Gina

The OIII light frames show very little image and I think I may have to capture another set. I would also like to try SII lights. If I'm going to it will have to be soon as the NAN is fast disappearing in the west. I have 105 OIII NAN lights which I'm putting through BPP in the hope of getting something.

Now for the North American Nebula and friends. 100 Ha light frames checked in Blink and passed - all very good. Chose one for reference and all now being processed in BPP with the new calibration masters.

This gives me an idea. I've been using the default gain of 210 for the ASI178MM for night-time yet the sensor is from the same "stable" as the 1600 so will no doubt have similar properties. I could put the gain up to more like I'm using on the 1600. I'll try that tonight.

Yes, I hadn't read that far down but now I have and it's interesting I think I might do more experimenting with even higher gain - the higher the gain the lower the read noise. I might take it to the very limit of 600 that's 60dB and see what happens. But I think this might be best just for fainter DSOs. I've been getting pretty good results with the gain and exposures I've been using. In fact I reduced the gain for the bright DSOs in Cygnus.

That thread is about long exposures so not really relevant - most I use is 2m. Thanks all the same Mind you, the advice is to use short exposures.

Here's the result - screenshot of image auto-stretched PI. Different vignetting this time. I think I may know why - the dew shield is just push on and might have been "skew-whiff". Fortunately the image will be well cropped so the vignetting will be removed.

Cygnus Loop OIII light frames selected in Blink and something like half rejected just choosing the really good ones. Selected the best frame for reference and now running BPP on 148 60s g440 -30C lights.

Here's the result. Screenshot of auto-stretched image in PI plus post processed in GIMP to adjust the histogram to show the image better. This is the full frame and I think is showing slight vignetting which isn't corrected by the flat.

Now processing the Ha light frames having checked in Blink - no more rejects, 105 frames, selected best frame to use as reference and set up everything in BPP.

Tomorrow I plan to re-do the Ha and OIII data with the new master calibration files. I can now go to bed happy with my latest achievements - I think I'm beginning to get the hang of PixInsight

Took the set of Cygnus Loop SII light frames, looked at them carefully with Blink, dumped 3 and chose the best for reference. Then processed the remaining 106 light frames with BPP using the master bias, dark and flat calibration files. This is the result auto-stretched. It's far better than I got before In fact far better than I've ever got before in SII including captured with the Atik 460EX mono. I had to go back and double check it really was the SII subs! Total capture time of subs integrated was 212m = 3h 32m.

Downloaded and integrated the 80 120s g440 -30C dark frames. Here's the auto-stretched result.

Having produced new masters for bias, dark and flat for October I could either run BPP again or go through the more detailed processing in PixInsight. On the whole I think I'll try BPP again and see what difference making a proper master bias has made.

Calibrated and integrated the flats from 2016-10-13 as per the book and here is the auto-stretched result - it's different from what I got before - doesn't show the vignetting in the corners I got before. Puzzling!

Currently capturing 120s dark frames with gain of 440 and -30C. I have master bias and darks matching some of the lights but next to sort out is the master flat. The flat frames I have for the dates in question need recalibrating against the new master bias and appropriate master dark.

Forecast is much better for tomorrow night but we'll see.

Clouded over now.

There seems to be cloud coming in now The focus is out but the indication is clear enough

Just run my all sky cam and against prediction the sky is clear ATM But there's rain forecast so might not risk it.

Ah - I see - didn't realise you were doing LRGB. I think I used a gain of 150 for RGB on M31 but that was with an f2.5 lens.

PI spotted it. Checked the rest in Blink and all OK. Couldn't find the 120s darks so taking again. Or reduce exposure to say 15s

Oh - errr no forgot that I'll check shortly on the ones I've done and redo if necessary - also the next set.

Found the set of 60s g440 -30C darks. Integrating pixels. There was one duff dark frame so this is with 79 frames.

Here's the auto stretched 30s integrated image.

Yes, that's how I see it Glad you have the weather