Tuesday, 1 September 2020, the sky was cloudy during the day but began clearing as sunset approached.

Open: Tuesday, 1 September 2020, 1828 MST Temperature: 83°F

Session: 1511 Conditions: Mostly clear, breeze

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 4X Powermate

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1833 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1835 MST: viewed Jupiter, 102X.

Next, I did a test with the Starizona Filter Slider. I was curious if I could use an eyepiece with the Slider. I handheld a 1.25" star diagonal with a 26mm eyepiece over the Slider. I could focus Jupiter and had sufficient focus travel that I should be able to focus most of my other eyepieces. Now I need to get a M42-SCT adapter to mount the diagonal on the Slider M42 threads (used to attach a camera T-Ring).

1848 MST: sunset.

I then relaxed on the observatory patio bench and watched the first part of the Explore Alliance Virtual Global Star Party on my iPhone. Here is the host Scott Roberts, President of Explore Scientific and long time friend.

1942 MST: back inside the observatory. The eastern sky was brightening from the rising Full Moon.

I then began some initial tests of the Explore Scientific 2" UHC Filter that I won recently as a door prize at an OpenGOTO Community Live Stream show. I will post a review of the filter once I complete more tests.

When this session's filter tests were completed I mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + 4X Powermate to do some imaging of Jupiter and Saturn.

2008 MST: the Full Moon began rising over the hill to the southeast.

I did some 1080p, 60fps, video recordings of both planets using various shutter speeds and ISO values. The best videos were stacked with these results.

Jupiter, 704 frames, 1/200sec, ISO 3200


Saturn, 955 frames, 1/60sec, ISO 6400

I also took these single image photographs for comparison.

Jupiter, 1/60sec, ISO 1600


Saturn, 1/30sec, ISO 5000

2024 MST: ended planet imaging.

Viewed Saturn and Jupiter, 406X. Four moons were visible at Saturn and three at Jupiter.

The breezes had calmed down somewhat, but there were thin clouds in parts of the sky.

2036 MST: viewed the Full Moon, 102X, through a tree. A very slight terminator was visible less than two hours from precisly full phase.

2105 MST: mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus of the 12" telescope and took this 1/320sec, ISO 100, photograph.

2114 MST: last look at the Full Moon, 102X.

2116 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Tuesday, 1 September 2020, 2125 MST Temperature: 76°F

Session Length: 2h 57m Conditions: Mostly clear, breezy

---

Comments are welcome using Email. Twitter users can use the button below to tweet this report to their followers. Thanks.

Tweet

---

Previous report

Cassiopeia Observatory Home Page