slaine

Another post from a newbie. This time I processed the core of the Orion Nebula seperately, using a series of 30 shorter 15 second subs, to avoid blowing it out with long exposures. The rest of the image is 64 x 180 second subs, resulting in a 3 hr 20m integration (excluding the time again for darks, bias and flats). Started at 7.12pm and finished at 4.51am 🥶 I think this is my best one so far. But I guess that’s the nature of any hobby when you start off … things should improve each time 🤔

Well done everyone, it's comps like this that give me the motivation to try harder. Thanks and good luck 👍

Flame and Horsehead, taken last night (12/01/2022) from the backyard, 2hr 45m integration with unmodified Canon 250D, Sky-Watcher 72ED Pro, iOptron CEM26, 30 x 300s subs (+ darks, flats, bias), CLS filter, guided, bortle 5.

Resolution reduced by 75% for posting.

Taken on 04/01/2022, 30x240s lights @ ISO 400, 25 x darks, bias and flats. First time guiding with my new ASI120mm mono using PHD2 (and my scope/mount in my sig) with DSLR and no filter. Shot from my backyard, Bortle 5. First clear night in ... forever!!!

Grabbed this last night, the last clear skies for a week it seems. 52x180s (+ darks, bias, flats), resulting in 2 hours integration after weeding out a few duds. Had my first (unexpected) meridian flip towards the end. Bortle 5 location (backyard). 

10 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Hi Chris

That was a very watchable tutorial, and not only did I learn how to make a brush signature, I now know how to align text boxes!

Many thanks

Adam

Thanks Adam, that is great feedback 😁 I am new to YouTube, so it's still a little nerve racking! But I am pleased to hear it has helped 👍

All the best,

Chris.

I use Photoshop, and by far the best way to add my signature is by storing it as a Brush Preset.

There are many benefits to this method; you don't have to import the signature each time, you get all the benefits of a 'brush' (colour, resize, etc) and it can be used in automation, such as bulk applying signatures at once. 

I created a video on how to create signatures in Photoshop for this very reason. Posting here in case it helps others 👍

3 hours ago, 900SL said:

Now Orion looks like this

I saw this in the Orion comp @900SL ... it is a stunning image, well done 👏

I may as well add this in to "Category 1".

This was taken with my phone whilst at my folks home in Pembrokeshire on the weekend of 28/11/21. It is a Bortle 4 location, so the lack of light population made a lovely change. At the time I was shooting the Horsehead, and decided to take of a photo of the dark skies - without knowing about this comp.

On 04/12/2021 at 21:33, Clarkey said:

I personally would prioritise guiding over an ipolar

I took the plunge and bought iPolar and an ASI120 today. Thanks for your advice 👍

33 minutes ago, Grant93 said:

Welcome to the rabbit hole

Tell me about it! 🤣

On 06/12/2021 at 22:19, RemcoDutch said:

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? 

As others have already mentioned, it's frame overlap in DSS, and some of your frames have red banding around. I would just crop it, making Capella centre, then reset the black point, tidy up the noise and it looks ok 😉

22 minutes ago, RemcoDutch said:

I am pretty happpy for my 4th session ever

That is 100 times better than my 4th session! 😂 Well done.

26 minutes ago, RemcoDutch said:

Going to do Pleiades tomorrow

Good luck 👏 I did Pleiades last night, it was in that video above 👍

On 04/12/2021 at 07:40, RemcoDutch said:

How do you guys make everything pop after stacking?

I made a video covering my basic workflow, which I mentioned above. If I can do it, you can 😉

I contacted FLO today, and they too recommended guiding. Time to dig deep and cough up some more dosh 😉

20 minutes ago, Clarkey said:

I personally would prioritise guiding over an ipolar

I have considered this. I have a laptop, but I have the DSLR connected via an active 5m USB cable out the window to my PC (using Backyard EOS), so I would no doubt use my PC for guiding too. My 72ED didn't come with a finders/guide scope, but have bought a Svbony SV165 30mm (currently has an eyepiece). I have been looking at the ZWO ASI120 for guiding. But have always treated guiding as the 'next level', and wanted to master polar alignment first. It's odd, because I had a Star Adventurer 2i for a couple of weeks, and had no issue with PA on that. Whereas PA on the iOptron CEM26 (without iPolar) is poor in comparison. It has no reticle or illumination. Polaris is a foggy blur at best. 

The upgrade to iPolar (plus adapter) is about £230, whereas an ASI120 is about £150. So there is some savings there.

To be clear, are you saying I can ignore my issues with PA and soley rely on the ASI120 and guiding for solving my current 3 minute sub barrier?

Thanks @Clarkey  Much appreciated. Do you mean longer subs or the number of subs?

I have tried longer subs, e.g. >3 minutes, but the stars start to elongate. I am sure this due to poor manual polar alignment. Hence my comment about regretting not opting for the iPolar option. Once I crack this, I am sure increasing the number of subs (total integration time) will improve things.

M31 Andromeda - 20x60s - ISO 800

I began AP in September and picked up a used Celestron Nexstar 102 SLT for £150 off ebay. I was soon hooked and realised I needed an EQ mount, so last week, settled on a nice bundle from FLO.

• Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED DS-Pro OTA
• iOptron CEM26 Center Balanced Equatorial GoTo Mount    
• OVL Field Flattener 
• Astro Essentials T Ring Canon EOS
• 1.5" Tripod + Case

Setup was pretty straight forward, but regret not opting for iPolar.

Still have a lot to learn, but am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Below are some images I have taken in the past week.

M42 - Orion Nebula - 5x120s ISO 800 - Bortle 4

NGC 2024 - IC 434 - Flame & Horsehead Nebula - 9x120s ISO 800 - Bortle 4 

Rosette Nebula and NGC-2244 - 20 x 120s  ISO 1600 - Bortle 5

M45 Pleiades - 15 x 210s ISO 1600 - Bortle 5

I only started AP a couple of months ago, also with a Canon DSLR and tripod - although have recently purchased a telescope. I also use DSS, but only use it for stacking the image, I do not perform any adjustments to the image in DSS. I use Photoshop (PS) for that. 

Quote

How do you guys make everything pop after stacking? 

1. I open the Autosave.tif file produced by DSS in PS.

2. Next I change the image from 32 bit to 16 bit. Image > Mode > 16 bit. An HDR Toning window will appear, select Exposure and Gamma and click OK.

3. I then adjust the levels. CTRL + L will display the Levels window. I adjust each channel (Red, then Green, and finally Blue) independently removing any blank space before and after the data. Just need to slide the leftmost marker to the right so it sits just before the data spike.

This is before adjustment ...

This is after adjustment ... notice the new locations of the left and right markers.

4. Once each channel has been corrected, I click OK and then add a curve layer. I stretch the data making a bow like curve.

5. Next, I create a new layer from all visible layers, CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + E is the shortcut.

6. I then repeat steps 3 - 5 to 'pop' the image until I am satisfied with the result.

You can see in Step 2 the original image produced by DSS didn't look great, but the data is there. Using the above process I produced the image below of the Rosette Nebula.

Hi @S.A.M and @rwilkey ... great to see fellow Swindonians on here! The weather hasn't been the best lately, although a few hours these last 2 nights. Hoping for a break, as I have just purchased an iOptron CEM26 an a 72ED APO, now awaiting delivery. Fingers crossed I will see some improvement! 😁

54 minutes ago, irtuk said:

That's a great moon pic slaine, welcome to the forums and welcome to Astrophotography. hopefully you can get some nice dark skies down there in Wiltshire.

Cheers @irtuk ... I was chuffed when I first saw it on the PC. Many thanks for the warm welcome. I am loving Astrophotography so much. I only regret not getting into it sooner. The are lots of good spots down here, as I am sure there are in Kent. I used to live not to far away at Biggin Hill. I am sure London would still be glowing in the background though, I am starting to understand the impact of light pollution. Loads to learn, but loving every bit 👍

Welcome David. Good to have you onboard.

Hi AstroGee, well you have come to right place! Welcome to SGL.

Welcome aboard 👍

Hi Leo, welcome to SGL!