LUNAR VIDEO CAPTURE ASTROPHOTOGRAY by Jim Ferreira . . The Moon may seem an easy target for doing high resolution video imaging, but the truth be known, high resolution images of rilles and craters are just as difficult to capture as planetary and solar images.  As with planetary work, seeing conditions dictate whether you record video or simply spend a pleasant evening sightseeing.  Slow turbulence is much easier to work with than rapid turbulence.  Most of the images on this page were made during periods of slower turbulence.  The image of Plato is a notable exception as it was shot in less than ideal seeing - very persistent and rapid turbulence.  When capturing images from the Hi8 tape to the computer I chose frames that clearly showed the craterlets on the floor of the crater.  These images typically had some region seriously blurred by turbulence.  After stacking a half dozen or so frames to reduce video noise in the image the craterlets are reasonably sharp and clear while much of the surrounding crater is moderately to heavily blurred.  Though none of the images on this page are particularly outstanding, they are several orders of magnitude better than the best images I have ever been able to obtain with a still film camera. . Archimedes . Aristarchus . Arzechel . Clavius . Piton . Copernicus . Maginus . Maginus . Arzechel . . Plato . Rupes Recta . Schickard Tycho . Copernicus, 25cm Newtonian @ f/18, PC23C This is one of my earliest successful lunar images shot in the winter of 1999. . Which looks best? Clavius, two frames stacked and cropped Frame at left, adjusting of brightness levels & mild unsharpmask, right, heavier unsharpmask Frame at left, more adjusting for contrast & unsharpmask, right, more unsharp mask Clavius, 25cm Newtonian @ f/18, Astrovid 2000 .. HOME