Jupiter August 18, 2011 - the one that almost didn't happen!

The amount of detail that comes out of planetary imaging attempts is directly proportionate to the amount of detail you put in to your preparation i.e. collimation!

I set up yesterday afternoon without any expectations for the morning since the forecasts were not at all favorable. I spent a good deal of time attempting to improve the collimation of the scope since it had shifted considerably due to a couple of trips to dark skies. Packed up, slept for 2 hours and got up again at 03:00 local to find Jupiter shining brightly and looking very very good! I must have been under a pocket of steady air as this data set is the most consistent and clear set I 've ever acquired! All 45 GB's of it! As a teaser, here is a first, very rough, attempt presented in 120 and 150%. Note that this set was acquired working at approximately f/30 with the actual f/ number soon to follow!