[AZ-Observing] Re: Amazing Saturn and Jupiter

At 10:08 PM 11/27/2001, you wrote:
>      Perusal of amateur planetary photos in Sky & Telescope since the
>1960s will show that all you need for good planet images is really good
>seeing, not a big aperture.  If you could put up with all the very cloudy
>nights, Houston obviously delivers in the seeing department.

The advantage of a larger aperture is that it allows a long focal length at 
a (relatively) fast focal length (f/68 is fast compared with, say, f/200). 
That in turn allows shorter exposure times which help "freeze" the seeing, 
which can improve the odds of catching a very sharp image. Nevertheless 
some people have taken great planetary images with small apertures, such as 
Todd Gross' fine images of Jupiter with a 4" AP Traveler (see 
www.weatherman.com).


Wil Milan
http://www.astrophotographer.com/
"The heavens declare the glory of God
And the firmament proclaims His handiwork."
   -- Psalm 19:1

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