Prolifics

I have Sharpcap as it comes free with my Altair GPcam2 aor130 but I first started using SGP for focus with the mask by right clicking picture and using the HDR option on the menu. Not sure how to do that with Sharpcap will take a look later. But if i change camera it will de-license itself as its only a full version with the Guidecam above selected. I use Sharpcap for my Polar Alignment. I will investigate in a better light source for my flats some sort of evenly lit panel that has different brightness options and try the flats again. I will stop the bias frames from now on. I will also investigate options in DSS so they don't save as RGB and ssave as Greyscale. After that lot is sorted I may see some of the problems go away

Thanks for the constuctive criticism. For the Lum i stacked dark flat and bias with the lum only data. I used HDR to 1.6 on SGP and APT. I will need a routine to improve my focus Flats do have a problem I need to get a better light source.

Hi Adrian Thank you for taking the time to do that. I focused with a Bahtonov Mask checked it in APT HDR was around 1.6. I took my flats by placing a white t-shirt over the lens in a near dusk scenario. I used APT to help me set up the flats with a 16000 ADU. 20 flats, 20 darks and 20 bias. There was approx 17 frames of each at 3m exposures LRGB totaling around 3h 45 minutes in total. I did have some problems in PHD2 at some point. The graph went AWOL! Guiding was averaging 0.72 in general. I inspected each frame. Not sure what to do about the RGB stacked images I just saved each stacked colour as .tiff. Should I be saving them as greyscale? Loaded up each colour seperately in DSS and flats, dark and bias. Stacked good pictures as saved. Used options from many Youtube tutorials. Also to the left of centre mainly looks like my cat got her paws on the canvas Not sure what caused this maybe Dew drips? Regards David

Hi I got my first ever data on M81 been trying to post process this data. Learning but not really getting anything. I just wanted to see if the data was any good. Files are LRGB master .tiff files. I have stacked them with Flat, Darks and Bias. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/skqoxrbe5huosg4/AAAdQ_UEP0XsX0S0b6oBPiiKa?dl=0 If you feel like playing to show me if my data is viable or not would be appreciated. Regards David

Williams Optics Megrez 72 FD (Unused) I bought this as part of my astro imaging setup but never did get it up and running. Brand new, never used, mint condition. Collection Only so you can inspect at your leisure. £325

I easily manged 5 minute expsures last night but decided to collect 3 minute data. Had a problem with snagging on the leg adjusted on the tripod of the EQ6 pro. Got my Guiding to 00.68 averaged over 2 hours. That should be good enough without further fine tuning. I bought Annies Plugin but you have to first convert your stacked images to 16 bit before you load them or all her scripts pop up with errors. Not sure what order you need to do these scripts in as I cant find a video on LRGB using her actions. There is one on youtube but its for HA and O3 staring with colour image. Another clear sky tonight. I guess I will grab some more data on M81 Clear Skies.

Thanks for that. I play if a band too if thats what you do I will try that tomorrow. I have clear skies here and telescope is already out. Going to test some longer exposure times and try to get my phd2 guiding down even more.

Thanks again for you quick replay and advice. I have used Deep sky stacker loaded in Lum pics x 10 and added bias and darks (no flats yet) and created a master tiff file. Done the same as we are speaking for RGB. Whats next on the menu? So just to reiterate I have 4 master tiff files LRGB.

Thank you for that. I am in the very beginning early days. You need the data to be able to produce something. I am gathering data and trying to improve on that so the data is good. I am only on my 4th night out so plenty of time to learn post processing. I have Lightroom and Photoshop. I won't be purchasing Pix Insight which is well outside my buying range as an amateur. I have watched a lot of post processing video's and many do things from many different angles. I suppose it's whatever works for you and whatever you are happy with. Next I am going to experiment in raising exposures to 3 minutes. Just wandering if I use 3 minute exposures for RGB should the Lum be less? or is 3 minutes ok?

This is just raw LRGB data no darks flats or bias. I just loaded them all into deepsky stacker and stacked them all.

Just stacked 10 x 1 min of LRGB in deep sky stacker. Still black and white though not sure why. Forgive me I am a complete beginner. No post processing yet This was really a test to check out my setup and guiding etc. Need to work out best exposure times and make some darks, flats and bias. Using asi1600mm pro gain 76 offset 15 -20c. Any advice would be a god send

Thanks for confirming that. OK i loaded up all my programs in a different order with phd2 last and it now has connected Took a few combinations and tries. Still have issues. Everything connects until I connect phd2 and then it disconnects all my other programs.

Hi yes com3 as it always is just checked it in device manager too. I take it i don't need the telephone connection to by autoguider port anymore as my guide camera is piggy backed to my main cmos camera?

OK i tried that it says does not support st4 so I canged that back to ascom pulsing now eqmod loads and says this.. Com port is not being used by anything else i am running it alone.

I just ran PHD2 as admin and now i get all these options Think it's fixed... Which one should i be using? Heq5/6 as in the rest of my programs?