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Last updated: 28 March 2004 |
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Here are some planetary astrophotographs taken with my LXD55 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. All of these were taken with a Scopetronix 25mm (80X) eyepiece using the Scopetronix Digi-T System using a Nikon Coolpix 995 with Remote Release Cable.
Planets [28 Mar 04] |
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27-28 March 2004 was a noteworthy night. Four events all came together for me: five naked-eye planets visible, three simultaneous Jovian moon shadows, the weather cooperated (although the seeing wasn't too good), and my schedule allowed me to observe from shortly after sunset to past midnight! I set up my LXD55-8"SC just after sunset, did an Autostar one-star alignment, and began observing and taking photographs with my Nikon Coolpix 995 and remote release cable. All of the images are single frame shots; no stacking was done. Autostar tracking was near perfect throughout the 6+ hours I was out. During the night I listened to Holst "The Planets" on my Apple iPod mini while observing; seemed appropriate! |
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Mercury on 27 March 2003 at 1sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom. Mercury was very low on the horizon hence the redness and blurriness. But I had to include it as one of the five planets.
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Venus on 27 March 2003 at 1/60sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom.
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Mars on 27 March 2003 at 1/60sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom. Seeing wasn't too good, so some blurriness occurred. And of course, Mars is fairly far away right now. But I still had to include it as one of the five planets.
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Jupiter on 27 March 2003 at 1/2sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom. Seeing wasn't too good, so some blurriness occurred.
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Jupiter on 27 March 2003 at 2115 PST taken at 1sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom. I combined a short exposure Jupiter photo with a longer exposure that captured the Jovian moons. Seeing wasn't too good, so some blurriness occurred.
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Saturn on 27 March 2003 at 1/2sec at ISO 400. 25mm eyepiece + 2X Barlow Lens. Full camera lens zoom. Seeing wasn't too good, so some blurriness occurred.
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Jovian Moons Shadows [28 Mar 04] |
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The highlight of the night was the transit of shadows of three Jovian moons across the face of Jupiter. All of the images are single frame shots; no stacking was done. |
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Go to the 2003 Planets Astrophotography Page.
Go to back to my LXD55 Home Page.