Jupiter with a webcam

This image was taken using my Meade Etx105PE scope fitted with a modified Microsoft lifecam.

Using Registax I combined 2000 images to reveal much more detail than you could see with the naked eye.

Four of Jupiter's 50 moons can be seen in the image as they orbit this giant planet some 400 million miles away.

From left to right they are, Europa,Callisto,Ganymede and Io.

The moons are very different and make intersting reading.

Hopefully Juno, sent to Jupiter on a oneway trip will uncover more of its secrets.

 

2012 Bournemouth Airshow Red Arrows

Another excellent display from the Red Arrows this year. They flew so close  that I could see how the colour is injected into the exhaust to produce the amazing coloured smoke.
I'm using this image as my laptop wallpaper.
Shooting in raw format helps as I can adjust things like exposure if its not exact when I get home.
I over exposed by 1 & 1/2 stops as the sky is always bright and it reduces the chances of getting just a silhouette. I chose ISO 100  and f9 but kept the shutter speed up as high as possible to freeze the high speed. 1/400 sec was fine as I also panned the camera as it passed by.