think about trying to get any better shots of the planet itself...lol

[VIGER]

To get both right you will need tot ake two shots and merged them

[perry314181]

Apparently, that little dot on the lower left hand corner isn't a satellite. I confirmed it with astronomy.com's stardome java applet thing.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9539/35139012.jpg

It is called 32 lota from the Capricornus constellation. I just tried to shoot Jupiter with long exposure and that dot shows up for me as well. Learn something new everyday. =D

[Adrena1in]

Apparently, that little dot on the lower left hand corner isn't a satellite. I confirmed it with astronomy.com's stardome java applet thing.

It is called 32 lota from the Capricornus constellation.

Interesting app. But actually

No, if you look at the last two of ssracer's images, there's a tiny dot below and slightly right of Jupiter on the first, and on the last image it's slightly above and left of 32 Iota. This is I assume was ssracer was talking about, and I'm guessing is a satellite.

[ssracer]

Yeah, I was talking about the tiny little dot. I knew the other one that is in the same place in both was a star form Capricornus. I downloaded Google Earth the other night which has a pretty cool sky feature for celestial bodies.

[Celestron]

Yeah, I was talking about the tiny little dot. I knew the other one that is in the same place in both was a star form Capricornus. I downloaded Google Earth the other night which has a pretty cool sky feature for celestial bodies.

Google earth is ok but to me personally i like to have my own software . I use Cartes Du Ceils' (http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/index.php) program . It's great , shows most everything you could want . works with a couple other programs , and it's FREE , and prints out some fantastic star charts . Heres a couple chart examples and when they print out they print in color with a light background so you can use it outside .

[ssracer]

I think I had that on my old laptop, looks very familiar

[Adrena1in]

Must download that, it looks fantastic.

[ssracer]

skies are looking clear for tonight so I know what I will be doing once the kiddo is in bed.

[Celestron]

It's a fantastic program ! Like in the pict above you see an object you want to know what it is ? Just click on it and the object name changes colors and when it does that then click it again and a box opens and tells you all kinds of info like below .

[perry314181]

My apology on misunderstanding that post. Time to clean my screen with some wet wipe, it's a little dusty that I didn't even notice that tiny dot ssracer was referring to. :mad:

[ssracer]

lol....no problem