Jupiter with the new 10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph and Orion Planetary imaging filter set. January 16, 2016 Uploaded 1/16/16
 Here are a few first test shot using the Orion Planetary imaging filter set for your evaluation. This totally new set of three interference filters includes a UV (Ultra Violet), IR (Infrared), and a CH4 (Methane band) wavelengths, for enhanced imaging of planetary details unseen in visual wavelengths. At 2am, Jupiter rides high in the sky and is the perfect target for tests because its cloud bands show a host of different details with different wavelengths. I was out this morning shooting Comet Catalina anyway and the opportunity was perfect. Seeing was real bad - a front moved in only hours later and completely clouded the sky all the rest of the weekend! With 2/5 seeing, the details are not too clear, but I could tell the new 10" was providing sharper images than the seeing. So here are some results.

 It appears the sharpest view of the night was with the IR filter, not unexpected. UV is the worst seeing as the atmosphere is less stable in ultra violet and blues. The methane filter is VERY dark. The camera can barely see this wavelength too, despite the fact it is a full spectrum chip CCD with no filter window over the chip. This deep IR band took over 5 seconds and was very noisy using the Barlow, so I went back to prime focus and was able to do 1/4 second but still max gain and the second methane shot has been enlarged to match in size. Finally, an RGB shot of Jupiter using standard Red, Blue and Green filters is the final frame.

Here is another comparison, the prime focus - no Barlow using the UV and CH4 filters. This is the actual size on the chip, this is a 100% size file from the CCD, which is a 1/4" sensor from my DMK31 camera. This camera rips out frames at 30fps and can capture moments of good seeing better than my larger chip DMK cameras.

Overall, the results are encouraging! While using UV filtration is best reserved for the Planet Venus to penetrate the cloud layers, the IR filter will be great on nights of less than perfect seeing. (all the time here in Rim Country!) The methane filter is for Jupiter and Saturn, I think Uranus and Neptune will be way to dim.

Processing: 300/1000 best frames, alignment in Registax, Wavelets in Registax, Levels and Contrast Masking In Photoshop CS2,
Instrument: 10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Platform: Astrophysics AP1200 CCD Camera: Image Source DMK 31 (1024 x 768) Filter: Custom Scientific RGB, Orion Planetary filter set Exposure: 1/100 sec to 5s Location: Payson, Arizona Elevation: 5150 ft. Sky: Seeing 2/5, Transparency 7/10 Outside Temperature: 25F