Saturn Help

[mballak]

I'm trying to image saturn using the webcam technique.  I have my C9.25 with my canon 6d connected using all the appropriate adapters.  Using BYE to capture the video.  All I get is a oval blob.  Two nights ago when I first tried I thought I had my ISO up to high.  Tonight I had the iso at 100 and got the same result.  The attached pic is a screen capture of what my video looks like. HELP what am i doing wrong. 

Thanks,

Mike

 

[mballak]

You will need Exposure Simulation = ON, and Mode set to Tv or M, and for Saturn an Exposure of about 1/60 to 1/20 sec.  (Saturn is just THAT BRIGHT!!)  (Jupiter would likely need 1/400-1/125 sec, given your C9.25's light gathering Aperture!!)

 

How many frames do you suggest taking?

 

 

[astroman133]

i would suggest taking 60-70 seconds worth.  So, at 15 frames/sec that would be around 1000 frames.  Then I would use RegiStax to grade them and stack the best 10 percent.

 

 

[s3igell]

Planetary Imaging is usually another of the "More is Better" type of Imaging process.  You DO want to ensure that you are using Planetary Imaging mode, so that you are producing AVI Video files rather than individual RAW Frames.  As Rick suggests above, you'll want at least a minute-worth of 15fps Video.  But many of the more successful Planetary Imagers stack sequences longer than that - upwards of 3-5 minutes - depending partly on how well your Tracking keeps Saturn centered in the Frame and how steady the Seeing remains over that time period.  The result will be a Large AVI File with 2500-5000 Frames, which will be winnowed down to the "best 10%" to still leave 250-500 frames for stacking.

 

As for Planetary Image Processing, Registax6 is usually rather successful, but many of us have found that we like AutoStakkert2 a bit better due to a simpler UI/Workflow.

[mballak]

i would suggest taking 60-70 seconds worth.  So, at 15 frames/sec that would be around 1000 frames.  Then I would use RegiStax to grade them and stack the best 10 percent.

 

 

 

Thanks...thats what I've been doing.  

[mballak]

Planetary Imaging is usually another of the "More is Better" type of Imaging process.  You DO want to ensure that you are using Planetary Imaging mode, so that you are producing AVI Video files rather than individual RAW Frames.  As Rick suggests above, you'll want at least a minute-worth of 15fps Video.  But many of the more successful Planetary Imagers stack sequences longer than that - upwards of 3-5 minutes - depending partly on how well your Tracking keeps Saturn centered in the Frame and how steady the Seeing remains over that time period.  The result will be a Large AVI File with 2500-5000 Frames, which will be winnowed down to the "best 10%" to still leave 250-500 frames for stacking.

 

As for Planetary Image Processing, Registax6 is usually rather successful, but many of us have found that we like AutoStakkert2 a bit better due to a simpler UI/Workflow.

 

Thanks again for all the info....I've been using registax.  I've looked at autostakkert2 but I figured one thing at a time.  Still trying to workout me entire workflow from setting up my scope to taking the pics to processing.  I'm still a complete newb at the astronomy piece so I appreciate all the info.  Right now I just try to get the scope out every chance I get and try to learn something new each time.  

 

 

 

[admin]

I'm trying to image saturn using the webcam technique.  I have my C9.25 with my canon 6d connected using all the appropriate adapters.  Using BYE to capture the video.  All I get is a oval blob.  Two nights ago when I first tried I thought I had my ISO up to high.  Tonight I had the iso at 100 and got the same result.  The attached pic is a screen capture of what my video looks like. HELP what am i doing wrong. 

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

 

Place your CAMERA DIAL to "M", not BULB.

 

This is because Liveview Simulation is NOT active in BULB mode and you need Liveview Simulation for the ISO and TV values to affect the image intensity.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

[mballak]

Thanks!...I had a feeling it was going to be something like that!

[mballak]

I'm trying to image saturn using the webcam technique.  I have my C9.25 with my canon 6d connected using all the appropriate adapters.  Using BYE to capture the video.  All I get is a oval blob.  Two nights ago when I first tried I thought I had my ISO up to high.  Tonight I had the iso at 100 and got the same result.  The attached pic is a screen capture of what my video looks like. HELP what am i doing wrong. 

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

 

Place your CAMERA DIAL to "M", not BULB.

 

This is because Liveview Simulation is NOT active in BULB mode and you need Liveview Simulation for the ISO and TV values to affect the image intensity.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

I assume this is true with any of the other modes on the dial too.  Looks like I had it in Av last night.

[mballak]

I'm trying to image saturn using the webcam technique.  I have my C9.25 with my canon 6d connected using all the appropriate adapters.  Using BYE to capture the video.  All I get is a oval blob.  Two nights ago when I first tried I thought I had my ISO up to high.  Tonight I had the iso at 100 and got the same result.  The attached pic is a screen capture of what my video looks like. HELP what am i doing wrong. 

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

 

Place your CAMERA DIAL to "M", not BULB.

 

This is because Liveview Simulation is NOT active in BULB mode and you need Liveview Simulation for the ISO and TV values to affect the image intensity.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

So there is one more piece to this puzzle.  I made sure my 6d was in manual but I still got the same results.  I disconnected the camera from the computer and the image on the back of the camera was the same as I got using BYE.  Therefore I figured it was something with the camera.  I connected my Xsi (450d) and it worked as advertised.  After spending some time looking through all the settings and the users manual there is a setting on the 6d call exposure simulation.  With this enabled the image on the back of the camera during live view changed as I changed settings.  I think this is the key to my issues.  I'll try it out again tonight.  

 

I don't know if this setting is on all the single digit canon camera or just the 6d.  It is not on my 450d.  

 

 

 

 

[admin]

So there is one more piece to this puzzle.  I made sure my 6d was in manual but I still got the same results.  I disconnected the camera from the computer and the image on the back of the camera was the same as I got using BYE.  Therefore I figured it was something with the camera.  I connected my Xsi (450d) and it worked as advertised.  After spending some time looking through all the settings and the users manual there is a setting on the 6d call exposure simulation.  With this enabled the image on the back of the camera during live view changed as I changed settings.  I think this is the key to my issues.  I'll try it out again tonight.  

 

I don't know if this setting is on all the single digit canon camera or just the 6d.  It is not on my 450d. 

 

Exposure simulation on the 6D is -always- on so you will not see a setting.

 

You also need the set the TV value to a lower value, I think I set the default to 2".  Try a setting lower that 1 second and that should make a difference.  It does on my 60D so the 6D should behave that way too.

 

Keep us posted,

 

 

[mballak]

Been a while since I made my original post weather has been horrible.  Obviously this isn't Saturn but it does prove that my live view exposure issues I was having are fixed.  Took these last night using the planetary mode.  Look forward to trying again to catch Saturn once i have favorable conditions again.  Thanks for everyone's help.  

Mike

 

[mballak]

So there is one more piece to this puzzle.  I made sure my 6d was in manual but I still got the same results.  I disconnected the camera from the computer and the image on the back of the camera was the same as I got using BYE.  Therefore I figured it was something with the camera.  I connected my Xsi (450d) and it worked as advertised.  After spending some time looking through all the settings and the users manual there is a setting on the 6d call exposure simulation.  With this enabled the image on the back of the camera during live view changed as I changed settings.  I think this is the key to my issues.  I'll try it out again tonight.  

 

I don't know if this setting is on all the single digit canon camera or just the 6d.  It is not on my 450d. 

 

Exposure simulation on the 6D is -always- on so you will not see a setting.

 

You also need the set the TV value to a lower value, I think I set the default to 2".  Try a setting lower that 1 second and that should make a difference.  It does on my 60D so the 6D should behave that way too.

 

Keep us posted,

 

 

I don't think that is a true statement about the 6D.  Here are two pics from the back of my 6D where I can enable or disable the Exposure Simulation.  It is true for my 450D and probably true for the 2-digit canon cameras.  I don't know anyone with a 7D or 5D so I don't know about those.

   

 

 

 

[admin]

Oops, my bad.

 

My statement should have been... "If your camera does NOT have the 'Exposure Simulation' menu option this means it is -always- on".

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Have your tried setting a TV value of less than 1 second in Planetary?

 

Regards,

[dts350z]

Very nice

[mballak]

Oops, my bad.

 

My statement should have been... "If your camera does NOT have the 'Exposure Simulation' menu option this means it is -always- on".

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Have your tried setting a TV value of less than 1 second in Planetary?

 

Regards,

 

Roger!

 

I did last night but without the exposure simulation nothing happened.  Any adjustments to exposure setting didn't change anything.  Even after I disconnected from the computer.  I will try again tonight with the exposure simulation enabled.  It worked in my office this afternoon so I will try again tonight on the scope assuming I have a clear night.  

 

Thanks for help

Mike

[s3igell]

You will need Exposure Simulation = ON, and Mode set to Tv or M, and for Saturn an Exposure of about 1/60 to 1/20 sec.  (Saturn is just THAT BRIGHT!!)  (Jupiter would likely need 1/400-1/125 sec, given your C9.25's light gathering Aperture!!)

[mballak]

You will need Exposure Simulation = ON, and Mode set to Tv or M, and for Saturn an Exposure of about 1/60 to 1/20 sec.  (Saturn is just THAT BRIGHT!!)  (Jupiter would likely need 1/400-1/125 sec, given your C9.25's light gathering Aperture!!)

 

Thanks...after two nights of trying, a couple of hours going through my camera manual and help from Guylain I figured that was my problem.  Now the skys aren't cooperating so it might be a few night before I can confirm thats my issue but I'm confident it will work this time.  Thanks for the exposures I'll give them a try.  

Mike