Observing Log for Mike Durkin


4/28/2025 about 12:30PM-1:30PM
Pocono Pines, PA
Transparency: 10/10, Seeing ??/5
Temperature: about 65-80 degrees
Equipment: Seestar S50

Tried to get some more solar images. I figured out how to find the videos I took. I tried stacking within the Seestap app, which seemed to improve it a bit, although the videos I processed myself seem to mostly be better, except for some banding on the disk of the sun.

CKVD9515_pipp_sun_1_AS_P25_lapl3_ap15_wavelets
EPSC7081_pipp_lapl3_ap242_wavelets
GVHJ1703_pipp_lapl3_ap260_wavelets
NICJ0545_pipp_lapl3_ap239_wavelets
NICJ0545_pipp_lapl3_ap239_wavelets
Location: Pocono Pines, PA
Temperature: about 65-80 degrees
Equipment: Seestar S50
An image created from a 30s video from a Seestar S50. Processed using PIPP, Autostakkert, and Registax.

COMMENT AFTER PROCESSING: After seeing the final images, I"m not thrilled with the banding on the disk of the Sun. I may need to find out if there is a way to have a larger color depth on the images since these are 8 bit/256 colors.


4/27-28/2025 about 10:00PM-1:00AM
Pocono Pines, PA
Transparency: 10/10, Seeing 4/5
Temperature: about 30-45 degrees
Equipment: Seestar S50

First nightime images from the Seestar. Imaged:
M84-M86, the "face" part of Markarian's chain
The "Eyes" of Markarian's chain along with NGC 4458 and NGC 4461
M51
M101
M109
NGC 4565, the Needle Galaxy

M86 M84 Markarian's Chain
Exposure total: 6 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Due to a gradient caused by a street light, I cropped the image.
Markarian's Chain: NGC 4438, NGC 4435, NGC 4443, NGC 4458
Exposure total: 6 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Due to a gradient caused by a street light, I cropped the image.
Whirlpool Galaxy - M51
Exposure total: 10 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Processed with PixInsight and GIMP
Needle Galaxy - NGC 4565
Exposure total: 12 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Due to a gradient caused by a street light, I cropped the image. Processed with PixInsight and GIMP
M109
Exposure total: 20 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Processed with PixInsight and GIMP
M101
Exposure total: 19 minutes
Equipment: Seestar S50
Processed with PixInsight and GIMP


4/27/2025 about 12:30PM-1:30PM
Pocono Pines, PA
Transparency: 5/10, Seeing ??/5
Temperature: about 45-55 degrees
Equipment: Seestar S50

First light of the ZWO Seestar S50.
Since it is daytime can only look at the sun using the white light solar filter provided. Took some images and also tried to do a video, but that didn't get saved. A decent amount of sunspots, but not sure if the focus was a good as it should have been.

A_IMG_4086_1
A_IMG_4100_1
Location: Pocono Pines, PA
Temperature: about 45-55 degrees
Equipment: Seestar S50
Single frame images from Seestar S50




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