Rustang

I somehow got there with the editing, still not fully sure how but I'm learning. So here it is, the first light with my QHY9 mono, 4hrs of HA during two nights of moon lit sky's . Stacked in DSS with flats, darks and dark flats and it would appear that my calibrations frames have worked, they took me all day yesterday to do so I'm really pleased. This hobby tests you and yet it still shows you that its all worth it, this is when you feel embarrassed when you throw a wobbly because of a rubbish night but hey they are going to happen from time to time. I'm now very settled in what I'm doing with the new set up and you know what, its not all that scary really, it just takes more time to get the data. Now to get some OIII and SII to make a colour image.

Seems ok to stretch if you apply in to a colour channel! (top left is screen reflection) I was just watching a video for future reference and apparently Photoshop can show blotchy like that but its actually not effecting your image! If you zoom in it appears ok, I would rather know im still processing the monochrome correctly though ans Ive not got the rest of the data to make a colour image yet

FirstRossettStack.TIFHere you go

I have managed to grab 4hrs of Ha mono data (exciting!) which I have stacked in DSS, lights, darks, flats and dark flats. Ive opened the tiff in PS, mode is 16 bit and grey scale. I went to apply my first stretch and that's why I got stuck. I'm new to mono and assumed I could just stretch the mono Ha image in the same way I do a colour but it would appear not, what am I missing as the curve graph straight off doesnt seem right, its over to the left and when I do stretch it goes patchy! So I'm guessing I'm missing a setting or something which Ive tried googling. So what is the process of stretching a mono Ha image in PS properly!

Lovely images 😊 but I personally don't see what the extreme has added even in those conditions, for its cost I feel it hasn't appeared to do anymore than what the L enhance can do. Below-600D and L-enhance

Thanks il look into that. I can view them on the laptop that runs everything but not the computer I use for editing etc.

Ok thanks, I'm new to these settings so never changed the histogram settings etc. So I'm all good!?

Hi guys, I'm starting to do my calibration frames today, I'm using my LED light panel with paper. I'm using APT's Flats aid which is great, I know what ADU I'm aiming for and exposure time but my issue is with the Histogram, it seems to far over to the left, its not close to half way, is this ok or am I missing a setting? Also is there a software to view fits files on my computer!?

Great start, we'll done. I'm on that long road now. I'm currently on my 9th Ha 10 min sub on the Rossett.

Cricky, is there something in the air at the moment, all these issues and frustrations going on. We all must be the most tolerant, patient people to carry on this hobby! 😊

Angler fish! 😂

Thanks Adam, if I manage to get anything worth showing i will definitely share, happy just to call tonight a successful test run if anything though 😊

Test night number two with new kit is going well. Still some issues to sort but all in all a lot more positive. I've managed to fire off my first few 10min exposures in HA and from I can see the stars are nice and round. Seeing doesn't seem great, the moon and very twinkly stars but the guiding is holding in there. I'm going to get an hour of HA just as a test then I might capture the moon for a laugh. Thanks for all the motivation to keep going everyone, we probably all need it from time to time. 👍

That's been really helpful, thank you, I think I can use that stretch process to look at stars with the Bahtinov mask to aid focusing. I looked at some shots from last night in APT, stretched them and I could then see all the diffraction spikes of the stars to show I was in focus so that's really handy, and will help with the darker NB filters, thnaks! 👍

Cheers, I have a folder that I'm constantly adding to, notes, procedures and everything in between. I'm not sure I still fully understand my notes! 😊 every time you awesome lot give some advice, I add it to the folder. Because there is just so much to do and so much involved I have struggled to grasp it all but getting there. Its really easy to miss even the simple stuff. I'm doing my best and I try to figure stuff out in between the panic, but I honestly just get confused when reading up on stuff, one day Il be able to stand on my own to feet a bit more but for now, you kind lot will have to keep putting up with me! 😉

Yeah I did my best to prepare for some wasted nights but ended up still being fed up lol. What do you mean when you say in regards to the target 'easy to find in APT auto stretch' !?

APT and PHD2

Good advice. I had done all the usb connections and software connections during the day which is why it was annoying when it failed again last night, I will look to get a better quality powered external USB hub. Today I have taken the mount down, checked everything is level, balanced the new gear as well as I can and it appears good. I managed to focus ok yesterday but that was only if I had a bright star in view, I slapped on the B mask and took a short exposure and the defraction spikes appeared bang on after a couple of focus adjustments so locked it down. I'm concerned going forward how to check focus on each filter if there's no bright stars in view. I've not looked at where the histogram is in APT? I look at what you said about stretching it.

Yeah that was all entered correctly 👍

I'm just using auto because its worked before ! Il check the settings etc and double check what software it's using to solve 👍

I'm following the same routine as I've done before, object's, chose target and slew, auto plate solve the go to ++ to centre

Thanks, il give that ago! 👍

Thanks Steve, you didn't read wrong, I wasn't clear so changed what I wrote after your commented. I had been opening the clutches to sort balance etc so maybe just one of those things. I'm hopefully out again tonight to will see how it goes.

Fault finding builds up knowledge over time to hopefully fix things yourself but there is just so much in regards to settings, software etc that I still find it overwhelming. It's a great feeling when something works, I feel I can tick that off and move on, but when it comes round and gives you problems on top of new stuff you just feel like banging your head against the wall. People are right that when you get a decent result it feels worth it but it's a slog getting there. Still, onwards and upwards.

Thanks Steve, I wasn't clear as such as to when I say it failed, it solved but the failure was that the target wasn't there! I did some tests on bright stars but they weren't even in frame or in the middle of the frame once solved!!? I hadn't pressed 'reclac' either as I don't think I ever have. All other settings in that box are correct.