volcanotop

Thanks again all. One last version with the green zapped and as close to Hubble palette as i can get with my skill. For those on the PI learning curve too here's my process. (im sure s i learn more these steps will be improved too) individual filters stacked in DSS (with a reference frame - thats what i missed with the misalignment problem) LinearFit H and S using O as the master Chanelcombination as S H and O DynamicCrop to get rid of the edges. ABE - subtract to get rid of the background. Background neutralization. Using the hole in the middle as 'black sky' preview ColorCalibration using the whole image as while and the hole in the sky preview as black (there is very little black in the image) Make a DynamicPSF and Start Mask as prep for Deconvolution Deconvolution with the PSF and Stark Mask (messy trial and error of the global dark value) MLT de-noise on 5 layers (trial and error on the values) Histogramtransformation stretch. SCNR to Zap the green and get an approximation of Hubble colours RangeMask to highlight the nebula. Curves to enhance the nebula Invert the mask Curves to darken the background. now if only the clouds would leave I'd get some more data to learn with....

thanks again all. one last attempt from me. better aligned this time and SHO rather than trying to do the Hubble.

Thanks all for taking the time to process and post. its interesting to see what others can make of the data with different tools and styles etc. Aside from the focus being a wee bit off the data seems to be not to bad. I'm continuing my PI learning curve during the free trial period. I've played with MLT and Deconvolutuon and they seem to be making my image better. Still a lot more to learn...

The tif were straight from DSS. Nice processing Davey-t

Hi Folks, Attached what i consider my first real astro photograph (> 2hr integration). IC410 from earlier in the month. I've been playing and learning and buying the equipment for a year or so and just getting to the stage where I think I'm getting okay at the capture side of things. ie polar align, guiding, dithering, plate solve etc etc. The data for this image i think is ok other than I think the focus could be a bit tighter. (lesson learned - i didn't focus each filter, just the Ha at the start of the 2 hour session) Processing is a different story. I'm a month into the Pixinsight learning curve. I've been reading and trying to understand. But still a long way to go..... Linearfit sounds like a good idea to align the three stacks before combining them....but it seemed to make my pictures worse. So i excluded that. So the stacked images were combined, background removal. For Background neutralisation it feels like i ought to use the black 'holes' in the center of the nebula as the 'sky' but that didn't seem produce a good result for me. in the end I made 4 or 5 previews in the holes and also to the top of the image where there is less 'dust' and did a backgroundneutralsation on the aggregated previews. then colorcalibration. histogram transformation, range selection, hubble colors and a bit of curve transformation. Anyway, pointers gladly received. I wish i could really nail the hubble colours and also get a 3D looking final picture. I seem to make flat looking 2D pictures. No 'billow' to the nebulosity..... Given that we seem to have non stop clouds for the next week or so.... DSS stacked data is shared here is anyone wants to process and post? 15x3 min subs for each H, S and O. 45 mins per filter. 2 hours 15 in total. https://1drv.ms/u/s!Am0Xaik4MKPAp3nLTfhx_tG82AEa?e=8GsaV5 Thanks! Peter / volcanotop https://astrob.in/wrzh6j/0/

a basic one. Are mounted 1.25 or 2 inch filters designed to work A)thread pointing to the sky. or b) thread pointing to the camera. With different imaging trains i can fit them either way. Is there a right or wrong? Or doesnt it matter? when looking at filters visually one side is more mirrored and one more coloured. I guess mirror side to the sky? (Thread to the camera?)

I've just reprocessed my data as HOS rather than SHO. O on the Blue channel looks good, to my eyes/taste anyway. only 40 mins exposure in this stack. so next time its clear i'm going to try more and longer subs...

Am i right in thinking that if the histogram of my stacked images is about one third from the left then my individaul subs are the right exposure lenght and then to increase quality / reduce noise i just take more subs? if i increase the exposure time on each sub i think id move the histogram peak right and as i understand one third from the left is where i need it to be?

Nice processing! Yes i think the data is ok since its only just over 10 mins per filter. 9@90sec

With all the cloudy weather if anyone fancies a play with the three (small) stacked H S O masters. https://1drv.ms/u/s!Am0Xaik4MKPApyrG5zm1VA7tq6xL?e=ft4H8h Post your image..! It will be interesting to see what image you can make of these.

If you have a decent view of the sky...right now is great for M31 Andromeda M33 Trapezium Galaxy M42 Orion Nebula / NGC 1977 Running Man Nebula NGC 2244 Rosette Nebula IC434 Horsehead NGC281 Pacman Nebula Have fun! +1 for Cartes du Ceil. not quite as nice as Stellarium but works better with ASCOM.

Dont bother levelling the tripod. Get everything else set up as before. Get a digital inclinometer. (an app on your phone might do) Stick this on the saddle and adjust to your location (53.3 degrees for me.) https://www.amazon.co.uk/KKmoon-Inclinometer-Electronic-Protractor-Aluminum/dp/B07FFM6FHT/ref=sr_1_6?crid=DLV53M4YU2QP&keywords=digital+level&qid=1578930697&sprefix=digital+level%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-6 Then when you look thru your polar scope your elevation will be bang on. you just need to move side to side to find polaris and then make the final adjustments.

It feels like its been clouds for a month. There was a short break in the clouds yesterday for an hour or two. Not completely clear - but good enough to set up. So this was the result of my first dabble into Narrowband / Mono. Not time for a lot of data. 10x90 Sec for H,S and 0 of which the best 9 from each channel were stacked with DSS. I'm still a novice at Pixinsight. So the 3 stacked channel images got a Channel combine to get an RGB image. The RGB got a dynamiccrop. Then a backgroundneutralisation Then a colorcalibration. Then lum extract and LRGBcombination Then a histogram stretch and at that point my PI knowledge ran out..... I'm quite pleased with this given that its my first go and there was only time for limited data gathering. https://astrob.in/g6kqnu/0 No Lights or Bias in this processing. That's next on my to do list. Feel free to shout up things ive missed / could do better. What would be the next 2 PI processes i ought to try to learn to help improve my picture? Thanks volcanotop

+1 TRF-2008 from Televue.

Most of the Canons after and including the 450d are great and work with live view and usb tethering. I used a 450d unmodified and a modified 500d. I personally wouldnt worry about a flip screen. If you tether the camera you wont ever use it. It not just a camera to think about. id suggest backyardEos for the image capture. astro tortilla to plate solve and sync phd2 for guiding and the TS eos oag (nice and thin to fit typical 56mm back focus) so you can guide thru the main scope with you dslr and not mess around with guide scopes. Other folks no doubt will have other suggestions. But this lot works for me. have fun

Ok folks. Ill answer my own question. New filter drawer from zwo. https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product/zwo-filter-drawer-m42

Yep i’ve got PHD2 set to Random dither. Tracking / guiding is via an original lodestar and a TS OAG T-ring combo attached to the 500d. i did experiment with a guidescope but that wasnt so good. PHD just seems to nail the guiding with an OAG. For me anyway.

Hi, thats a really nice job too. i can see i need to brush up my processing. i am pleased that my data/camera/tracking etc are good enough for this kind of image.

Wow. that’s nice. MUCH better than my effort. Many thanks Wim. Now i know what i’m aiming for!

Folks, Thanks for the suggestions and pointers. I'll try again with the stacking and processing 🙂 I'll try to be bit less eager on the stretch and more care with the colour alignment. On the noise and surplus red in the image. My camera is a pretty ancient Canon 500d (astrmod) so I'm sure some of the noise is from there? i'd also assumed that some of the red was the remnants of light position that I've not processed properly? I've got Bortle 8 sky at home and was imaging M42 when it was over Manchester Airport! If anyone fancies some data processing on a cold wet cloudy night and showing me what a good image from my raw data could be then the 75 lights and 16 darks are shared below. it would be really interesting to see what someone who has some processing skills can make of this data Vs my 'learner' attempt. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1w1-ibf9EqrFjW68OPjwDEmb0L13d8_fM anyway as i said i really appreciate you giving the pointers...

Hi Folks, Just starting to get the hang of astrophotography. I think I’ve nailed the polar alignement routine and phd2 guiding with a lodestar and a Canon DSLR. The link below is M42 from last night. 75 lights 60 sec @ iso 800 / 15 darks. Canon 500d astromod. Astronomik CLS clip. I’ve got Bortle 8 sky and am a novice at the stacking, processing part, removing light polution part. This image was DSS stacking and GIMP processing. Happy to hear constructive criticism to help me improve. https://astrob.in/full/8lxz20/0/ thanks!

Hi Alan, thanks for the response. With reference to the article on the ZWO web site on getting the right back focus. if there is a filter in the optical train then 56mm seems to be the magic number. if thats the case are the thoughts below crazy / or missing something? The Camera eats 17.5mm The OAG eats 16.5mm So there is 56-17.5-16.5 = 22mm for a single filter and spacers. (where the filter sits between the OAG and Camera) the extenders between the Camera ad OAG are T thread Astronomik stock T hread filters that are physically 5mm thick so i need 22-5 = 17mm spacer. the camera kit comes with a 16.5mm spacer that i dont need because of the OAG. so could i just use that supplied 16.5mm spacer with some thin shim washers to get the last fractions of a mm dialed in? I appreciate that this wouldn't be as convenient as a filter wheel/draw but with a OSC and light pollution the l-enhance or equivalent might be permanent part of the train.

Hi folks, is there an easy way to get a 2” filter (eg l-enhance) into the imaging train of a zwp pro (eg 071 or 294) where the filter sits BETWEEN the camera and the OAG. I can see how to add it to the end of the train (eg to the focal reducer etc) but id rather not guide thru the filter. zwo dont show this in the 55mm backfocus diagrams. Thanks