Gradients and dark matter removal

[Ags]

I was trying out my 4SE mount as a widefield tracking mount tonight. The good news is that I got 150 second subs at 55mm without star trailing. I did not set up the goto, I just started it tracking in RA. The hard part is polar aligning without anything like a polar scope - I just have to trust to the force and 'feel' the alignment of the mount :-)

But now I have two new problems to solve - gradients and odd stars. Obviously widefield images will accentuate any LP gradients in the sky, as you can see from the attached image. Is there a simple, free and human-comprehensible tool for eliminating gradients. I have tried IRIS and it looks exactly like what I need but it tells me to enter commands and I can't even find where I would type in the command...

My other problem is that the stars in my RAW files have dark haloes. I thought that RAW files were, well, raw, not processed, but these stars look like some kind of in-camera processing has been done around my stars. Any ideas about what I'm doing wrong with my Canon 1100D?

[Ags]

IRIS also keeps saying 'Can't save file' whenever i try to apply the gradient removal tools... :-(

[Ronzi83]

google it before asking dump questions joking

Large gradiant rmoval procedure

enyoy

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Yes I did google it. But where do I type these commands like SUB SKY2 100. I don't see a text box anywhere. And why does IRIS keep telling me it can't save the file. What file?

[Ags]

OK, I have found a button that is supposed to open the Inline Console, but nothing happens, no console appears... grrrrrrrr!

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Oh somebody please help! Wail... :-) I have to get this gradient thing sorted out. It seems IRIS does not run correctly on my system if the console won't open, so are there alternatives? I don't want to resort to a blurred fake flat.

And why are my stars wierd?

[Ags]

I just googled "can't find IRIS inline console" and the top result was this thread... :-)

Seriously, if IRIS won't run on my computer what are the options, accepting that I might have to spend some money. Is pixinsight worth 200 euros?

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Here is a better example of my wierd star problem...

[Shibby]

Agnes, I wonder if it's software doing this. Check RAW open settings. Have you tried viewing your RAW images in another program, e.g. just open them in DSS and zoom in, to see if the effect is still there.

[Merlin66]

Hmm

I'm using IRIS V5.59 on a Win7 machine OK.

The Console command screen is the 4th icon from the RHS.

What file folders do you nominate in the preference/ default selections.

[Ags]

:) :D :iamwithstupid: :iamwithstupid:

The dark halo problem is 'human error' on my part. On holiday I experimented with camera settings including trying out various Picture Styles. My camera was still set to Landscape, which applies maximum sharpening which would cause these dark halos. I will test this on the next clear night.

As far as IRIS settings goes, see the attachment. The path c:\iris\catalog\ does not exist, but i have no idea what to set it to...

By the way, I am trying to click the 4th button from the RHS, but it just greys out after being clicked and nothing else happens.

[Merlin66]

I have very similar settings in my IRIS...which version are you using, which OS??

(You can send me a PM if you want to do some trials off forum)

[Ags]

Sorted out now thanks to merlin66. Gradients are now found and removed using IRIS!

For the record, the solution was to run the program as Administrator. Then the inline command console appears.