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Transit of Venus (2012-06-05)

Capturing the 2012 transit of Venus: a rare celestial event

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Capturing the 2012 transit of Venus: a rare celestial event

Less than 1 minute

The transit of Venus happened on June 05, 2012. The planet appeared as a small, dark spot passing across the face of the Sun.

I was able to capture this celestial event from Rome (Italy) with my C8 SCT, a certified solar filter and a DSLR camera.

Transits of Venus are extremely rare events that occur in a cyclical pattern repeating every 243 years, with pairs of transits separated by 8 years, followed by long gaps of 121.5 years and 105.5 years before the next pair.

The next transit of Venus across the Sun will occur on December 11, 2117. After that, the following transit will take place on December 8, 2125.

That’s really a once in a lifetime event!

Transit of Venus (2012-06-05)
The Moon (2024-05-18)

A Breathtaking Photo That Will Make You See the Moon in a New Light

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A breathtaking photo that will make you see the Moon in a new light

2 Minutes

To commemorate International Astronomy Day on May 18, 2024, I revisited my long-standing passion for planetary imaging and turned my telescope towards our nearest celestial neighbor – the Moon. The resulting image is nothing short of spectacular!

Technical Details

The image below is a mosaic of two lunar images, captured using my APO ES ED80CF telescope, the ZWO ASI224MC camera (with an IR Cut filter), and FireCapture software. With an exposure time of 1ms, a gain of 129, and utilizing the best 15% of frames from 30-second video captures, I processed the images through AutoStakkert!4, Registax, and GIMP to create this stunning final product.

Thanks to the exceptional sky transparency on the night of capture, the image reveals an abundance of intricate details on the lunar surface.

Craters Galore

Hundreds of craters dot the lunar landscape, with some of the most prominent ones, such as Copernicus, Tycho, and Clavius, immediately catching the eye.

The Dark ‘Maria’

Among the most remarkable features are the ‘maria’ – the Latin word for ‘seas’ because early astronomers mistook these dark, basaltic plains for oceans. These vast, low-lying regions were formed by ancient lava flows that filled impact basins on the lunar surface billions of years ago.

Some of my favorites

In the top-left corner of the image, you’ll find two of my personal favorite lunar features: the dark, round crater Plato, with a diameter of 101 km, and the “Golden Handle” effect on the Rainbow Bay (Sinus Iridum).
The “golden handle” is a visual effect observed on the Moon’s surface, where sunlight illuminates the peaks of Montes Jura while the adjacent Sinus Iridum remains in shadow, creating a handle-like appearance. It is visible about 10 to 11 days after a New Moon, for a few hours.

Leaving the deep sky objects for another time, I spent this night’s observing session to our celestial neighbor, the Moon. It is my hope that you find this lunar image as breathtaking and inspiring as I did. Until next time, clear skies!

The Moon (2024-05-18)
Uranus (2023-10-03-04:24 UT)

I imaged the elusive ice giant planets: Uranus and Neptune

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I imaged the elusive ice giant planets: Uranus and Neptune

2 Minutes
At the beginning of October 2023 I was out again for more planetary imaging. When I started my imaging session weather and seeing were not good and I was about to give up. But around midnight seeing and transparency dramatically improved. As a result, I was able to add Uranus and 4 of its moons to my 2023 collection!
 
Date: 2023-10-03 04:24 UT
Location: My driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Celestron 8 SCT
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ADC (atmospheric dispersion corrector)
Filter: ZWO IR Cut filter
Focuser: Celestron Focus Motor
Software: FireCapture (best 50% from a 180seconds video), AutoStakkert!3 (AS!3), Registax, Topaz DeNoise AI, GIMP.
Total # Frames: 
Gain: 316
Shutter: 316 milliseconds
The final processed image of Uranus and 4 of its moons. You can scroll the slider to see the annotated image with the name of the moons.
In the image you can see Ariel (bottom of the image), Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. I wasn’t able to detect Miranda, probably because its magnitude (16.2) makes Miranda a challenging target for my scope.
Uranus (2023-10-03-04:24 UT)Uranus (2023-10-03-04:24 UT)

Neptune was also in opposition on September 19. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to try and capture the elusive blue planet at its brightest through my telescope.

At a distance of 28.902 Astronomical Units, which is 4.323 million km, Neptune’s apparent diameter was just 2.36 arcseconds and its magnitude was 7.68. I was also able to spot its moon Triton, with a magnitude of 13.44 and a diameter of only 2705 km, just below Neptune.

I used FireCapture and the final image is a combination of 405 frames from a 60 seconds video.

Neptune at opposition (2023-09-20 02:40 UT)
Jupiter (2023-10-03 03:47 UT)

I captured a breathtaking image of Jupiter through my telescope

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I captured a breathtaking image of Jupiter through my telescope

2 Minutes
At the beginning of October 2023 I spent a night doing planetary imaging despite the weather didn’t seem too good with high and thin clouds everywhere.
Well, it turned out to be my best capture of Jupiter in 2023 and probably one of my best images of Jupiter to date!
 
The Great Red Spot (GRS) is almost at the meridian and you can clearly see the moon Europa and its shadow in transit, bands and zones, and half a dozens of white ovals in the Southern hemisphere. Notably, there is a white outbreak in the clouds to the left of the GRS.
 
Date: 2023-10-02
Location: My driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Celestron 8 SCT
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ADC (atmospheric dispersion corrector)
Filter: ZWO IR Cut filter
Focuser: Celestron Focus Motor
Software: FireCapture (Best 50% frames from 90sec. video), AutoStakkert!3 (AS!3), Registax, Topaz DeNoise AI, GIMP.
Total # Frames: 6998
FPS: 120
Gain: 169
Shutter: 8ms
The final processed image of Jupiter. Plenty of atmospheric details are visible:
 
  • the Great Red Spot (GRS), some dozens of white ovals and some outbreaks in the clouds
  • dark-colored belts (North Tropical Belt, North Equatorial Belt, South Equatorial Belt);
  • light-colored zones (North Temperate Zone, North Tropical Zone, Equatorial Zone, South Tropical Zone, South Temperate Zone);
  • the North Polar Region and the South Polar Region;
  • the moon Europa and its dark shadow projected on Jupiter. A hypotethical inhabitant of Jupiter, situated where the moon Europa shadow passes in front of the the planet, could experience a solar eclipse every 3.5 days!
Jupiter (2023-10-03 03:47 UT)
I also used PIPP to make an animation of Europa and its shadow transiting on Jupiter, from 2:12 to 4:00 UT.
Jupiter Animation (2023-10-02)
Mars and the Moon (2022-12-07)

Mars reaches its opposition and “kisses” the Moon!

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Mars reaches its opposition and “kisses” the Moon!

Less than 1 minute Minutes

I caught the Moon and Mars a few minutes after the end of the occultation!

December 7, 2022: I marked this date on my calendar because of Mars opposition and a lunar occultation that was visible from my location, only to discover that the cloud coverage was 100% during the occultation.

However, I prepared my scope and my planetary camera, just in case.

The sky was cloudy for the entire duration of the occultation, but cleared for a few minutes around 11:35 pm EST, well after the end of the occultation. Weather conditions during the acquisition were very challenging (as you can see from the video below), but I am happy with the reward of my perseverance: I captured the Full Moon and Mars in opposition!

Date: 2022-12-07
Time: 11:38pm EST
Location: my driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter
Software: FireCapture, Autostakkert, Registax, GIMP

The image was taken 20 minutes after the end of the occultation and is the result of the best 30% frames from a 10 sec. video. Mars, with some of its features, is visible on the bottom right of the image.
 
You can use the slider to scroll the image and show or hide the annotation of Mars. 
The Moon and Mars on December 07, 2022The Moon and Mars on December 07, 2022
This is a 5 sec. sequence extracted from one of the videos I captured on the opposition night. You can see fast clouds passing in front of the Moon and the planet Mars to the bottom right corner of the video.
Mars (2022-12-05)

A night with Mars I won’t forget

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A night with Mars I won’t forget

Less than 1 minute Minutes

Due to the weather conditions in my area, yesterday night I wasn’t sure whether to image or not to image Mars. At last, I decided to go out and give a try (who knows when we will experience another clear night here in the GTHA) … And what a view of Mars on my telescope!

The night wasn’t too cold (-2°C) but the wind settled. There were some high clouds that dissipated during my imaging session. Seeing was average but I had a few moments with perfect conditions and no atmospheric turbulence.

Yesterday the distance of Mars was 81.6 million km, its magnitude was -1.92, the altitude was 62°50’, and its diameter was 17.15 arcseconds. Mars opposition will occur in just 2 days (on December 7-8), while Mars reached its minimum distance from the Earth on November 30.

I am so glad that I went out, set up my gear and shot some fantastic images of Mars! Definitely a night I won’t forget!

Date: 2022-12-05
Time: 03:49 UT
Location: my driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Celestron C8 SCT
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, TeleVue PowerMate 2.5x
Software: FireCapture, Autostakkert, Registax, GIMP

I obtained the final image (to the right) by processing the best 30% frames from a 60 seconds video.
 
Several features are visible in the final processed image. From left to right: the triangular shape of Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor, the bright Hellas (below Syrtis Major), the Mare Cimmerium, and the white North Polar hoods (yes, clouds!).
Mars (2022-12-05)
Jupiter processed image (2022-09-08)

A night with Jupiter

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A night with Jupiter

Less than 1 minute Minutes
The night of September 08, 2022 I imaged Jupiter with a 8 inch telescope and a planetary camera from my driveway. Plenty of atmospheric details are visible in the final image: dark-colored belts, light-colored zones and finally the North and South polar regions.
 
Over the course of the night I also imaged the Great Red Spot (GRS) emerging from the lower edge of Jupiter’s disc and two Galileian moons: Io and Europa.
 
On September 26, the giant planet will be at opposition and will be visible all night long. The night before (September 25) Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth since October 1951. Its distance will be 590 million km and it won’t be this close again for the next 107 years, until the year 2129!
 
I made a short YouTube video of Jupiter, too. Scroll to the end of this page to watch it. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
 
Date: 2022-09-08
Location: Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Celestron 8 SCT, Tele Vue PowerMate 2.5x
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI224MC
Filter: ZWO IR Cut filter
Finder Scope: Explore Scientific 8×50 Non-Illuminated Finder Scope
Focuser: Celestron Focus Motor
Software: FireCapture (best 30% of 60 seconds videos), AutoStakkert!3 (AS!3), Registax, Topaz DeNoise AI, GIMP.
The final processed image of Jupiter. Plenty of atmospheric details are visible:
 
  • dark-colored belts (North Tropical Belt, North Equatorial Belt, South Equatorial Belt);
  • light-colored zones (North Temperate Zone, North Tropical Zone, Equatorial Zone, South Tropical Zone, South Temperate Zone);
  • and finally the North Polar Region and the South Polar Region.
Jupiter processed image (2022-09-08)

A combination of wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric jets, and cloud composition causes Jupiter’s banded appearance.

Credits: https://astronomy.com/magazine/ask-astro/2012/10/color-code and NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Jupiter's clouds features