Solar eclips 21 june 2001. Kotwa, Zimbabwe. Shot on Kodak
slidefilm 400 Asa w. 300mm telelens (copyright W.J. Tip). Solar eclips 21 june 2001. Kotwa, Zimbabwe. Shot on Kodak
slidefilm 400 Asa w. 300mm telelens (copyright W.J. Tip).
Compilation from the video recordings made at Kotwa, Zimbabwe. The
picture showing the corona has been heavily processed to show more details. All pictures
have been processed with AstroStack (copyright R.J. Stekelenburg).
This page shows some of the examples and also the improvements I was able to make over the years. Click on any of the thumbnails to see the images in full format. Most pictures where made with a 114 mm Newton telescope, unless otherwise stated.
Most pictures of moon and planets are upside down i.e. south is up (telescopic view).
Mars 18
March 1995, one of my first attempts at video astronomy
Mars 07 April 1997
Mars 15 April 1997
Mars 18 May
1999 (20:43 UT, diameter 15.5", Central Meridian estimated at 232º)
The seeing during the opposition of Mars was bad. This one was the result of using as many
frames as possible (about 190 usable frames from a total of 420).
Mars 20 august 2003 ca. 23:00 UT
Mars taken through my Orion 140 mm Maksutov. Seeing was reasonable, but not really good. Besides that I suspect my scope being optically not well, it will be sent for repair. Used some 600 video frames.
Mars 22 august 2003 ca. 01:00 UT
140 mm Maksutov telescope, with a handheld videocamera behind the eyepiece.
Jupiter 21 September 1997,
with the shadow of two moons (and possibly a glimpse of the Red Spot at the far left).
Jupiter 21 September 1997
The pictures where taken within a timespan of one hour. I used the multiply feature of
AstroStack here to get a nice contrast and to emphasize details.
Jupiter 12 November 1999
A very steady night, my best result with the 114mm Newton.
Jupiter with 2 moons 12 November
1999
A very steady night, my best result with the 114mm Newton.
Jupiter 11 January 2001 
With the 140mm Maksutov. Red spot is visible.
Saturn 13 November 1996
Saturn 21 September 1997
Saturn 12 November 1999
A very steady night, my best result so far with the 114mm Newton. Combined from over 200
separate movie frames.
Saturn 12 November 1999
Shot through a camcorder pointed at the eyepiece. Combined from 40 separate movie frames.
Color saturation was increased.
Right is the same picture showing that 'enhancement' can introduce artifacts (look at
Cassini's division)
You also see that there is not as much detail as in the black and white picture of the
same date.
Saturn
11 January 2001
With the 140mm Maksutov.
Total
eclipse of the moon, Januari 9th, 2001 (53 Kb)
Taken with a Hi-8 videocamera, processed with AstroStack.
The green images where taken in Nightshot mode.
Watch the star near the moon: it is 63 Gem (magnitude +5.2)
Moon: Plato and Alp mountains (20 Kb)
Moon: Aristarchus (12 Kb)
Moon:
Straight Wall / Rupes Recta (19 Kb)
Solar eclipse 21 June 2001 ca. 13:17 UT. Kotwa,
Zimbabwe.
The sun had a nice group of sunspots. During totality an enormous protuberans was visible.
Jupiter was visible close to the sun (4th image from the left). According to some who had
seen the 1999 eclips, the corona was not as beautifull as it was then.
However, it being my first solar eclipse, I thought it was awesome. Also watching the
event together with the friendly local people, while overseeing the African savanne made
it very special. The sound that I recorded together with the video, the whistling,
screaming, chanting and singing, shows that this is a very special phenomenon, with a
strong emotional impact on those watching it.
Some structure in the corona could be recorded (visible after image processing).
Shot with a Sony TRV125 Digital 8 video Camcorder.
In full tele the zoomlens is equivalent to a 1200 mm lens on a 35 mm photocamera. Combined
30 - 120 images with AstroStack .
Sunspots
8 April 2001 14:00 UT
Shot with a Sony TRV125 Digital 8 Camcorder. A home made filter** was fitted in front of
the zoomlens. In full tele the zoomlens is equivalent to a 1200 mm lens on a 35 mm
photocamera.
Sunspots
in August 1999 (15 Kb)
The 'old fashioned' way: shot with a 35mm reflex camera with a 500 mm telelens on Kodak
Elite slide film. Combination of two pictures. The telelens was also fitted with a
filter**.
**made from a piece of fully exposed and developed 35mm black & white film (Kodak 2415).
Solar
Eclipse over Europe 11 August 1999 (52 Kb)
We didn't see much of the eclipsed Sun (it rained during the 'moment suprème', see the umbrella?), but it was still an impressive experience. We caught this series with a Hi8 Camcorder somewhere on a camping in France.
M42 in Orion,
shot with a Sony Hi8 video camera in color, slow shutter (1/3 sec) mode (8 Kb)
Pleiades taken with a Sony Hi8 video camera in nightshot mode
3 x 60 frames stacked together. Stars upto magn. 8 are identified.
M7 
Omega Centauri
June 2001, Zimbabwe. The southern sky was great to watch, both with the naked eye and
through modest binoculars. These pictures are from video taken with the camcorders
nightshot mode. They are not particular good, but still serve to show what you see through
modest equipment.
Venus:
March to May 1996