Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

PembrokeSteve

Members
  • Posts

    227
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation

598 Excellent

2 Followers

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Interests
    Astronomy, Metal Detecting, Archaeology, History, Photography
  • Location
    Pembrokeshire, UK.

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

  1. Many thanks to Mike & Martyn, for your comments. Yes Mart, I am looking forward to seeing what it can do deep sky wise, and will def post something to the deep sky section as soon as I can. Regards, Steve
  2. Hi, On the evening of 14th March I tested out the optics on my new telescope, a TS Optics Photoline 115 f/7 Triplet APO (which is going to be used for deep sky imaging only) and I am pleased to say everything looked great. In fact when looking through the 115, what I saw, reminded me of the views my Intes-Micro MN56 give me, everything was pin sharp, inky black sky etc. The moon was free from colour with no apparent CA on its edges. So I am a happy man! I only got the telescope out for the star testing, but after viewing the moon, I just could not resist attaching my ZWOASA178MC camera, to do a quick two panel mosaic. Camera Resolution : 3096 x 2080. Two 630 frame AVI's processed through Autostakkert and stacked at 30%, then stitched together via Affinity Photo Panorama, some levels adjustment and a small amount of unsharp mask. Regards, Steve
  3. Hi, Would like to praise Altair Astro (UK) for their recent excellent service. I had been pondering on getting the TS Optics Photoline 115 f/7 Triplet Refractor for the last 3 years. However getting hold of this scope from a UK dealer did not seem possible, until I noticed that AltairAstro.com had it, and a few other TS Refractors on their website. The price looked good to me at £1,198.00 inc VAT and only an extra £7.20 for delivery. So I contacted Altair Astro via Messenger on 4th February to ask was it in stock. They gave me a prompt reply that it was out of stock, however, if I placed my order with them, then they would obtain it for me in approx 7 to 10 days. Anyway I placed my order the following day 5th February. I then received my 115 Triplet safe and sound on 15th February. The scope was delivered by Fedex, and I am pleased to say it arrived in perfect condition. Who ever packed the scope, did a superb job indeed. It is a can be very worrying experience ordering a telescope, and paying out a lot of money etc. But all I can say is Altair Astro were excellent in their communications with me and provided me with an excellent service. Regards, Steve
  4. Tuesday of this week was a Happy Day for me, but not for my wife (when she saw what had arrived LOL). I had been pondering on getting the TS-Optics Photoline 115 ED Triplet for the last 3 years, however after Brexit the shipping/tax costs from dealers in Germany put me off pulling the trigger. Then recently, I noticed that the UK website of Altair Astro Limited had the scope listed under it's refractors (£1,205.20 inc delivery), so I put my order in, and I am pleased to now be the proud owner. It is a beautiful telescope indeed and mounted on my NEQ6 , I have a BIG problem in that I just can't stop looking at it !! It is very heavy towards the objective end and I will need to take some careful time in getting it balanced right. The objective lens looks perfect. I am going to get a carry-handle for it, which I can then slot a guide scope onto as well. So if you are wondering why we have this stormy weather, you can blame me !! Regards, Steve
  5. Hi, Superb Image, Regards, Steve
  6. Hi Beautiful image and the way you have framed (composed it) it is superb. Regards, Steve
  7. Hi Fedele, Very nice images. I like the way you keep the colour saturation subtle. Regards, Steve
  8. Hi Reggie, Many thanks for your comments Cheers Steve
  9. Hi Neil, Stunning, awesome work mate, Regards, Steve
  10. Hi, When it comes to processing, I am a bit of a slow-coach ! Here are a few images that I have just completed. I have started shooting 1 minute and 20 second AVI's on Jupiter and up to 3 minutes on Saturn. Before I was only doing 45 to 50 seconds on both. As a result I think there is a bit of an improvement. Thanks to Neil on this forum, I am also hitting RGB Balance button in Registax, which I was not doing before ! Lol Trouble is where I live the seeing always seems turbulent, mainly due sea breezes from living close to the coast in West Wales UK. The planets are virtually bubbling on my laptop screen. Never mind "keep calm and carry on" as they say ! Equipment:- Intes MK67 Maksutov on NEQ6 Mount. ZWO ASA 178MC Camera. x2 Barlow used on three of the images. Processing:- Imaged at the scope using SharpCap in RAW8 mode. Afterwards processed through PIPP, AS3, Registax and Affinity Photo. Regards, Steve
  11. Hi Mike, I always have great difficulty with noise reduction. (ie) applying it to good effect, without losing the sharpness. So a lot of the time unless the seeing was really good , I end up with grainy images, much like what 400 ASA 35mm film would give you. On my lunar, like the images a have posted here, I typically shoot about 1,350 frames and stack 20% of them in AS3. I only have the Freeware Neat Image, which does not always give a good results and only in the JPEG format. I also have Affinity Photo Noise Reduction and of course I regularly use Gaussian Blur, but again, I hate the way "de-noising" robs my images of sharpness. I suppose I will have to spend some money and invest in something effective like Topaz De-Noise. Would you suggest I shoot more frames? Regards, Steve
  12. Hi Mike, Stunning Images, and I am mega impressed by your VC200L images ! Your work seems to have gone to a new level ! Regards Steve
  13. Hi, After an evening's session imaging Jupiter on 21st September, I could'nt resist turning my scope onto the moon and taking a few images. I concentrated on the moon's edges and stayed with my favourite ROI (camera capture area) for lunar of 1920 x 1200. Quite pleased with the results, considering the moon was still low in the sky with a slight breeze kicking in and making the seeing unsteady. Equipment: Intes MK67 Maksutov on NEQ6 mount. ZWO ASi 178MC camera. Processing: Avi's ran through Autostakkert 3. Wavelets tweaked in Registax. Final adjustments done in Affinity Photo. Regards, Steve
  14. Jupiter and Ganymede on 22nd August 2021 Hi, Just finished processing one of the many images I took on the evening of 22nd August 2021 at 23.49pm in the UK. Although this is quite poor compared to some of the fantastic entries here, I'm pleased to have captured the Red Spot in a "portrait mood" and that I also captured Ganymede as a distinct small disc ! Some Details :- Telescope: Intes MK67 Maksutov Camera: ZWOASi178MC . Mount: NEQ6 PRO Actual imaging at telescope done using SharpCap. x2 Barlow Lens used 4,207 RAW8 frames shot through my ZWOASi178MC., at ROI capture resolution 1040x1040. Processing:- Processed through PIPP, 20% stack of 4,207 frames ran through Autostakkert 3. Wavelets and colour balance adjusted / tweaked in Registax 6. Final touches to image done using Affinity Photo. Regards to All Steve
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.