Big Jupiter

I have the new scope running very well now. The mirrors are collimated (aligned) pretty well now, the mirror still cools off really slowly but I installed some computer fans and I've figured out how to use them to best blow the tube currents out of the way while imaging. I also took a nice focuser off another scope and put it on the new one as an upgrade, added a motorized filter wheel, and am using an extension tube to squeeze out some more magnification. This pic is Jupiter & Co from Friday morning, taken in average conditions with clouds moving in and out of the area. Click on if for the full version!

Jupiter Remix

I reprocessed the last Jupiter image to reduce the noise a bit and to clean up the blue fringe on the right limb, here's the new version.

More Skunks

Here is Jupiter from this morning. I am starting to get the new scope dialed in. Click on the pic for the full version.

A skunk kit got into the garage while I was taking pictures, luckily I was able to convince him to leave peacefully.

Saw a Few Skunks Last Night

Continuing to work on the new scope. Saturn is getting really low in the sky and it's getting hard to get a clear view.

New Scope

I have been setting up my new (used) scope this week. Here is a test pic from Thursday. The optics weren't aligned correctly yet, and the mirror hadn't cooled off, but I wanted to test out the tracking motors (they work!)

And here's an image from last night. Still getting some minor kinks worked out. Can't wait for Jupiter Season in the Fall!

Jupiter and its missing belt

Jupiter is now in the morning sky, I woke up early on June 8th and took this pic as it started getting light out. Jupiter has gradually lost one of its two, reddish-brown belts this year. If you compare this pic to one of mine from last year, this missing belt is real obvious.

Saturn in IR

Here is the infrared image of Saturn I took on Thursday night. I combined this with the color data to produce the image in the previous post.