WestCoastCannuck

Agreed on phase!   It was lovely viewing out my way!!   I kept up with my DSLR for a few years before I finally made the switch.  hehe   Astro cams are fun though!  (and quite the time hog for processing)

Clear skies!

Mike

In spite of forecast rain,  it was clear when I looked out the window at 3:30 AM.   Got up,  and got to work.  Great visual...  and OK imaging.   Seeing was only fair....  and I only JUST managed to image this one set before too many clouds rolled in.   Sadly,  I overexposed and blew out Byrgius and area,   but I still rather like it.   My colour is getting better to my eyes at least.

Clear skies!

Mike

140 F7 @ F14,   QHY5III485C.    11 panels.

Some outstanding detail in there Roy!   Especially given the conditions....  you can see a couple of the panels had bad seeing.....   an often seen thing in my own work.    The damn seeing won't stay still!  haha    Really well done in my book.

The sharp sections are quite something!

I did almost the exact same phase with my 140 in the wee hours. :))))))

You can really see the 9.25 pull ahead in the detail.....   mine coming shortly.

Clear skies

Mike

On 18/10/2023 at 11:44, saac said:

The full size versions are absolutely stunning, amazing detail.

Jim  

Thanks much Jim!   Hoping for another chance on these coming phases.

Clear skies!

Mike

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Stunning work.

Thanks Luke!!

May the force be with you!  😎

On 13/10/2023 at 05:44, Mr Spock said:

Very nicely done 👍

7 hours ago, Altocumulus said:

Definite keepers!

Thanks guys!   :)))))

Crazy....  two busy weekends in a row.  Was 2019 last time I got so many sessions in this kind of time frame.  No complaints!  :))))   Now...  just need to fine tune my C11.

All three mosaics shot with my APM 140.   QHY5iii485C for 6 and 7,  and ZWO183MM for 8th.     Managed one half decent closeup of Clavius with C11 and ZWO 290mm on 7th.

October 6th.  50% Waning.  APM 140/7 @ F16.8  - QHY5iii 485C - 7581 X 4518 pixels - 7 panels.

October 7th,   40% Waning,   APM 140/7 @ F16.8  -  QHY5iii 485C  -  4448 X 7690 pixels,   8 panels

Clavius and area,  C11 + 290mm + 685nm upscaled to F13.  1214 X 2482 pixels.  750 of 7500 frames.

October 8th,    32% Waning,  APM 140/7 @ F12,  ZWO 183MM + 520nm filter - 3836 X 6142  - 2 pc mosaic

Clear skies!   Hope all are getting quality sky time!  :)))

Best regards

Mike

52 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

I dont really like Registax either, its really showing its age in today's world with loads of better alternatives. No need to do anything to the video in there, just the stacked file from AS!3, or if working with a mosaic i will stitch the panels together first before RGB balancing. The only thing i do there is the RGB balance tool with the auto-balance setting, then click do all and save image to work with it more in Photoshop.

Thanks again!  I look forward to giving it a try!  🙂

Best regards,

Mike

43 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

 

Give the RGB balance tool in Registax 6 a try?

I use it to start the color balance routine, and dont use any in-camera or capture software RGB balancing. It doesn't quite do a perfect job, but its close enough that saturation can be boosted without any single hue taking over the image completely. Once i have increased saturation (something like +20 saturation 5-10 times in photoshop) to a point where the colours can easily be seen its then not too difficult to manually adjust the channels to appear neutral.

I will!  Thanks!  I have not used Registax since I first started out imaging about 6 years ago  (I didn't like it)  ...  will have to download it again.  But I will give it a go the next time I image.  (Set all to default,  deal with it in Registax)....   I can do this to a stacked file in Registax?   Or must it be the video?

22 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Amazing mosaics!

Thanks much Sunshine!!  :)))))

Very best regards

Mike

On 21/09/2023 at 16:27, Hawksmoor said:

Fabulous image!

Thanks much Hawksmoor!  :)))

26 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Beautiful shots Mike. For me the colour capture just has more zing to it, more ‘life’ if that makes sense?? The mono just looks a bit grey and dull in comparison (still a grey image though!) Zooming in to the e details and there not much between them really, the mono might look a bit more detailed due to the illumination but I think it’s actually neck and neck. 

I also have the 485c sensor and I like it a lot though not quite as fast in terms of FPS as the 462c I used to have.  Need to try it on the moon once I’ve got my new mirrors in the 12”.
 

 

 

Thanks much Craig!   I like the colour one better as well actually - even though the colour itself is not great.  haha   Also,   to my eyes the colour shot actually has more detail in some areas in spite of its less contrast.   This is also what I thought in capture.   The seeing was just better  -  It was easier to get focus on Friday  in spite of having less contrast to work with.

Cool you have the same cam!   You are the only other person I know with one.   I really like it in spite of my issues with it on the moon.  (not the cameras fault).    Its not speedy no....  but a steady 44fps at 9MP is not bad.    I really look forward to seeing your lunar work with it!

Mike

3 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

These are both really nice! Your frac makes some really sharp lunar shots for sure.

Regarding RGB, where do you think the issue is with your setup? Processing is really finnicky and its easy to get an overpowering single hue that makes it difficult to differentiate between the delicate colours.

Thanks much for your comment Onikkinen!    My APM 140 never disappoints...  best scope purchase I have ever made.   As a doublet, its surprisingly easy on the back for handling given its size,  and the views are fabulous to my eyes.     I expect I will have it until I can't lift it anymore.    

And yes....  Lunar colour capture from a One shot is EXTREMELY finicky.    Especially for those like me who don't have much in the way of photoshop type skillz.   I get good colour on Jupiter...  no problem.    Reason being,  there is already lots of colour present you can actually see IN capture.   For me though...  balancing the colour channels on the moon is so far impossible.     When I DO balance the Histograms in CAPTURE,  the end result is overwhelmingly purple so obviously ANYTHING BUT balanced.   This can't be seen until opening the captured file.    For the above shot,   I tried just using the same colour channel settings in Firecapture as I did for my successful Jupiter shots.   It was better  -  as in NOT overwhelming purple,  but instead a less strong but definite RED hue.   Unfortunately,  this hue turned out to be almost as difficult to deal with - though as you can see,  I got a useable image - if not great colour.

I think it is something to do with my Firecapture settings,  but I can't see what and I am DONE with it.  lol     Next thing I am going to do is learn Sharpcap Pro that I just bought.    Perhaps I will have better luck with that.   Once I FINALLY get a  more balanced stack.... then I can move on to learning how to get the most out of a decent colour capture.

Mike

The weather gods have been amenable lately.   Managed two sessions in a row this weekend.   Here are Friday morning's 98% and Saturday morning's 94% moons.    I used my 140/7 refractor for both.   Friday's was shot with a colour cam with MUCH frustration.   I have put my colour attempts on the back burner again till I sort out the latest issues.  Colour terrible,  but details pretty good.   For Saturday I went back to my tried and true mono shooting adding my usual light colour tint to end result.

First up,  Friday's 98% at F17,  QHY5iii485C camera.   16 panels.   Best 500 of 1500 frames each panel.   44 Megapixels.

Version 2 below...  added Oct 05,  2023

Next ,  Oct 1st's 94 %.   140/7 refractor at F11,   183mm camera,  520nm Narrowband filter,  9 panels,  best 300 of 3000 each panel.   Light colour tint added in processing.  49 Megapixels.

Clear skies!!

Mike

22 minutes ago, Kon said:

Nice set of images. Good details when I zoomed in.

Thanks Kon!  Was a nice bonus finding the transit when I set up!

Mike

Was another lovely morning.....  seeing did not support larger aperture,  but fine for my 140!  Had to get this morning in....  clouds coming.

8 hours ago, morimarty said:

Lovely widefield image. Congrats

Thanks Martyn!

16 hours ago, Roy Foreman said:

Excellent image and nice exposure balance between Jupiter and it's moons.  I too am starting to branch out into planetary imaging, but as yet my results are mediocre at best.  Your shot gives me a benchmark to aim for !

Thanks much Roy!   Looking good weatherwise for Friday wee hours....   I will try again if so,  and put the 11 out too!  I will likely try the same sort of shot again with my 140,   and see what I can do with the same camera on the C11 if the seeing is good enough - time permitting.     For this shot,  I reduced the FOV to about 2.4mp which allowed me 7,000 frames in 90 seconds. 

OH...  I must mention that the "balance" in exposure is completely artificial.   I expose purely for Jupiter in capture.   When stacking,  the moons are JUST barely visible enough to put an alignment point on them.   After stacking and sharpening,  I open up the file in Lightroom for final tweaks and watermarking.   It is there that I bring the exposure of the moons up to a nicely visible brightness.   I am adding nothing to the picture,  it is all captured in the same frame,  but without brightening the moons they are barely visible.   :))))

Clear skies!!

Mike

48 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

that’s a great wide field image, we dont see many Jupiter wide fields with Galilean moons all present, nice work.

Thanks Sunshine!   I will be sure to try again soon if I get the chance!  Be awesome to have a nice night with my 11.   One day...  :)))

Mike

6 hours ago, Space Cowboy said:

Very nicely captured!

Thanks Stuart!

5 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

That lovely, tons of detail on jup when zoomed in. Very nice! 

Thanks Craig!   I was pretty happy how well it came out.    Colour was good without any extra effort,  and details were he best I have got so far  in my admittedly few attempts to date.  :)))

2 hours ago, knobby said:

Yep, really like that ... nice to see the moons spread out like that.

Thanks knobby! 😁.   

5 hours ago, siatnite said:

Thats a lovely clean wide field shot. 

Thanks siatnite! 😀

I don't try the planets too often....  I want to more in future.    I did not put my 11 inch out as I generally don't max my 140mm refractor.   Seeing was good though....  shoulda put out the 11.   Next time!

APM 140/7 + 2.5X barlow + QHY5Ciii

Cheers

Mike

On 10/09/2023 at 11:12, Roy Foreman said:

Nice detail and tones - well done.

Thanks much Roy!

Lovely work. 

Congrats on the 11!   A great result in first light.    Also...  a similar view to one I had and shot of my first light weekend with my CPC11 a year ago!

h------ttps://flic.kr/p/2oru9Y5

Clear skies

Mike