Bigger scope for Jupiter imaging or dedicated cooled astro camera for DSO

Equipment Buying Advice Jupiter
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Mark Worthington avatar
Mark Worthington avatar

I have a budget that can be assigned to another bigger scope or to an Asi533mc pro.

Case for bigger scope : I can’t get details on jupiter, such as festoons with my 250pds,mounted on AZEQ6, camera Asi662mc, uv/ir cut filter, 2.25x Baader Barlow, 15000 frames, 10-15% stacked in autostakkert, wavelets in Registax. Jupiter > 40° altitude. Despite being sure the GRS was well focused. Only option left is to focus on a nearby moon, and try again. I’ve not seen many if any good images taken with the 250pds,but have with 12” F5.3. This is too heavy for me though. Other options, orion optics VX12 or VX12 L. C11 has lots of good images.

BUT, I’d like your opinion on whether i’m hitting issues with atmospheric issues here, in which case a larger aperture won't help. Perhaps an adc, but not sure, as I csn’t see any hint of festoons at all. Surely, the 250pds should be capable of showing the festoons.

Case for better astro camera: the Asi662 mc is too small. My D7000 is larger sensor, but not nodded. Asi533 mc pro looks a very good balance, and is next big step up. I have an asiair plus, several scopes.

So, which is the wisest choice for capital expenditure? Getting an even bigger scope, with risk that i’ll find it's no better if it's atmospheric conditions causing the issues or going for the Asi533 pro, virtually guaranteed to give better images for dso?

Thanks in advance

Mark

andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar

Unless you live in the tropics I’ll opt for the camera,

Mark Worthington avatar
Mark Worthington avatar

andrea tasselli · Apr 27, 2026, 06:12 PM

Unless you live in the tropics I’ll opt for the camera,

Thanks Andrea.

Tomorrow, I'll have one last opportunity where Jupiter will be around 36° altitude, just when it’s dark enough, but critically, Callisto will be around 10’ from its edge. I’m going to target focus on this moon, drop gain back for Jupiter, don’t refocus and we’ll see what happens. Possibly my last chance before conditions become too poor. Forecast is actually for clear skies too! The stars are aligned. Just need to avoid screwing things up.

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Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

In regards to planets and detail, this podcast featuring Daniel Mounsey is really worth listening to: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-observers-notebook-seeing-and-transparancy-with-dr-d/id1199301885?i=1000758651935

While it focuses on visual observing, it has great insights into seeing vs. transparency, the effects of tube currents, temperature gradients, etc. and the dramatic effects these have on observing details in planets. One point he makes is that larger aperture is not always better, because bad seeing effects are amplified. He points out how things like shooting over a rooftop or a parking lot a few blocks away vs. over a body of water, how your scope is stored, etc. can make more of a difference than your aperture.

Anyway, it was kind of an eye opener for me.

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