Type1Turkey

M51 - Whirpool Galaxy. 28/04/24. 2hrs data. HEQ5 Pro, William Optics Zenithstar 73III with EAF, ZWO 533MC Pro inc guiding all done via ASIair plus. Using SGL as a valuable resource for learning stacking and processing being done through 45 trial of Pixinsight. 🙂🔭📷🌀

Thx for that. I have done some googling, looked on Pixinsight forums and your method sounds spot on for me 🙂

I'm testing Pixinsight on a 45 day free trial (loving it!). I use a William Optics Z73 with a 533MC Pro on an HEQ5 Pro mount with guiding and controlled via ASIair Plus. For each target/session I take lights, flats & dark flats. I have a separate recently made library for darks as described by others on SGL. I have sorted my file storage again as per great advice found on here. My question is that when I stack a target with WBPP and then continue to process the image, I'm left with what I think are a load of files I won't necessarily need to keep in the future, should I return to the target to gain more data. Would anybody be able to offer any advice?

I must have at least 4 weather Apps on my phone and always listen very intently to TV weather forecasts (part-time postie, so it's necessary!). Seldom are the Apps in agreement and I still rely on satellite imagery and actually going outside - I've bagged a few sessions already this year that would never have taken place had I not had the ability to quickly set up. Of course for a big rig I can see that's not an option so much. 🌧️

Orion is a such an iconic target - I'm currently targeting all of the 'Greatest Hits' night sky targets and having a lot of fun. Orion isn't hanging around for much longer in my FOV from back garden so I'm currently shooting galaxies

The Rugglestone - what a smashing pub! Myself and a mate camped up the hill overlooking it and really should've gone down the hill for a couple of pints but didn't think we could successfully get back up!

Love Ashburton - nearly bought a house there but it was right next to a pub which whilst now seems like an excellent option, back then we thought it would be too noisy 🤣 . Some cracking walks right on your doorstep. Lookup Ten Commandments stone near Buckland in the Moor…

So on this I stacked the different exposures and combined as separate layers within Photoshop as it gave me finite control over keeping core from blowing out and I could use layer masks to finesse the amount of detail brought back in to keep a convincing looks as if were shot all-in-one go. My trade is graphic design so I'm very comfortable with Photoshop hence delay in downloading Pixinsight - but I think I will!

Oh wow really! Dartmoor is just generally a lovely place to be only 30 minutes from. I tend to wild camp up there and take a very easy to carry setup (Canon DSLR, Star Adventurer, 50mm or 135mm f2 lens & tripod). I tend to camp near Bonehill rocks near Widdecombe in the moor but there is a fair amount of light pollution from it and Tavistock/Plymouth. I really want to take my hefty setup to Combestone Tor near Venford Reservoir as I think that could be pretty dark…

Slightly over an hour - I combined there sets of exposures: 19 x 180 seconds, 20 x 30 seconds & 30 x 2 seconds. It was on 1st feb this year and must have been one of the very few clear, dry and still nights! Thx for kind comments, I have a LOT to learn still hence wanting to tap into expertise on tap on SGL!

I wanted to introduce myself - I'm based in Dawlish, Devon UK. For the last year I've been having fun taking pictures of the night sky. I use a small setup for when I'm camping on Dartmoor (Canon 6D with either nifty fifty or a Samyang 135mm on a Star Adventurer) or when I'm home-based I use my William Optics Zenithstar 73 III APO + flattener with an HEQ5 Pro and either the 6D or an astro modified 2000D along with an ASIair Plus and EAF and guiding with a ZWO mini scope + ASI 1200MM mini camera. I've been adding these bits as funds become available over the last year and attach a couple of pics taken with the kit - I'm outside with the scope in the back garden whenever the skies clear currently! I can upload stats for each image taken if required but I seldom manage more than 2hrs on a target and know I should invest more time! (M42 here was just an hour 🤣) Hope to meet some like minded people on here - I've spent far too long looking at posts and not getting involved…