Endolf

2.10, it does support the 32 bit FITS images.

Hi

I'm new to photo processing and astrophotography in general. I've been playing around with ASTAP for stacking and was able to get something ok. I've now taken a look at Astro Pixel Processor. I've managed to get a passable image of M81/82 and M101, I'm now having a go and reprocessing some of my earlier images I did in ASTAP. I've got an image of M42 that I've processed with it. In ASTAP the colours were correct, it was just very dim in it's native FITS result. I was able to do a couple of sets of level adjustment, one that got the nebula details and one that darker that showed the details in the core. I could then blend the images in GIMP, sort of manual HDR.

I've got APP to process the image now, which seems to show a lot more detail. If I save the auto stretched version in APP I get an image with the detail but a blow out core, if I save the non stretched version I am having troubles in GIMP as the colours are off. I'm not familiar enough with photo processing or GIMP to be able to adjust the colours, I've tried adjusting the levels, but can never get a neutral look. I've attached some photos that show the issue, any advice or links to tutorials would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Good job, I'm only on about my 6th imaging session myself, you can't beat that feeling the when you start seeing the subs come in and can actually see these things, objects you've seen so many times, but this time, it's your own image, of an object thousands of light years away, I too picked M81/82 as my first galaxy target. Might have to try the Bubble and Cats eye's and compare results 

Hi

I think I've identified why when I collimate my reflector it all looks ok, but the images don't....

Given that it's an old reflector, with only a 1.25" focuser and I'm mostly doing astrophotography, I really don't want to spend much money on trying to fix this scope, but before I give up on it, any suggestions as to what I might be able to do to improve the situation?

When moving the focuser with the pinion it all feels tight, so I'm guessing it's just the tube not filling the hole?

I managed to acquire another 3 hours on M81 on Sunday evening, I'm also giving Astro Pixel Processor a try. This is now 4 hours integrated time, now with flats, darks, darkflats and bias calibration frames.

There is still some noise in the image, but with an uncooled, unmodified DSLR with no filters in a bortle 6 sky, I'm not too upset with it

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I decided not to do the upgrade right now. Instead I've put some money in to a guide scope/camera for some auto guiding, a light pollution filter for my DSLR and a cheshire collimation tool. Assuming I can improve the image on my existing scope, i'll probably look at a ~400mm focal length triplet in time for the winter nebula season :).

Been doing more reading, came across the William Optics Zenithstar 126 APO, it's only a doublet, but looking at some of the targets I've been trying recently, the 0.8 reducer/flattener gives a good set of focal lengths at 970 or 770 (with the .8 reducer). Any opinions on this scope?

8 hours ago, gilesco said:

Took a look at this as you mentioned it, cant find pricing information on the website, then on looking for it I seem to enter into having to agree to a no refund policy - dont think that is compatible with my nation's laws, would think about APP really- more in line and centric with EU/UK law, PixInsight seems a bit US like, buy it, get no help, useless.

Some of the people I follow on youtube rave about it, it's the only reason I'd consider the price. I'm torn between the buy cheap, buy twice (not that APP is cheap), v.s. the buying something unknown (to me) that doesn't work on my OS (I'll dual boot if I have to).

4 minutes ago, gilesco said:

I use APP, can recommend it!

I use a LED pad too, when it arrived I found it was not really even field, so I also ordered some frosted perspex and taped it on infront.

LED pad: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07YXNXV2N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Perspex: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00WVF4HU6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The list is always endless, I have maybe 10-15 items in my wishlist, and not the money to buy it yet without going seriously and irresponsibly in debt.

APP is on the list for me as I'm Linux based, it's also cheaper than PixInsight, I get the impression PixInsight can do more, if you spend the time to learn how to drive it. I've got too many hobbies.... 😀

The LED pad I've ordered does have the same title, but the image is the same, I suspected the light might not be even although I've not got a solution in mind, good call with the perspex.

I've ordered an artists tracing LED pad from amazon, so I should be able to get some flats going forwards....

I've been looking at upgrading my scope too, and thinking about autoguiding, and a polemaster, and some light pollution options as I'm in a Bortle 6, and maybe a dedicated camera with better Ha and IR response, and APP or PixInsight. It's quite a list of things to improve 😆

Finally got a break in the weather, decided to try my luck at M81. For some reason the plate solving in Stellarmate didn't put my quite on target and my preview image shows M82 as well, so I left the framing as it was and took 30 120s subs. I could see as the images were coming in that the tracking wasn't quite right, autoguiding might be on my list of things to look at soon. The clouds came over, so I lost 2 of the subs and 1 of the others was not good. I quickly threw the stack together and ran it through GIMP. I really need to start taking flats, to get rid of the vignetting, but otherwise I'm pretty pleased for a first attempt and a really quick edit.

At this stage I must admit I'm tempted with the skywatcher esprit 100, focal length of 550 is a little longer than I was looking for (not by much), but the images people manage to get out of it are stunning. I know I'm short on a lot of the other gear at the moment (dedicate astro camera, filters, guiding etc), but on paper, the esprit 100 should be a nice upgrade over my old newtonian.

Thanks for the advice, the comment about a short focal length refractor plus a longer focal length reflector was interesting.

Mount wise I treated myself to an EQ6-R Pro about a month ago, hoping to use the other equipment I had, I've updated from my partners Canon 1000D to a second hand 600D off ebay (which I'm tempted to get full spectrum modded), and I've got Stellarmate setup to control the rig.

Thank you for the replies. Interesting to me that the aperture sizes for the suggestions on refactors is ~100 or less, which raises a question in my mind, is it better to spend the money on higher quality optics at a lower aperture, or slightly lower quality optics, but at a larger aperture, for example, the Evostar 120 v.s. the Esprit 80 at a similar price point, although in this case there is a big difference in focal length too.

The Bresser reflector looks interesting, well within budget, larger aperture. A reducer to bring the focal length down a little and a field flattener still leave it well within budget. I'm still not decided on the refractor v.s. reflector at this stage

I'll confess I'd forgotten about checking the second hand market, so thanks for reminding me.

More to think about

Thanks again.

I bought a new mount about 4 weeks ago. I think I've managed 4 clear nights since then....

North somerset here, just a few junctions up the M5.

It's a memory that will stay with you, I still remember the first time I saw Saturn, it's what got me hooked. Good job.

Took me ages to do my PA last night, I could see polaris with my eye, but could I see it in the alignment scope?, not a chance. Kept shuffling the mount to see if I could find it the edge of the alignment scope, nothing, kept checking if the clouds were over. Nothing.

Eventually it dawned on me that the counter weight bar was still retracted.....

Relatively new to astrophotography, I'm currently using an old Orion Optics 150mm f5 newtonian reflector, unsurprisingly I'm having some issues around focus, I can get focus, but the barrel protrudes into the main optical tube. I've tried adding the lense from a barlow to the camera adapter which brings the focus point out, still achievable, but obviously reduces the fov. Probably ok for some of the smaller objects, not so good for the larger objects like M42. It's also only a 1.25" focuser.

I'd like to upgrade my scope. I've obviously drooled over some the top end equipment, but I'm not sure I can justify £4-5k on a telescope when it's something I've not been doing all that long.

I don't have a fixed budget in mind, I'm happy to save a little longer for something that is better, but £500 to £1k would feel comfortable. I've looked at the skywatcher quattro refractors, the wide aperture whilst still having a focal length of around 750mm seems nice, reducers could be used for wider field etc so it sits in the range of focal lengths for some of the targets I might like to shoot. I've not read great stories about the range though, seems that collimation is an issue and can need doing more than once a night?.

The Sky-Watcher Evostar 120ED is looking like an option, does anyone have any recommendations outside of the sky-watcher range?, or any opinions on the ED range that might put me off?

Thanks

Great, thank you for the explanation, I was getting quite confused.

I've now just got to solve the fact that the focuser is so far that it sticks out in the tube, and the fact that it's only a 1.25" focuser, and I have only Bortle 6 skies so I could do with some light pollution filters, and I could do with a guid scope and camera for longer exposures, and on and on 😆

Thanks again.

I'll confess then, I'm really confused. If I force ASTAP to debayer using GBRG and set the range to 16k then I get an image that looks about right (for something that was done without cool down time and is only 8 minute of exposure, no flats etc)

I've managed to get ASTAP stacking and producing an image tonight. I had to force it to use GBRG debayer pattern, but when I do, I get an image that looks ok in Kstars. If I load it in GIMP and auto white balance on it, other than being blown out, the colours look right. I just need to figure out how to adjust that manually now so I can prevent clipping of the data.

Thanks, I'll take a look at APP, ekos always says the Bayer pattern is gbrg, which is worrying if it's not. I tried forcing astap to debater using all of the options and still ended up with odd colours. I did manage to get it to stack though, for some reason the "debayer osc images" was unticked, so it was trying to solve stack images without debayering them. That's one issue solved anyway...

Thanks.

Hi

I've just started in this hobby, I've managed to get a couple of nights using my partners Canon 1000D and all was well (for a noob), I managed to get light and dark frames and stack them.

Yesterday a second hand 600D arrived and so did some clear skies. I went out and got 20 minutes on the Orion nebula.

I've been unable to get astap to stack them. It fails to solve any of the images (Stellarmate had done plate solving already to align everything) and if I try to view the images in astap I can't get the colours right. The fits header does have the Bayer pattern as gbrg which I believe is correct for this camera, the 1000D was rggb. 

The images open fine in kstars.

I'm Linux based so any suggestions for alternative stacking software would need to work there.

Thanks

Did you ever get a reply when you tried contacting him?, I was interested in one of his full spectrum conversations with the astronomik replacement glass, but I've had no reply.