Copernicus Crater: A Glimpse of Lunar Majesty with a 12" Dobsonian
Hello fellow stargazers!
I recently had the incredible opportunity to turn my lens towards the Moon and capture the magnificent Copernicus Crater. This iconic lunar feature, known for its impressive 1km high central peaks, was a breathtaking sight through my Orion XX12g GoTo telescope the other morning.
Capturing details like these requires a combination of good equipment and careful processing. Here's a rundown of how this image came to life:
Acquisition Details:
- Telescope: Orion XX12g GoTo
- Camera: ZWO ASI462MC
- Accessories: IrCut filter, ADC (Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector), 2x Barlow lens
Processing Pipeline:
- Stacking: Best 15% of 10,000 frames were stacked using AS!4.
- Refinement: Wavelets, deconvolution, and white balance were applied in AstroSurface.
It's truly remarkable what we can achieve with modern amateur equipment. The clarity of Copernicus's central peaks, even from Earth, is a testament to the intricate geological history of our Moon.
Keep looking up!
