Adam1234

Hi, I need some help please. Is anyone else using the Datacolor Spyderx Pro for laptop screen calibration?  

I've been attempting to use this but the calibrated result just seems worse than my uncalibrated screen (uncalibrated actually looks better). It has a green tint, especially in the blacks and greys (as seen in the photos I took of SGL below with 'calibrated display' and default settings). I've done lots of Google searching but I can't seem to find a solution. I've used the recommended settings in the SpyderX Pro software. I've also ensured that no intense light was shining on my laptop.

I've tried uninstalling the graphics card driver and re-installing, then running the colour calibration, I've also tried disabling the driver, then running the calibration - the result looked ok, then I activated the driver and the green tint came back. 

I'm using HP Pavilion 14-cf1599sa (5AT11EA #ABU - HP 14-cf1599 14" Laptop - Intel® Core¿ i5, 256 GB SSD, Silver - Currys PC World Business)

Default colour profile

'Calibrated'

Any help will be appreciated! I hope I've not made a mistake buying this haha

Thanks

Nice 

Thanks everyone! 

29 minutes ago, geeklee said:

Lovely image Adam, some great detail at full resolution. I really like the angled framing too.

Definitely worth persevering with the Ha, even with what you have already - perhaps try and bring it into the image in targeted areas - Your ~3+ hours should add more to the jets of M82 and within the arms of M81.

Thanks Geeklee. The Ha definitely added more detail to M82, it just unfortunately added lots of extra noise. I'll keep trying!

My latest image - Bode's Galaxy (M81) and the Cigar Galaxy (M82), 12 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major, taken over several nights at the beginning of April.  Definitely an improvement on last years DSLR attempt (First proper attempt at M81/M82 - Getting Started With Imaging - Stargazers Lounge).

Taken with the ED80 and ASI1600mm pro. 

Integration time: 10.65hr

L = 435 x 40s (4.83hr), R = 112 x 60s (1.87hr), G = 117 x 60s (1.95hr), B = 120 x 60s (2hr)

I did take just over 3 hours of Ha as well, but it was quite noisy and I was finding it difficult to add the Ha regions without also adding the noise as well. I may try again at a later point if I manage to get more Ha data. If anyone wants to give it a try I'll post the stacked XISF files.

Ha.xisf

L_All.xisf

R.xisf

G.xisf

B.xisf

Adam

Incredible!

How to Autostakkert handle field rotation?

I took some 5 minute videos using the planetary feature on APT, I only managed to get a frame rate about 15fps as I was using using DSLR and not a planetary camera, so about just over 4000 frames but there does seem to be significant field rotation. 

I'm predominantly a deep sky imager but seeing as the Moon is out at the moment thought I would try some lucky imaging on the moon, but I have a question on the stacking side of things. I know there is a limit on length of video for the planets before the rotation of the planets becomes an issue, but how long a video is ideal with the Moon before field rotation takes effect? (using a SkyWatcher 10inch dobsonian and Canon 2000d for the Moon).

Thanks

Looks nice

I imaged Messier 3 last night, a globular cluster in the constellation Canes Venatici containing around 500,000 stars. 

20 x 60s each of RGB

Adam

Incredible, what a sight 

26 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Backlash in declination. It make a large movement in dec and spends the remainder of the settle time clearing backlash. The mount only then moves to the new position after APT has started the next exposure. I get this if I dither with my CEM25. RA is fine no matter how big the movement but Dec is bad if its too big.

That would make sense.  It seems there is a tick box in PHD2 to dither in RA only, I guess it might be worth turning that on?

7 hours ago, Jamgood said:

What are your Dither settings in APT?

When I had mine set to small dithers (around 2) I used to get correction errors like you're seeing. Between 7 and 12 seems to be the right area for my mount. 

Here's my dither settings ( I stand corrected on dithering timeout, 60s, not 120s). 

Here's a screenshot i got just now of one of my more 'normal' looking dithers

Does anyone know what might be causing this odd dithering behaviour I see practically every imaging session? I doesn't happen on every dither, but I do see it often.

So basically every so often (actually happened on 2 dithers in a row just now while I was outside at the scope), I get a very large dither like the one in the image below. It then doesn't settle and times out (I have timeout in APT set to 120s which is normally plenty). The result is then APT continues with the next exposure, the stars of which then sometimes appear misshapen. 

In the example below, it timed out at 120s about midway through the 'dither'. 

When I go back outside to check on the scope I'll get a screenshot of a (hopefully) normal looking dither for comparison.

Cheers 

Adam

Highly recommend Sky Safari, I've tried a few others but none compare to Sky Safari in my opinion

On 04/04/2021 at 19:48, StuartT said:

yes, that's correct.

It's a bit silly to design it that way, but it's fine once you get used to it. Oddly enough, the intervalometer in Canon EOS Utility works the same way!  😕

It's not necessarily a silly design - it should just be called frequency rather than interval and it would make more sense

I had this too when I started using an intervalometer - try removing the initial 5s delay and increasing the interval time.  That seemed to do the trick for me. 

I can't remember whether it was the delay or the interval time, I suspect the interval time I guess it needs to be long enough to allow the shutter to close and then open again. I have my interval at 3s.

I take it the image above a single sub? Could you post the stacked image?

In your screenshot of eqmod it doesn't look like your mount is tracking

How many stars does it detect?

Here's my version, processed in PI

1 hour ago, CraigT82 said:

All fantastic renditions, really nice work. I always prefer the natural looking palettes so first one for me. What was the kit? (Sorry can't see your sig if it's in there!) 

Thanks Craig!  My kit below:

Image Capture: SkyWatcher ED80 DS-Pro + 0.85x reducer, EQ6-R Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm pro, ZWO filter wheel, AstroPhotography Tool

Guiding: Evoguide50 + ZWO ASI120mm mini, PHD2

Processing: PixInsight

Another version in NB enhanced RGB, with a bit of Ha added as luminance

1 hour ago, geeklee said:

That has come out very nicely Adam.  Lovely images, I really like the first one - shows how worthwhile the total integration was (as is always the case!)

Thanks! Yes the integration time was definitely worth it, I'm just glad I had a good spell of clear nights! 

36 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

Very nice Rosette Adam, love the first one.

Thanks! Glad you like!