Jupiter tonight (20/08/2022)

D

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Hi,

Thought I've have a go a Jupiter this evening. Unfortunately, a lot of light pollution where I live. I used manual focus but still slightly out of focus. 300mm/f5.6/0.25s/ISO1600. Can't wait to get a bigger lens!

https://imgur.com/GUawffU
https://imgur.com/w34p6Lz

If my app is accurate, then I think the moons are the Galilean Moons, (left to right) Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. Perhaps someone more clued up can confirm or deny. Any hints/tips for improvement welcomed.

Cheers,

Stuart
 
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FBi7 said:
Hi,

Thought I've have a go a Jupiter this evening. Unfortunately, a lot of light pollution where I live. I used manual focus but still slightly out of focus. 300mm/f5.6/0.25s/ISO1600. Can't wait to get a bigger lens!

https://imgur.com/GUawffU
https://imgur.com/w34p6Lz

If my app is accurate, then I think the moons are the Galilean Moons, (left to right) Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. Perhaps someone more clued up can confirm or deny. Any hints/tips for improvement welcomed.

Cheers,

Stuart
Click to expand...

You are correct on the moons
For accurate focussing get a bahtinov mask. They work well on a 300mm lens - I have them for both my 300mm and 600mm lenses. The 300mm is a bit small for it but try cutting the exposure to see if you can pull any detail out of Jupiter, and if you don't do it already take multiple shots and pick the best one to process, as planetary imaging is really afftected by atmospheric conditions.
 
Jannyfox said:
You are correct on the moons
For accurate focussing get a bahtinov mask. They work well on a 300mm lens - I have them for both my 300mm and 600mm lenses. The 300mm is a bit small for it but try cutting the exposure to see if you can pull any detail out of Jupiter, and if you don't do it already take multiple shots and pick the best one to process, as planetary imaging is really afftected by atmospheric conditions.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips. I do take multiple shots, changing one variable at a time. I use the app on my phone to operate the shutter to minimise camera/tripod movement. Some of the shots showed the moons almost the same size as the planet! These shots above have been cut and stretched already, I think maybe exposing for the planet then exposing for the moons might be worth a try in future. Agree re 300mm is a tad on the small side, saving up for a 600mm. Never heard of a bahtinov mask, I'll get googling! My eyes were tired as well, so that definitely wouldn't have helped.
Dale. said:
That's very cool.

I'd been trying to figure out what the bright 'star' was in the Southern sky.
Click to expand...
Cheers, Saturn is also featuring in the southern sky at present, rising slightly further south than Jupiter, it isn't as bright and doesn't quite make it as high in the sky. Saturn is slightly smaller than Jupiter and it's a mere ~450 000 000 miles further away!
woof woof said:
Well done Stewart. I'm always in awe when I see shots like this.
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's amazing that 4 massive chunks of rock and ice, ~480 000 000 miles away, and not visible to the naked eye, become so apparent with the most amateur of equipment. I believe you can even see them with a basic pair of binoculars. I think Jupiter has 80 known moons in various shaped orbits.
 
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FBi7 said:
Never heard of a bahtinov mask, I'll get googling!
Click to expand...

A bahtinove mask just sits on the front of your lens (you get them for telescopes too) and has a pattern of slots cut in it. If there is something really bright like Jupiter, Venus or the Moon I auto focus first using single point. Switch the lens to manual focus and put the mask on. Take about a 10 sec exposure of a bright star (or Jupiter). Venus isn't so good as it has phases like the Moon. The drawback if you're not using a tracking mount is you might get a bit of trailing at that exposure so experiment to see how short you can go. Zoom right in on the rear screen and you'll see an oval (the star) with a diagonal cross through it and a line down. If it's in focus the cross and line will be centred on the oval. If it's not, tweek slightly and see what way the line moves. You can also use live view if you have it and want to eat your battery. Don't forget to take the mask off again!
 
Dale. said:
That's very cool.

I'd been trying to figure out what the bright 'star' was in the Southern sky.
Click to expand...

A couple of good resources for info on what is visible in the night sky are

Stellarium. It is a free download and can be tailored to you position so you can see what is visible from you location for any night, and

In the Sky. It is a website that lists various objects that visible in the night sky in the next couple of weeks or so. It too can be set to your location and indicates if the objects are visible to the naked eye or need binoculars or a telescope.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
A couple of good resources for info on what is visible in the night sky are

Stellarium. It is a free download and can be tailored to you position so you can see what is visible from you location for any night, and

In the Sky. It is a website that lists various objects that visible in the night sky in the next couple of weeks or so. It too can be set to your location and indicates if the objects are visible to the naked eye or need binoculars or a telescope.

Dave
Click to expand...


Awesome, very helpful, thanks.
 
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