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SteveNickolls

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Everything posted by SteveNickolls

  1. From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    This is my first attempt imaging NGC 2169 the '37' Cluster in Orion. Image taken on the 5th March 2016 using a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor and Canon 600D DSLR. x43 thirty second light frames at ISO 1600 plus x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. Images stacked using DSS and image further processed using StarTools.

    © Steve Nickolls March 2016

  2. From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    This is my first attempt imaging the two close open clusters NGC 1807 and NGC 1817 in Taurus. Images taken on the 5th March 2016 using a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor and Canon 600D DSLR. x43 thirty second light frames at ISO 1600 plus x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. Images stacked using DSS and image further processed using StarTools.

    © Steve Nickolls March 2106

  3. SteveNickolls

    Cr69.jpg

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    This is my first attempt at imaging the cluster Collinder 69 centered around the star Meissa in Orion. x43 thirty second light frames, x50 dark frames and x 50 bias frames. My equipment- a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor, SynScan alt-az mount and Canon 600D DSLR. The images were stacked using Deep sky Stacker and subsequently processed in StarTools.
  4. SteveNickolls

    M42SGL.jpg

    From the album: Next Attempts at DSO's

    This is my second attempt imaging M42 taken on the 28th February 2016. The image was made from x81 thirty second light frames, x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. My equipment- a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor, Canon 600D DSLR and SynScan alt-az mount. The frames were stacked using Deep Sky Stacker and further processed in StarTools.
  5. Good morning, Thanks happy-kat I have tried the FILTER module fringe killer and got the following result- Before Cr69 After Thanks once again! Good luck with your StarTools learning curve. Best Regards, Steve
  6. Thanks happy-kat, I'll have a good bash at it tomorrow. I think I'm all StarTooled out for tonight I will follow your directions and the link and let you know how I get on. Perhaps I'm expecting the 'fringe killer' to work wonders with a just a couple of clicks. Thanks once again. Night, Steve
  7. Thanks happy-kat and Ian. Whenever I try the FILTER module say to remove the halos etc nothing seems to work as the guide says. Annoying, I'm obviously not doing something. Cheers, Steve
  8. Two more images (from last night). M42 and M43 taken with a StarWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor, Canon 600D DSLR. x81 thirty second light frames, x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. ISO 1600. Stacking using Deep Sky Stacker and further processing using StarTools. Collinder 69 taken with the same equipment. x50 thirty second light frames, x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. Stacking using Deep Sky Stacker and further processing using StarTools. Cheers, Steve
  9. Here is a recent image of the Flame and Horsehead Nebula, taken on the 10th February 2016. It is composed from x182 thirty second light exposures, x50 dark exposures and x50 bias frames. The equipment used-SkyWatcher Synscan alt-az mount and Startravel 102mm telescope, Canon 600D DSLR at ISO 1600. The frames were stacked using Deep Sky Stacker and the resulting master image processed further using StarTools. And here is an image of the cluster NGC 2301 (Hagrid's Dragon) also imaged on the 10th February using the same equipment and camera ISO setting. The image was produced from x46 light frames, x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames. Again the frames were stacked using Deep Sky Stacker and the resulting master image processed further using StarTools. Cheers, Steve
  10. The thread will go where the individual contributors take it. There's no pretence. One thread extoling the trials, tribulations and successes of alt-az mounts is a breath of fresh air and inspiration to many. Cheers, Steve
  11. I'm not going to throw my wrong equipment away, the images are as real as is the effort taken to get them. Steve
  12. SteveNickolls

    NGC2301.jpg

    From the album: Next Attempts at DSO's

    NGC 2301 Hagrid's Dragon. A lovely striking open cluster in Monoceros. Taken on the 10th February 2016 using x46 thirty second light exposures, x50 dark exposures and x50 bias frames.
  13. SteveNickolls

    NGC2024.jpg

    From the album: Next Attempts at DSO's

    The Flame Nebula in Orion. This is my second attempt imaging NGC 2024 and x182 thirty second light frames, x50 dark frames and x50 bias frames were used. Images taken 10th February 2016. Compared to my first attempt there is more colour and detail in the Flame Nebula and in the general background nebulosity to the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33).

    © Steve Nickolls

  14. Hi Herzy, You're really going to need a computer to do any stacking and post processing work. Are you saying you don't have a computer at all or just not a computer running on a Windows OS? I don't know whether DSS or ST runs on any other platform. I have never tried other software to help you further here-sorry. It is known that these lightweight mounts will often need a short few minutes just after star aligning to 'settle down' to then track ok. Whenever I have used my mount (a SkyWatcher Synscan alt-az) it has worked just fine after alignment but then again I don't rush things swapping diagonal and eyepiece for camera so I maybe give my mount the settling down time it just needs and I never know. Cheers, Steve
  15. Hi Herzy, Thanks for the post and your image. We're all still learning here but I notice you have a f/14 telescope which will make for less bright images taking much longer to get an image, and there's the possibility that in that time your local light pollution and/or field rotation will do their best to prevent you getting a good image. As a very very general rule of thumb 30 seconds is around the upper ability of these alt-az mounts to track for imaging purposes. The Admiral put me on to a good read, "Astro-photography on the Go" by Joseph Ashley which is specifically written for using short exposures with light weight mounts. Its ISBN is 978-3-319-09830-2. Also what camera are you using Herzy? This page explains about the various frames-http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/faq.htm I use Deep Sky Stacker for stacking and then StarTools for image processing. DSS is free, you can try out StarTools for free but to save images you would need to pay the fee for a licence key. HTH Cheers, Steve
  16. Cheers Ian, Yes, I need to be much more adventurous with StarTools but it's very early days and so much to take in. Here's hoping we all have more clear dark nights to practice in! Steve
  17. Hi, Here is my first attempt at imaging the Rosette Nebula/Cluster. It was taken on the 2nd February 2016 using a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor on a Synscan alt-az mount. There are 62 light frames (each of 30 seconds at ISO 1600), 53 dark frames and 50 bias frames making up the image. My camera is a Canon 600D. There would have been more light frames but...rain stopped play. Images stacked in DSS and processed using StarTools. Cheers, Steve This closer image resulted from messing more in StarTools!
  18. From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    This is my first attempt at imaging the Rosette Nebula. Image composed from x62 thirty second light frames plus 53 dark frames and 50 bias frames.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

  19. Hi, they are two lovely images which you should be proud of. Good to know the number of exposures, duration and ISO you have been using. I often think of DSS and StarTools as the perfect marriage, by that I mean they work together to a common end but don't necessarily make it easy to know what they are both doing in the background to help the other! It just shows what can be achieved with an alt-az mount. Keep up the good work. Best Regards, Steve
  20. Hi Ian,

    How are you getting on with your latest book? I’ve not found anything yet on the Internet giving anything near an insight into the reasoning beneath the workings of DSS. I have however come across these-

    (A) http://www.stevebb.com/deep_sky_stacker.html

    (B) https://markwalkerscreenwriting.wordpress.com/deep-sky-stacker-tutorial/

    which are worth a read.

    Like most guides they are output driven with little to no understanding of the inner workings, by that I mean you are instructed to do steps 1,2,3,5,6,4 and only in that order to get ‘x’ out. I was interested that in (A)  it suggests a high ‘Midtone’ setting could exacerbate halos around stars (non-apo’s also do this), I will look into this claim as I am not sure what the default value is.

    In the same guide he does alter the RGB values but then he is not putting the resultant working image into StarTools.

    The person writing Guide (B) also adjusts the RGB values in DSS then uses the working image for subsequent processing in StarTools. He does acknowledge other views on this. Is it all down to personal taste?

    (C) There’s also this site- http://astrophotolinks.com/category/dss/

    Which has links to advice on using DSS that you might want to explore.  So far I have only watched one of the videos which was a little long winded but the whole site looks like it could be a useful source of knowledge on DSS and maybe some of the users also then process in StarTools (can only hope).

    I had a look into the ‘No EQ Cchallenge’ thread on SGL you provided a link for Ian and it is informative to compare some of the exposure values used against the resultant image. I think in the future for non-cluster shots I will aim for as many exposures as I can in a session and readjust objects into the centre of the FOV as necessary which will be fine for those objects actually visible in the telescope finder/’live view’ screen. Alternatively a very close guide star could be similarly employed where one exists.

    How do you like the new SGL site? Not really had much opportunity to browse yet today but I notice there is a new ‘Imaging-Deep Sky’ section. Unsure over the new font, a little thin to my poor eyes and I prefer the previous.

    I have been doing some hands on activity with my Flame Nebula data which I have processed in DSS both without adjusting the RGB, luminance and saturation settings and then with adjustment of them and the resulting image comes out better from ST if DSS has adjusted the RGB and luminance values. Adjusting in DSS has removed whole areas of false colour created in the image by ST which previously I had to crop out. I have also noticed that DSS can affect the bloom around stars and halos dependent upon how you tweek the ‘Midtone’ and ‘Highlight’ sliders. I will give attention to this in future. Where this leaves matters I really don’t know. There’s so much left to read up in the links above.

    Cheers,

    Steve

     

  21. SteveNickolls

    NGC2024SGL

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    My first attempt imaging NGC 2024 (Flame Nebula) and Barnard 33 (Horsehead Nebula). Taken 16th January 2016. Image produced from 100x ten second light frames and 40x dark frames taken at ISO 1600. Images taken using a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor and Canon 600D DSLR camera. Image processed using Deep Sky Stacker and StarTools software.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

  22. SteveNickolls

    M35SGL

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    My first attempt imaging M35, also in the frame is the cluster NGC 2158 in the 4 o'clock position. Image taken on the 16th January 2016 using a 102mm SkyWatcher Startravel refractor and Canon 600D DSLR camera. Image from 30x light frames and x40 dark frames at ISO 1600. Processed in Deep Sky Stacker and StarTools.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

  23. SteveNickolls

    NGC2264SGL

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    My first attempt at imaging NGC 2264 (Christmas Tree Cluster). Image composed from x150 light frames and 40x dark frames using a SkyWaycher Startravel 102mm refractor and Canon 600D DSLR camera. Taken 16th January 2016.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

  24. SteveNickolls

    M101SGL

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    My first attempt imaging M101 taken on the 7th January 2016. I was pleased to also include galaxies NGC 5477 and NGC 5474 in the same image. 80x light frames and 20x dark frames. Exposures at ISO 1600. Taken using a SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor, alt-az mount and Canon 600D DSLR.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

  25. SteveNickolls

    M81&M82SGL

    From the album: First Imaging Attempt

    My first attempt imaging the galaxies M81 and M82. Also captured galaxies NGC 3077 and NGC 2976 also part of the Ursa Major group. Taken 7th January 2016. Equipment used SkyWatcher Startravel 102mm refractor, alt-az mount and Canon 600D DSLR.

    © Steve Nickolls 2016

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