Richard HendricksDec 12, 2024
Doing some comparisons between my scopes. Just got a new AT72EDII. (FL 432mm) and it is a pretty capable scope for being a lightweight grab and go. Took Jupiter images through it, my workhorse AT90CFT (FL 540mm) and my planetary scope the AT125EDL (FL 975mm).
The skies are just trash tonight, though with thin high clouds and just atrocious seeing (twinkling means unsteady skies). We'll see what the fancy software can do! #AmateurAstronomy #Jupiter
Show threadRichard HendricksDec 13, 2024

Okay, wow. I am very surprised at how well this little AT72EDII telescope can perform! This first picture is at its native focal length of 432mm. First is the raw image after stacking the video, second is after wavelet processing. Nothing much, right?

#AmateurAstronomy #Jupiter

[ZWO ASI290MC (ASI290MC)]
Capture Area Size = 320 * 240
Capture Limit = 120 s
Colour Format = RAW8
Exposure = 2ms
FrameCount = 41931
Gain = 210

Show threadRichard HendricksDec 13, 2024
I'll admit, when I saw the results with the 2.5x Barlow, I had some spicy words! So much detail is now visible on Jupiter. This would be an amazing starter scope or urban grab-n-go scope.
#AmateurAstronomy #Jupiter
Show threadRichard HendricksDec 13, 2024
The AT90CFT is my favorite scope, a real workhorse. The slightly longer 540mm focal length and extra diameter shows more details in the clouds.
#AmateurAstronomy #Jupiter
Show threadRichard Hendricks

The AT125EDL is my planetary scope, and shows nice details. The seeing I would rate at 4/5, as in "it felt like you were looking up through 4 feet of water" so really terrible - plz don't hold that against the 'scope. By this point the Great Red Spot was starting to come around the corner, and the cool kissing tadpoles are rotating out of view. This are lots of fine details visible now.

#AmateurAstronomy #Jupiter #WaveSharp

Dec 13, 2024 at 4:17pmWeb
Show threadRichard HendricksDec 13, 2024
I decided to circle back to the AT72EDII to make sure any changes in seeing or Jupiter's altitude in the sky didn't make the test unfair. High thin clouds started to appear as well, skewing the color a little. Overall, quite impressed with the little scope's performance.
Show threadRichard HendricksDec 13, 2024

Here is what the AT125EDL at 2440 mm video looks like. This is _after_ PIPP processing to stabilize Jupiter in the center! (bubble sounds from being underwater)

ETA: Figured out a way to do 120 frames per second, so this accurately represents what the scope and camera saw.