My very first ever stacked image!

[ChrisEdu]

So, whilst having my great evening's viewing yesterday, I decided to hold, rather shakily, a little compact camera to the eyepiece and take a short 10-20 second video.

Then, today, I suddenly got the urge to try Registax, having seen it mentioned so many times! I downloaded version 6 and, guessing my way through how to use it, loaded my clip and tried processing it.

This is the result! Okay, not great by most standards, but it's a start and certainly added to my desire to have a better try, maybe with a proper little webcam.

Any advice, as ever, gratefully received.

Clip taken using a NexStar 4SE and FujiFilm JZ - hand held to the 25mm plossl eyepiece. Processed in Registax 6 and very slightly tweaked in Nikon Capture NX2.

[Gina]

Good start At least you can see the banding - better than a plain white disc

[ChrisEdu]

Thanks - I think this could become addictive!

[jgs001]

Gotta agree... a good start Chris, the bands are clear. It looks like you could use the RGB align tool in regi post processing, and possible a gentle tickle of wavelets. It is addictive... very...

[ChrisEdu]

It looks like you could use the RGB align tool in regi post processing, and possible a gentle tickle of wavelets.

Huh?!?! What does that lot mean in English?!

P.S. thanks!

[jgs001]

After you've stacked the image... you get taken to wavelets (sharpening)... a bunch of sliders, it's easy to go overboard with wavelets... There should be a tab after wavelets (or it might be on the same tab, it's been too long since I last used registax) labelled RGB align. This can help bring the three colours into alignment better (and might deal with the red at the bottom, and blue at the top)... it might not, but it's worth a try

[ChrisEdu]

Ok - cheers, I'll have a look and a play. As I said before, my image was the first time I used the software, so I was flying blind and kind of just guessing what to do!

Could anyone point me in the direction of somewhere good to buy a suitable webcam / accessories? I was thinking something like the famer SPC900NC? Would I benefit from a focal reducer on my 4SE?

[jgs001]

Chris, try

Buy Cheap Astronomy at Morgan Computers

For the moon and planets, you don't want a focal reducer, in fact you may well find you want a barlow... but get used to it at native focal length first, that'll be tricky enough to focus.

[ChrisEdu]

D'oh! Out of stock!

[jgs001]

The webcam itself is in stock. The adapters can be got from elsewhere. The camera is the rare bit.

[Stargazer Jack]

Good start. It would also be good to pay slightly more to get the webcam flashed if you do get it

[ChrisEdu]

The webcam itself is in stock. The adapters can be got from elsewhere. The camera is the rare bit.

Ah! I see, it's the kit that is not in stock! D'oh!

[ChrisEdu]

Ok - ordered the camera, flash upgrade and filter. So, I know I need to source a suitable adapter but is there anything else I'm going to need, apart from clear skies, luck, patience, etc....?

[Stargazer Jack]

Ok - ordered the camera, flash upgrade and filter. So, I know I need to source a suitable adapter but is there anything else I'm going to need, apart from clear skies, luck, patience, etc....?

SharpCap to record the AVI's

[jgs001]

An ir cut filter. The webcam lens that you remove contains the ir filter and it needs to be replaced. This has the added benefit of acting as a handy dust shield too.

[ChrisEdu]

SharpCap to record the AVI's

What's SharpCap? I'm assuming a computer program?

An ir cut filter. The webcam lens that you remove contains the ir filter and it needs to be replaced. This has the added benefit of acting as a handy dust shield too.

Yep - ordered the filter!

You do realise, we're now in for one of the worst Septembers on record?!

[Cloudwatcher]

..............but is there anything else I'm going to need, apart from clear skies, luck, patience, etc....?

A copy of Photoshop comes in very handy.

[Stargazer Jack]

Yep, SharpCap captures your video which you can then import into Registax which will stack it for you. You can change things like the gain, brightness and other things like that. Very helpful program

[ChrisEdu]

A copy of Photoshop comes in very handy.

OK - I've got Photoshop CS4. So, how the hell did that go from one to the other?!?! :)

[Bizibilder]

The Jupiters were done using the wavelet sliders in Registax - there are six of them. the top two do most and the others need to be treated gently. When you are happy click "Do All" and then save your image. It will then need "tweaking" in PS.

[ChrisEdu]

Been having some trouble with Registax 6 - it keeps freezing.

[Bizibilder]

Regi6 seems to do that with some computer systems (not sure which but your set-up seems to be one of them!) Try downloading Registax5 - from the same website - it is stable and works well.

[ChrisEdu]

Ok - good idea. Is there much difference between the two?

[spaceboy]

This might be of help

[ChrisEdu]

This might be of help

Thanks - I'll take a look.