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PembrokeSteve

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Everything posted by PembrokeSteve

  1. Hi Mike, Thanks for you comments, The using of the 0.5 focal reducer was basically a bit of an experiment on the Moon while I was waiting for it to get really dark to have a test on some DSO. However when I saw how "tack sharp" the moon looked on my laptop screen, I went and fired away a lot of moon AVI's. My resulting Moon images at the highest camera resolution of 3096 x 2080 came out really good and I completed a mosaic. However my images captured at resolution 1920 x 1200 came out a bit under-sampled with blocky artefacts etc. So I then decided to try and salvage some of my images by applying Autostakkert Drizzle. It seemed to have worked, but don't think I will be doing it much again, as like you said, it is a bit counter productive. I noticed when going through the Drizzle procedure, the process seems to take an eternity and with all the air blowing out of my computer and noise it makes, I was worried if I do much more , I will be looking for a new PC ! Regards, Steve
  2. Hi, Another image which I took on 17th June. Equipment: Vixen VC200L Telescope with ZWO178MC and Atik 0.5 Focal Reducer. NEQ6 Pro Mount. 300 images stacked out of 1,618 using Autostakkert. 1.5x Drizzle applied. Image then processed in Affinity Photo. Regards, Steve North-Eastern Region Moonscape. Showing many well known lunar features. The crater "Arago" is in the dead centre of the image, within Mare Tranquillitatis. Mare Serenitatis and the crater "Posidonius" are on the left of the image.
  3. Hi, I tried out my Atik 0.5 Focal Reducer on my Vixen VC200L, the other night which I bought ages ago, but have never used, until now. I got the reducer to enable me to have a go at some lucky DSO imaging with my ZWO ASI178MC. Anyway I went and tested it out on the Moon. I was very impressed by the extremely sharp images of the Moon on my laptop screen and thought "hey, my images are going to be amazing". However, after running my images through Autostakkert and seeing the result, I was disappointed. My images taken at 3096 x 2080 Resolution looked O.K, but the sampling? on my 1920 x 1200 Resolution images just did not look right. Anyway I re-processed the 1920 X 1200 Res images using Autostakkert Drizzle mode, and perhaps now they are not too bad? Don't think I will use the 0.5 Reducer again on the Moon. 1st Image: Mosaic comprising of 5 3096 x 2080 Resolution images, stitched together with Affinity Photo Panorama. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Images: Images taken at 1920 x 1200 Resolution, and then processed using Autostakkert Drizzle mode. Processed in Affinity Photo. Regards, Steve
  4. Incredible image, like looking at cells through a microscope . Regards, Steve
  5. Hi, Fantastic images Roy. I wouldn’t worry about the “tiny” bit of noise - I prefer the razor sharp look that you have achieved. Regards, Steve
  6. Many thanks Olly for your advice. I will now make "Gradient Removal" my number one priority, within my processing. Also thank you to Pete (Petevasey) for having a tweak at my image and making me realise I am not at the end of the road in processing my image. I have now got the free HLVG download to help rid me of any greenish background, and I have added it as a "plug-in" to my Affinity Photo. Thanks Steve
  7. Hi, Many thanks to members for your likes and comments, and in particular to Olly and Tomato. At the time that I processed M101, I used APP to do the stacking. However since then my APP renters license has run out and I have decided for now to do everything via Affinity Photo, which now caters for Astrophotography stacking. (although I haven't used it yet). Affinity Photo also now offers an astrophotography background removal tool, which I did use on my image, however I think I need more practice at using it, due the the problem of the background being brighter to the left, in the image. When trying to process my M101 image I referred to many of the tips from Dave Eagles's "Guide to Affinity Photo Astrophotography Image Processing". However I am new to using layers and will have to take my time with trial and error I think. Yes, I have been very frustrated by my background, especially it being brighter on the left hand side and also what seems like colours (ie) green seeping through and giving my image an overall "washed out" look. Because of these problems I have tried to go easy on my colour saturation, thinking that more saturation will make matters worse and my thinking that due to only an hour and a half exposure time, there might not be much colour anyway. Also I am very obsessive about avoiding making my backgrounds too dark. I do not like those glossy, black inky backgrounds that I so often see on posted astro images on facebook. I have SGL to thank for this good habit ! I recently also processed M100 (see below), and again with this image, you can see, I am up against the same problems. I am so very grateful to take good advice and practice, practice my processing skills. Thanks again, Steve
  8. Stunning Image. Love to see those tiny craterlets. Regards Steve
  9. Hi, Below is my feeble attempt at M101. Imaged on the evening of 15th April 2021, with my Vixen VC200L and unmodded Canon 650D DSLR. A total of 100 (60 second) lights. (I am still not yet guiding). 23 Darks, 30 Bias and 30 flats. Stacked in APP and afterwards processed entirely in Affinity Photo. I seem to be suffering with a condition that on the evening that I process a given image, and complete it to my satisfaction. I go to bed happy. However, the next morning when I look at it, I think what a load of rubbish !! Lol Anyway it is done for now as it is ! Regards, Steve
  10. Hi On 13 April 2021, I "had a go" at imaging M100. This was my first DSO imaging session in ages, due to the winter weather being so bad in my neck of the woods Just under 2 hours of lights (unguided) and captured via APT, with Darks, Bias and Flats applied during the session. Equipment: Vixen VC200L, NEQ6 Pro Mount, and Canon 650D DSLR. Stacked using APP and afterwards processed with Affinity Photo. I am optimistic that the VC200L will eventually give me nice galaxy images, especially after I get the collimation spot on. Regards, Steve
  11. What a fantastic image. When you look at an image and find you have been gazing into it for over half a minute, you know it is good !! Regards, Steve
  12. Hi, Vlaiv, You are correct, i have just checked out my MK67 and it indeed is f12, with focal length 1800mm, 6 inch mak. I have no idea where i got that f7 from on my signature ! Also thanks Wouter for your kind advice, all very much appreciated. Steve
  13. Hi, Vlaiv Thank you for your advice. I must admit, I was getting a little frustrated trying to obtain the tack sharpness in my barlowed images. So basically with the 178MC and the Intes, for Lunar , I am better off selecting a suitable ROI, and afterwards cropping them, to obtain close ups rather than using the Barlow? Regards, Steve
  14. Hi, A few images below, from the evening of 22 April 2021. Imaged with my Intes MK67 and ZWOASI178MC camera. The seeing was rather good and only a very slight breeze, so I had a chance to use my x2 Barlow ! Images focusing mainly on Plato, Vallis Alpes and finally Montes Jura and Sinus Iridum Image 1: Wide Field Image - Taken using camera resolution 3096 x 2080 Image 2: Plato and Vallis Alpes - Taken using camera resolution 3096 x 2080 and x2 Barlow Image 3: Vallis Alpes - Taken using camera resolution 1920 x 1200 and x2 Barlow Image 4: Montes Jura and Sinus Iridum - Taken using camera resolution 3096 x 2080 and x2 Barlow Processed using Autostakkert, Wavelets in Registax and then Affinity Photo. Regards, Steve
  15. Hi, Inspiring lunar images, as always ! Regards, Steve
  16. Hi, Not sure if the colour is slightly different on second image, because of me using the x2 Barlow, at a different gain setting and exposure. Totally agree the Moon is a tough target to image and get right. Especially when it comes to colour and avoiding over exposure on the surface highlights etc. I am thinking of doing all my future lunar imaging in black and white. Don’t know why, but black and white seems to have more impact on me. Regards, Steve
  17. Hi, The below two photos show Rima Ariadaeus, ( a 300km long linear Rille, named after the crater Ariadaeus, which marks it's Eastern end ) imaged on 18/04/21. Imaged with Intes MK67 Maksutov and ZWOASI178MC Camera. Meade x2 ED Barlow employed for the close -up second image. The seeing was excellent in my part of Wales, UK, on the evening of 18th April, and no wind or breeze, enabling me to use the x2 barlow. Regards to all, Steve
  18. Hi Alex, You have bagged, a stunning lunar image! Best full moon image that I have seen in quite a while. Regards, Steve
  19. Hi, I popped into WH Smiths today with intention to buy December's "Sky & Telescope". "Sky & Telescope" has been my favoured magazine for many years. What pleased me is that it's price was also cheap at £3.70 in comparison to the £5.50 being charged for the other UK astronomy mags "Astronomy Now" and "Sky at Night". However I had a shock when I realised that Sky & Telescope's price has now increased to £6.99 !!!! 😬 Sad day for me as I am not willing to pay that for a magazine. 😢 Does anyone have any idea of why such an increase in price? Regards, Steve
  20. Superb work and a really nice mosaic. Steve
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