Elizabeth W.

Conjunction II: Mercury, Mars, Jupiter

Eliz's Conjunction
© Elizabeth W.

date: 10 December 2006, 06:03-6:08am
location: Alexandria, VA (balcony)
film: CMOS chip ISO 400 equivalent, f/5.6
exposure: 23 frames (12@6sec, 11@5sec) every 15 sec
camera setup: Canon EOS 20Da, 135mm (28-135mm lens)
telescope setup:

comments: These are the raw images, converted to jpeg, autocontrast applied, then resized. No other sharpening, removal of dust spots, color corrections were done.
Note the stars towards the top rising. Also, lots less traffic on a Sunday morning. And who says planets don't twinkle? As the three rise, they clearly get bright and dim (especially Mars which seems to disappear at times) because of the poor seeing in the larger air column through which we are seeing them.
original image: IMG_5268-90.CR2

Stars and Planets

Conjunction b
© Elizabeth W.
date: 10 December 2006, 06:21am
exposure: 0.6 sec.
camera setup: Canon EOS 20Da
telescope setup: primefocus through Orion Shorttube 90

comments: The tripod is sturdy enough for the camera but not quite for the Shorttube, so I limited the number of pics I took through it. Just enough to see the conjunction a little better.
original image: IMG_5312.CR2

Beautiful Morning

Conjunction c
© Elizabeth W.
date: 10 December 2006, 06:27am
exposure: 0.3 sec.
camera setup: Canon EOS 20Da, 135mm (28-135mm lens)

comments: Balcony astronomy has it's moments.
original image: IMG_5316.CR2

Beautiful Morning

Conjunction d

© Elizabeth W.
date: 10 December 2006, 06:28am
exposure: 0.3 sec.
camera setup: Canon EOS 20Da, 65mm (28-135mm lens)

comments: Not a bad view.
original image: IMG_5322.CR2