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Captured 12 July 2020, both planets near the meridian, elevation ~14°. One of the UK astro gear suppliers has been having a clear-out out older Celestron camera models. I took advantage to acquire a Celestron Skyris 618M USB3 lunar/planetary mono CCD camera capable of delivering 120fps @ 640x480. The camera cost £130 and is actually a Celestron badged Imaging Source DMK 23U618. Review here https://s3.amazonaws.com/celestron-site ... ams_AN.pdf. Poor conditions but an opportunity to learn about the workflow for acquiring LRGB planetary images and processing using WinJupos (for derotation). WinJupos is used to reduce/elimate smearing of detail due to the fast rotation of these planets - around 10h in the case of Jupiter. The objective was to collect 5 videos of each filter within approximately 15 minutes.


Equipment: Celestron C8, Celestron LRGB filters, Celestron manual filter wheel, Celestron Skyris 618M camera
Software: Sharpcap 3.2, Autostakkert3, Registax 6, WinJupos 11, GIMP 2.10.
Reference: https://www.thelondonastronomer.com/it- ... ry-imaging


Capture:

• Set WinJupos file names in Sharpcap settings

• Focus using the G filter, check this focus against all 4 filters

• Set gain = 60% for Jupiter, 70% for Saturn

• Adjust exposure using log histogram so saturation (right hand side) = 70% for Jupiter (80% for Saturn)

• Capture 45s SER video at 120 fps for each of L, R, G, B filters

• Repeat to acquire 4 more sets of LRGB images, a total of 20 videos

I didn't re-focus between filters - with atmospheric wobble and the large number of frames acquired per video, the statistics were in my favour.





Processing:

• Stack all 20 SER videos using Autostakkert!3, best 20% of 5000 frames

• Using the AS!3 sharpened stacks, derotate 20 stacks using WinJupos

• Combine the 5 L stacks using WinJupos

• Combine the the 5 R, 5 G, 5 B stacks using WinJupos

• Mild sharpening of the 4 resultant L,R,G,B stacks using Registax 6

• Create an RGB image using WinJupos

• Combine the L & RGB images using layers in GIMP (not sure I have this one right yet)

• Final sharpen in Registax 6

To get better detail I need to be using my 2x Barlow. Unfortunately, the low elevation of the planets will be against me unless the seeing is excellent. I will soon have astronomical darkness back at my 53° latitude which will help. Mars might be a better option later in the year as it will be higher in the sky.

I am looking forward to capturing some lunar images with this 120fps (with 5.6um x 5.6um sensor) camera.

Some additional info.







Dave

Truly amazing, Dave!

Color images from a monochrome camera using LRGB filters. Who would have thought it could be done?
14 degrees above the horizon. The atmosphere must have been boiling.

Brian

Thanks Brian. I am under no illusions - I have a long way to go. Still I now have some idea of the workflow involved. On subsequent bench testing I have found that the camera will deliver 120 fps at MONO16 (12-bit stretched I suppose) so that will be the next trial.

It took Damian Peach 20 years http://www.damianpeach.com/jupiter.htm to get there and he ended up using a 1m RC scope up a mountain (chilescope). One of his LRGB efforts http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/Scien ... -peach.jpg.

Dave

Very cool planetary work, Dave. I learn a lot just reading all of the information you provide. Thanks for sharing.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce.