oymd

extremely useful!! thanks Yes, please. I am only 3 months into the hbby, so not familiar with all the software out there. I have been using APT, DSS & PI so far. I have looked at Stellarium a few times, but never used it during a session. The less new software I use, for now, the better. I am growing more familiar with APT, so if you could help me with those files, it would be very helpful!! Thanks P.S. what do you think of my last post above? Is this workable? Or need to restack with new settings? Many thanks Ossi

Hi all This is what the image looks like now, this is just after applying DBE division + subtraction. Is this workable at all, or should I just avoid stacking both of the LIGHT sub sets together? Yesterday night, 20 subs @ 240 seconds into the imaging session, I did the very quick processing in the top image above, and saw that I am missing the lower part of the Nebula. So stopped imaging, and slewed the mount a very tiny bit upwards and to the left, and then continued another 35 subs, hoping to capture the nebula completely. Is the problem in the algorithms I used in WBPP? Or this final image to be expected if there has been re-orientation mid session, and can be fixed with some clever processing? Many thanks

thanks, will try that

fixed....

Thanks for your comments! Very encouraging! Well, I quickly processed the above image as I was not able to see from the individual FIT files coming out of APT if I was on the nebula at all. So waited for the first 10 subs to come in, then did a very quick stack in DSS with just 20 Ds, 20 FDs & 20 Fs, and opened the file in PI just to see if I was on the right track. I know, that’s a very long and tedious process just to be sure I am imaging the right area of the target! its so so much easier with galaxies, as they show up clearly on individual FIT files, or even on LiveView in APT. The scope is imaging away in the garden now. Hope I can get some more good data, now that I repositioned a tiny bit to the left and upwards. The reason I stayed away from connecting to the mount when I got started is EQMOD, and also Stellarium refusing to connect to the mount, even when I used Stellarium scope. It would connect one day, then for a few more tries nothing!

Hello everyone Following on from the good advice I received from members regarding framing on Nebulae, I looked for a star in the center of the Nebulae, and slewed to it, I think it was SAO 33926, not sure now, and took a set of images. I was super pleased and excited to be able to get most of the Nebula! Seems silly to be so excited about taking a picture that is already not so good, with all the amazing quality pics I see every day by experienced members....but it just feels so satisfying!! This is just a quick process of the frames that I have so far, 10 subs @240 seconds. This is still a work in progress... I have just re positioned the scope a little, and hopefully I will have also the brighter lower part of the Nebula. It will be light in about 3 hours, so hope I can get some good data... NINA, or SGP with EQMOD and plate solving is my next project, to avoid this hassle!! P.S. Will PixInsight accept and combine my images, even though i just VERY SLIGHTLY re positioned the scope? Can I integrate all the light frames together? Many thanks!

yes, guess pushed curves transformation over the top...

100 subs @120s -10C, with Ds, Fs & DFs.... Hope the color saturation is not over the top?

Hello everyone I have noticed that when ever I use WBPP I constantly get artifacts in the MASTER LIGHT? I have attached an example of 2 master lights, side by side. All subs and settings were the same. This are the master lights of part of IC 1805, 10 light subs, 240 seconds, darks, flat darks and flats. I ran both WBPP and BPP on the same exact subs, and in WBPP everything was on AUTO. I picked NEBULA in integration, to focus more on SNR. Same settings in all the rest. This artifact is CONSTANT anytime I use WBPP. It does not show up in BPP? Its covering the whole image. On the left is BPP, on the right WBPP?

Good morning everyone I started last week to have a go at imaging nebula, and it was challenging. I seem to have 2 primary problems, and would appreciate some advice? 1- Framing and orienting is near impossible as opposed to imaging galaxies, as the single sub, even when fully stretched in APT or PI shows nothing, so I can never confirm if I am imaging the right part of the nebula. Live view on APT shows black sky, even when stretched. I have been advised that this can only be sorted by plate solving and connecting my mount to the PC. I am working on that. 2- The field of view. So even if I fix problem 1, having looked at my results so far, and also at astronomy tools, there is no way I will fit the nebulae in my FOV? Do I then image over multiple nights different segments of the nebulae and then do a MOSAIC in PixInsight? Is there any way I can widen the FOV of my setup? A different reducer flattener? I have attached what I imaged so far, and I have a narrow FOV. First is CED 214, NGC 7822: 2 sessions over 2 nights, and I barely imaged 2 small areas of the nebula Second is the Heart Nebula. Again, I imaged only a small part of the nebula. My setup: SW ED80mm + SW 0.85x reducer ASI294MC Pro OSC Many thanks

Here's what I meant. This is the SECOND image. I triple stretched using HTT of the first sub. As you can see, there is nothing there but grey background and stars... Even with CurvesTransformation

I did that. After getting first sub in APT, I opened the sub in PI, and stretched as much as i could, but got nothing. Guess signal was too weak from just one sub. I think in the future I will need to slew to a star in the middle of the field, and take it from there

Yes, guess so. Where is the option in PI to do MOSAIC? Thanks

I did some research on CED 214 and NCG 7822, and I did some more imaging on the next night. Again, totally missed the target. I should have used a star to frame!! I used a simple combination of both images, and this is how they should have been oriented. It seems there is no way CED 214, NCG 7822 would have fit in my FOV. I used for reference a picture uploaded by Trevor, from Astrobackyard, where he used the new Canon Da and took a very wide field view.

Thanks Wim!

Hello everyone Here's my first attempt at a nebula. It was very challenging to process in PI, and I am still learning... Since I do not plate solve yet, or run the mount through the computer, I struggling to frame the nebula, since I just use the handset and Live view on APT. Just trusted the 3 star alignment, and hoped that I was imaging the right part of the sky... Please offer some feedback. I tried to plate solve the image in PI, but did not understand how it works. Not sure if I covered the nebula properly. Many thanks Ossi

Evening everyone A few days ago I started a thread about my struggles with combining data from different imaging sessions using a OSC. What made my issue worse was that the two sessions had different orientation, and DSS could not manage to produce a stacked image using groups. It was a mess. Was advised to try PixInsight's BPP, so read the book chapter and did some research on the net. WBPP is new, and not mentioned in the book. I thought I would write this guide, just in case there are other newbies like me looking for a solution, and might find this helpful. I stumbled upon a few tutorials which explain exactly that, especially with DARK FLATS in case of CMOS OSCs. I was initially told to add the Dark Flat files along with the Flats, and PI will process them in BPP. This turned out to be wrong. Was also told that Dark Flats can go into the BIAS group, but this is also wrong. Here's what needs to be done (according to my research, and what worked for me) BPP needs to be done separately for each imaging session. ie: Imaging session day 1: in BPP: 1-Darks & Dark Flats go into the Darks group. BPP will separate them according to exposure time, and match the Flats with the Dark FLats as they share the exposure. 2-Flats go into the Flats group. 3-Lights into the Lights group 4-With OSC, tick CFA so as FITs get debayered, Do not tick "Optimise darks", and in FLATS, DO NOT tick "Calibrate with dark flats only". This last setting is for when BIAS files are used. 5-For the registration file, choose ANY of the lights, preferably a good one. Blink can help with that (I did not use it). 6-Choose output folder and RUN BPP. You will be left with FOUR FOLDERS: calibrated, logs, master & registered. The registered files will have c_d_r in case of OSC, or c_r in case of mono. (d for debayered) DO NOT DELETE THE REGISTERED files, you will need them to produce the final image. In the Registered folder, pick a registered sub, and copy it to a NEW FOLDER, and name it something like "Original Registered Light" This will be the registered sub to use in every subsequent BPP for the next sessions Imaging session day 2: in BPP: Repeat steps 1-4 for the new subs, assuming: a- you took new flats and dark flats, as you might have removed the camera after the first session. b- assuming you have a Dark library matching exposure and temperature of your Light subs Here is the important part: For the registration file, the file you saved separately from the first imaging session, the one we called : "Original Registered Light" Choose output folder and RUN BPP. You will be left with FOUR FOLDERS: calibrated, logs, master & registered. Imaging session 3 and so...repeat as you wish, but ALWAYS use the INITIAL REGISTERED FILE that you saved as the REFERENCE file. Finally, to produce your COMBINED MASTER LIGHT: Use ImageIntegration, and combine ALL files in ALL the REGISTERED folders from all the sessions. Remember to SAVE the final image, as it is not automatically saved. Hope this can be of help to all the newbies out there. I worked very well for me. Here's the combined M63 that I took. It's not anything to write home about, but I'm very proud of the work that went into it!! My image processing is a different story.!! Best regards Ossi

Yes, agree. Lots of unnecessary bashing of Chinese QC and engineering. my view is, if it were not for Chinese companies like Synta, ZWO, IOptron and the like, very very few people would have got into this hobby. It is a HOBBY after all, and we do not make money out of the thousands of pounds we invest in it. Those Chinese companies have made, and still make, some of the best mounts and scopes that an amateur astronomer can aspire to own. BMW and Mercedes are 2 of the top luxury car brands, yet they always score lowest on reliability and customer satisfaction as opposed to Japanese makes. No one seems to bash them as much.

my guess if you get in touch with Artesky, they will quote a 1-2 month waiting time, or something like that..

That would possibly be just the press release, or launch etc.....? There is no mention of it on any UK or US website yet. I would have thought if release is pending, FLO would have advertised it as available for pre-order etc?

Evening everyone... Yesterday night I setup and planned to image the Heart & Soul nebulae.... Being so inexperienced, with just 3 months into the hobby, I underestimated how low Alt+23 is on the horizon! It was obscured by trees in my garden. So tried the Elephant trunk, also obscured by trees! My garden gives me views of only a tiny bit of North west to Northeast at lower altitudes. West is a no go, as that is where the house is! Looked up ANY possible nebulae in the North, but found nothing. Well, was itching to give the new LPS V4 a go, having just received the shiny new ZWO filter drawer from FLO, so decided to have a go at M51. I am aware that LP filters are not advisable on galaxies, but i had to image something!! Here is 40 subs @240s, Gain 120, -10C, NO GUIDING. ED80, 294MC Pro OSC on AZ-EQ6 Pro. Stacked in DSS, processed in PI. Please feel free to C&C, and offer guidance and advice! Many thanks

Don’t think so, but I think you do not need to be a member to just BROWSE the forums.

Do you guys report this to ebay? reason I’m asking, is that the adds suddenly disappear from eBay once they are mentioned on the forum. was wondering if these scammers keep an eye on forums and act accordingly?

Just completed... Failed error message Cannot calibrate Lights... Seems that the first process I did is the only way it worked? Dark Flats going into BIAS...?