gonzostar

Hi 

This is M3 taken with new ZWO385asiMC camera.

Gain 60

Exposure 30s

total integration time 56 minutes. Used sharp cap to capture images and then stacked in DSS. However a set of parallel lines appeared across stacked image. Any suggestions would be great.  Not seen before when i have previously stacked using DSS. I've attached TIFF file straight from DSS stack

Cheers

Dean 

Autosave.tif

Cheers Wim for all this exciting info, Now the bit we cant control. Waiting for  those clouds to disappear! 

Cheers Martin A good clear explanation

So if your target was requiring say 12 hours intergration time over a few nights. Would you take dark frames for each night or just a master dark? 

However am i presuming sum of those nights you may have moon at different phases hence different exposures, would require different dark frames? 

I'm happy with phd2 as i've used this with the DSLR and manage to get 5minute light frames

Cheers

Dean 

I use DSS, Not used the "cosmic correction" though At moment researching gain and exposure time. Getting to conclusion integration time is critical

Although confused with charts in camera manual  The charts for the ASI385MC suggest read noise gain 60, and another chat suggests 135 (-adu).

Which do i start with in shapcap? 

Cheers

Dean 

4 hours ago, Budgie1 said:

You may not even need Darks with the ASI385 MC.

You will still need Flats & Flat Darks, but that may be about it. Worth trying with & without Darks and see what the difference is between the two stacks.

As for gain, 300 may be a little on high side. Looking at the graphs for the camera, there's a nice drop in Read Noise + a lift in dynamic range at a gain of 60 and Unity Gain seems to be at 135 (if I've read it correctly). Experiment with it and see what works best for your setup.

Lastly, you mention using the L-eNhance filter, this doesn't really work that well on broadband targets like star clusters, galaxies & reflection nebula. It can actually remove or block some of the signal you need for these objects. Where this filter does come into it's own is with emission & planetary nebula with lots of Ha & Oiii.

If you're not using the L-eNhance filter, then make sure to use at least a UV/IR Cut filter, assuming you don't use any sort of light pollution filter. This stops the star from looking a bit bloated.

Thankyou Martin for your time and detailed response much appreciated. 

What is the difference between gain, and unity gain? If gain is low would i need to increase exposure? Or am falling into a trap. My mount is a AVX mount and just concerned if it can cope with longer exposures as guiding errors will be easily spotted with a more sensitive camera 

Have replaced filter with the UV/IR one. Will try m51 and compare to image on DSLR 😁👍

Cheers

Dean 

5 hours ago, wimvb said:

Very nice. One question: why do you use bias frames for calibration? With cmos cameras, bias frames can differ from the bias signal contained in darks and lights. The general rule is to shoot darks and flats at the same settings as lights (temperature, gain/offset, and for darks: exposure time), in order to get consistent calibration masters.

Thanks Wim, Only used the ASI385 so far with moon shots, and m53 practice.  Awaiting planetary season. So decided to move away from DSLR and try on a faily bright object I could find. So used bias as still in DSLR  mode. 😁

If its the same object say M51, and i choose to do over several evenings. Does this mean i need a set of dark and flats (with same settings etc) for each evening

Hello

This was my first opportunity to use the ZWO 385MC camera with a optolong l-eNhance filter for deep sky objects

Telescope used was the ES102mm APO AT f7

I chose M53 as it was at reasonable high above the horizon and could be easily found near Arcturus with my navigation. Also first use for deep sky with this camera. Used it before for lunar 

Gain 300

Exposure 45 minutes using 60s subs

15X Darks

25x BIAS

Processed in PS

Sorry no flats at the moment. Used Sharpcap, havent got the pro version yet. Do I need pro to dither? Also is gain/ exposure okay for this object? Also not sure which colour setting to use

Sorry for all questions Cheers

Dean 

Nice, Do you have gradientXTerminator in PS? It may help with gradients

Just Wow, Thats amazing 👍

This is my version of of M101 the Pinewheel  galaxy and a couple more fuzzies

The data has being collected over a few nights and heavily cropped.  Darkened due to my excitements was imaging during full moon. Silly I know. Tiff file attached if anypne fancies a challange of gradients 😁

  16hr45.tif16hr45.tif

Telescope - 102mm APO ES refractor on a AVX mount

Camera- Canon 70d unmoded iso800 with a IDAS-D2 filter

Duration 16hours of  300s lights frames

Darks, flats and bias frames also taken

Guided with PHD2 and processed in PS

Cheers thanks for looking, and of course any improvements welcome

Cheers 

Dean 

Thankyou, much appreciated. 👍

Hi Still getting used to new camera, Here goes

Telescope C8 F10

Camera ZWO385MC/ AVX mount, some of the picture had a IR/UV filter. Captured using sharp cap

Thanks for looking, Any improvement suggestions welcome

Cheers Dean

What are the names of these 3 craters please?

This is my version of of M51 the whirlpool  galaxy and a couple more fuzzies

The data has being collected over a few nights and heavily cropped.  

Telescope - 102mm APO ES refractor on a AVX mount

Camera- Canon 70d unmoded iso800 with a IDAS-D2 filter.  

Duration 15hours of  300s lights frames

Darks, flats and bias frames also taken

Guided with PHD2 and processed in PS

Cheers thanks for looking, and of course any improvements welcome

Dean 

Cheers Mike for feedback much appreciated, Will find it and give it ago next time 👍

Hi Still getting used to new camera, Here goes

ES102APO/ ZWO385MC/ AVX mount, some of the picture had a IR/UV filter

Thanks for looking, Any improvement suggestions welcome

Dean

Thanks for your feed back. Looking back at the AVI file it looks like i'm watching the moon through a puddle! I used PIPP and then Registax. How many frames do you use? Anyway more times I do it the better will get 😁

Hello

I used a new ASI385MC on Monday and imaged the moon. I used sharpcap and did a couple of videos. 

Then i used PIPP and registax. One of the images after going though the alignment process and stacking with registax was fine and i could use.

However a second images after stacking just produces a white screen, Has anyone else had this? Any suggestions why this happens. 

Any suggestions would be great, Cheers

Dean  

Hi

I have acquired a ZWOASI385MC, and this is the first picture taken with it on Monday 30th . Captured with sharp cap, Using the  C8 at F10. No idea which area this is though 😁

Exposure 77

Gain  33

Does this sound about right?

Processed using PIPP, registax and finally PS

Not as impressive as your efforts, but its first go with this camera and software

Thanks for looking. Of course improvement suggestions welcome

Dean

This is my version of Bode's nebula and the Cigar Galaxy 

The data has being collected over a few nights and cropped.  

Telescope - 102mm APO ES refractor on a AVX mount

Camera- Canon 70d unmoded iso800 with a IDAS-D2 filter.  

Duration 10hours of  300s lights frames

Darks, flats and bias frames also taken

Guided with PHD2 and processed in PS

Cheers thanks for looking, and of course any improvements welcome

Dean 

6 hours ago, PeterStudz said:

Electronically Enhanced Visual Astronomy.

Ah thankyou, Will read up about this to 👍

4 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

I’d bear in mind if using usb3 you really need pc to be close to mount if using high frame rates within 2m thats what I’ve learnt using a zwo 585mc .

Cheers, will bear this in mind. I've also being reading about WIFI to operate mount etc. But this way down the line. Just figured out where on/off button is 😁

Forgive mi ignorance What is eeva?

Thanks for your feedback. I wish  could double the budget. Will buy lotto ticket 

What software are you using to capture your results?

Hello

I use a canon 70d for deepsky subjects. However i'm also wanting a planetary camera. I have a budget of about £300

I have 2 scopes a ES102APO triplet and a C8. I use a AVX mount

Does anyone recommend or use the following OSC cameras?

ZWO ASI662

ZWO ASI178

ZWO ASI385, 

Looked at the Astronomy tools and still cant fully decide. Would be grateful for any opinions

Thanks

Dean

17 hours ago, geeklee said:

You definitely managed this by the look of the core - lots of detail in there and not blown out👍

Both have good structure throughout M42.

Did the original master have more to give during processing as 13hours is a super amount of data to capture.  M42 would usually give up more with this much integration.

Cheers Lee for feedback. Will give another go to get the finer detail. 

Dean