Stickfarm8

Greetings ! As I am learning (repeatedly !) to trust the histogram in the image capture software (BackyardEOS) a question comes to mind. Because my Photoshop skills at image processing still leave a lot to be desired I haven't been able to resolve this question based on actual imaging. I have a lot of experience with HDR photography - particularly in aircraft museum settings, where you do a +2EV, 0 EV, -2EV image and merge the three together to get the wider dynamic range. My question is - if I do something similar with my exposures - say 300 sec, 180 sec and 120 sec, and stack thru Deep Sky Stacker - does it generate produce a similar effect as the HDR software I would use so that I can capture the spiral bands and the core in a wider range? In other words if the 300 sec exposure results in Andromeda's core being over exposed, but the detail in the band showing nicely, will the 120 second exposure compensate for the core overexposed in the 300 second exposure resulting in balanced image ? Or do I have to do this by merging the TIFFs produced of each exposure (3 tiffs - 300 sec, 180 sec, 120 sec) separately outside of DSS ? Any help will be appreciated !!

Great - I've got three additional Dew-Not warmers coming. Might as well help keep the finder scope stay clear as well. For tonight, if it becomes a problem (dew point is way down compared to yesterday at this time) I will use a fan we have - that is a great suggestion ! Thanks all !! Rich

So the warm weather finally broke here in Kentucky and I was all set to try and capture more light frames of Andromeda - which I started as my first "project" last weekend in some wonderful conditions - or so I thought. Unfortunately the humidity that had accompanied the warm spell for the past week had remained. I have a single Dew-Not wrap on the main scope - and had not issues. But after a while I starting having issues with PHD and the captured images from my DSLR on the main scope showed poor guiding. After realizing what was going on, I started wiping the quide scope lens (Orion 50 mm Mini) in-between captures but on 5 minute exposures it was a losing battle. So it turned out to not be a very productive night. This may be a silly question - but can I put a Dew-Not wrap on the miniguider without damaging it ? In case the brand name is unfamilar - here 's a link to the manufacturer - https://www.dew-not.com/dew-not-desc-01.htm I have a Dew-Not controller that has four outputs and I'm only using one for the main scope right now. Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Rich

I may have stumbled on to the problem - its the Dell G7 laptop I use. Over at Cloudy Nights forum on this exact guider, someone had similar problems. https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/625500-orion-starshoot-autoguider-pro/ . Apparently Dell's implementation of USB 3.1 can cause issues with USB isochronous cameras (Orion and ZWOs). When I tried the camera on my son's ASUS laptop it works as it should - at least with the AstroCap software. One solution I'm going to try tonight is to use a USB 3.1C to USB 3.1A docking hub - it will use a different path /chipset through the system. If that fails, I'm going to pick up a cheap laptop and use it for the Pole Star and Autoguider before next weekend. I really need to get the Autoguider working. My images of Andromedia (had to stay up WAY too late to get the chance to image it as we have a large tree-line blocking it until after ~11 pm this time of year) had a slight amount of star tracking - but otherwise after looking at the output TIFF from DSS of the images from last night - at least I got the exposure right. There were problems when I went to use the Orion Pole Star camera and software the first time on this laptop. The images would freeze during the rotation step or at some random point in the alignment process. The fix for that was to play music using windows media player. I was skeptical that could do anything - but without media player working - the image is almost certain to freeze. With it playing - no problems. This issue seemed to be more general in nature - not just Dell laptops. Thank heavens for the internet ! Rich

I need some help with an Orion Autoguider PRO. After a call to Orion technical support today, we got the camera working. There was a conflict with the laptop camera, and once the lap top camera was disabled, and the SSGPRO driver reinstalled, the camera appeared to be working. The guide scope is an Orion Mini 50 mm with Helical Focuser. Despite trying the camera inserted various amounts, and running the focuser to its limits, I still cannot seem to get a good focus. I have tried looking at the image with the camera software (Astrocap), as well as the star field in PHD2. When the calibration is attempted in PHD2, it fails. No matter which way I have the helical focuser positioned, the star field does not appear to change. I also removed the front lens, and checked to make sure the helical focuser is moving in and out. It is. Any help would be most appreciated. Rich

Thanks Mike. Added that to my ever growing "check list". I have not had the 5D MkIII modified yet. However, the WB was set on Auto. This batch of images that I took of Eagle Nebula were so underexposed so I've got redo them anyway. I've never been a fan of using histograms - but I've got to get over that, quickly <s>. I am using a light polution filter - the Optolong L Pro, and it hit my exposures far more than I allowed for compared to the unfiltered stack I previously taken. But at least I was able to have a complete set of images to finally try DSS, and even some of the steps in Photoshop to the DSS image. Another question - I had followed the process outlined in Dark Art or Magic Bullets . I did flats, long with lights, bias, and darks - but not the dark flats that DSS includes as an image input type. Any comment on the need to do the dark flats as well as light flats ? Thanks, Rich

Good evening all. I've gotten my first set of lights, flats, darks, and bias files captured last night. In setting up Deep Sky Stacker, I have been using this as a guide - http://www.astropix.com/html/j_digit/using_deepskystacker.html . The author said - Raw files with a custom white balance – Use Camera White Balance Raw files without a custom white balance – Use Auto White Balance But on the RAW/FITS setup dialog page - the Use Auto White Balance is greyed out. The Use Camera White Balance, which, if I understand the setup instructions, is for use when you have a custom while balance is the only one of the two options that can be selected. Am I missing a setting somewhere or is this the only option now available ? Thanks for any assistance. Rich

Greetings everyone ! I'm new to astrophotography - but not new to photography or astronomy. My father started teaching me fundamentals when I was in my early teens, and also started my interest in astronomy by frequently taking the family up to Mount Palomar (we lived in San Diego at the time). Getting into astrophotography, as I get close to retiring from engineering, is allowing me to bring the two hobbies into one. My wife has been very supportive of this adventure - she started Grandpa's Telescope Fund several years ago which made shopping for me on birthdays, Fathers Day, and Christmas very, very easy. I've done a lot of research (engineers can be VERY anal !!) and I was almost ready this past spring to go down the road with what I thought would have been a great setup. But thank goodness after ordering the book Making Every Photon Count, the author has been very kind in giving me some recommendations which I had the good sense to consider. He also recommended this forum as a good place to learn and ask questions. I'm still very early on the learning curve - but my wife and I are having a great time learning - and even dealing with the inevitable frustrations. I noticed that FLO is a sponsor of this site. I purchased the Lynx Astro cable for connecting my EQ mount to the PC directly, bypassing the SynScan hand controller. The service on that order was excellent and even with DHL shipping, the cost was competitive with pricing for a similar cable from the only vendor here in the US that the retailer I purchased the mount and scope had recommended. Rich