Pitch Black Skies

Finally managed to get a few hours of clear dark sky last week IC 434 4 hr 25 min

I used the tool to help choose my current camera. What are the false statements and flawed advice that needs to be corrected? I'm just a newcomer so would like to be more aware for going forward. Thanks

IC 434 Integration - 4 hr 25 min Calibration - 20 flats, 20 dark flats, 20 darks Equipment - HEQ5, ASI533MC-Pro & UV filter, 130P-DS, Astro Essentials 50mm Guidescope & ASI224MC Software - DSS, Startools. Location - Ireland Time & Date - 22:00, 29/01/2022 Fuel - Guinness

Lights with Flats and Dark Flats ⬇️ Lights with Flats, Dark Flats and Darks⬇️

You're right, this is exactly what was happening! Foolish me for thinking I didn't need to use darks, lesson learned. How you explained it with the maths made it logical and very easy to grasp, thanks again. I'll upload an image calibrated with just flats and dark flats, and then the same image with darks included to show the difference it made

Thank you so much for that detailed response. I will definitely be taking some notes from this for going forward.

I'll try using darks and see what happens. If it doesn't work I'll upload a Light, Dark Flat, and Flat to get some opinions. I'll update either way to help others who might face a similar issue.

I'm not sure, I've heard of people saying Bias are calibration frames that should be skipped. Some have said they can actually make things worse.

Awesome! I have got to try this soon! I was under the illusion that Darks weren't needed as the camera doesn't suffer from amp glow, and it's read noise is supposedly very low. Maybe it's bias that take care of read noise/signal? And that's why bias aren't needed? So is it incorrect to say dark noise then? It should be dark current signal? I have the recommended beginners book 'Every Photon Counts', but would like something to help me progress a bit further. Is there anything you could recommend?

I can see one dust mote. They were at around 23, 000 and exactly 2 secs.

I don't use Darks, they aren't needed with the 533. I'm using Dark Flats. How would not using them account for the bright corners? They are only removing noise correct?

I used dark flats, no difference.

All settings the same. No other calibration frames.

When integrated into the lights, the centre looks darker than the four corners. What would cause the off centre issue? I think the focuser thumbscrew lock is pushing the focuser drawtube off axis. Would that cause it? What implecations would this have on the lights, and should I continue to calibrate with it like this as the flats should match the lights orientation?

The centre looks fine but the four corners are much lighter. It's like the opposite of a flat if that makes sense.

Just wondering what I have done wrong with my flats. I have seen it recommended to use 2-4s exposure, and between 20-40k ADU. I'm using an ASIair Pro and ASI533MC-Pro. White t-shirt and sky method.

Sounds exhilarating 😅. Seriously though if know any good astrophotography beginners books you can recommend I will check them out. I have Every Photon Counts. It's really good but like any book, it doesn't cover everything.

I see, and is 1 on and 2 off? Or would 1 be one shade of colour and 2 another shade of that colour? With 16 bit having the broader dynamic range, would it be superior to use that always instead of 8 bit?

Cheers, I've lining them up as a whole like you said. Definitely looks better.

There is a green cast to my images. I believe it's because there is an extra green in the Bayer matrix (RGGB). Is the idea to always line up the separate RGB channels at the start of the histogram in the area marked to achieve a true colour balance? This is as close as I can get. The lines will not come any closer together for me. I'm using Adobe Lightroom on my phone. Camera is ASI533MC Pro with UV/IR cut filter.

Probably a stupid question but why is it 2^n? What does 2 represent? Should it not be 3, as in RGB, or 4 as in RGGB? There is also an option for a FIT and PNG output. What do they mean? Oh right, so it can be done by individual frames rather than video. I was thinking it could as it is essentially one less task for AutoStakkert.

This was causing the problem ⬇️

Thanks vlaiv. Is the difference negligible? I initially had a 120MM Mini for my guidecam but exchanged it for the 224MC. I was under the impression it could double as a reasonably good planetary cam as well as being my guide cam. But maybe it was a pointless upgrade as the 533 can work just as well?

Thanks ONIKKINEN. It was taking too long so I stopped at about 800 frames. Each individual frame looked well. But then when I opened them in AutoStakkert this is what each one looked like ⬇️ I'm not sure what has gone wrong. I will be trying a video output next time around.

Do these settings look okay for lucky imaging? Specifically the Colour Space and Output Format? I don't really understand them.