CombatCoder

Hi All, I want to practice stacking, probably using Deep Sky Stacker, and also image post processing. My skills at actually getting the initial images aren't very good yet though. Does anyone know of any online resources providing sample image sets for learning with, including the different types of frames, so I can become proficient without worrying that the poor results are down to my own poor initial image set? Thanks

Thanks for the help. I'll have a good look.

Hi, I started to connect a ZWO 224MC to my SkyMax 127 Mak-Cass and initially just wanted to see something so used PHD2 looping to get an idea of local daytime focus. I was surprised to see a number of circular blemishes on the unfocussed image as shown in the attached image. These hadn't shown up when doing the same through a guide scope but were also visible when using a different ZWO 120 camera, this led me to believe it was related to the scope not the CCD. So a good clean of the corrector plate inside and out followed, and the mirror looked clean, but no change. More confusing is that if I rotate the camera, assuming the marks are due to the scope, I would expect the marks to rotate within the image as the camera rotates. Not so. As a result, I'm stuck as where these marks are coming from and how to get rid of them. They appear to be foreground to the main image as I can see the main background rotate behind them as I rotate the camera. It is also not the (albeit dirty) windows through which I'm testing this as the marks remain no matter what I point the scope at. Any help as to where these marks might be and therefore what to do to remove them would be much appreciated. Thanks, Adie

Hi, I'm just starting out in this interesting field and was pointed in the direction of this site, over the weekend at AstroCamp, as the place to get good information. I'm looking forward to interacting and learning lots of useful knowledge. CC

Just back from my first AstroCamp. Had an amazing time, learned loads and will be doing it again. A special thanks to both @ScouseSpaceCadet and @Live_Steam_Mad for introducing me to this forum and passing on lots of information for me to think about. Cheers guys.