Observation by Peter Tickner: Venus experiments

Uploaded by

Peter Tickner

Observer

Peter Tickner

Observed

2021 Sep 06 - 17:38

Uploaded

2021 Sep 10 - 17:47

Objects

Venus

Equipment

ZWO ASI174MM and ASI462MC
fused silica custom-made Barlow and Televue 2x Barlow
UVenus and custom IR narrowband (1010nm +/-10nm)
14inch f/10 LX200ACF SCT

Location

Urban Berkshire

Target name

Venus

Title

Venus experiments

About this image

These are the early stages of experimenting with different kit to enhance the chances of capturing detail on Venus. After having my regular Televue Barlow tested I found (as I had suspected) that it could only transmit about 1-2% light in UV at the frequencies needed to detect clouds on Venus. I bought a fused silica glass concave lens designed for peak transmission between 200-400nm. A colleague kindly installed it for me in place of a regular Barlow lens and these images were the first recordable results using the custom made Barlow with the ASI174 as it has the capability of detecting UV light that the ASI290 and 462 do not have.

The second experiment reflected in the larger image through the ASI462 is using another piece of custom made kit, a tunable IR narrowband filter set to operate at 1010nm. Just testing on the day side of Venus at the moment but ultimately planned to try on the night side.

Peter

Files associated with this observation

Venus 6th 7th comparison.png (164.4 kB)

Like this image

Jeremy Shears, Martin Lewis, Chris Hooker

Comments

Chris Hooker, 2021 Sep 12 - 13:55 UTC

Peter, I'm wondering if your silica Barlow lens is introducing chromatic aberration and thus producing a slightly blurred image. I haven't done any UV imaging of Venus for many years, but when I did I used the OMC200 without a Barlow of any kind, and got results that were sharper than yours. It might be worth imaging without the Barlow to compare, although the image scale will be smaller. Your SCT will be achromatic whereas silica has significant dispersion in the near UV.

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