First PROPER go at M81 M82

[kingboya]

Not great seeing really.

Stack of 12 lights Iso 1600, 5 darks and 30 bias.

Taken with an Ed80 refractor on a modified 1000D.

Any thoughts?

[kingboya]

Another edit this time cropped a bit.

I have little idea what I am doing editing, but I am just using 'Making every photon count' and the interweb for inspiration!

[kingboya]

Or this edit?

[Jessun]

Totally on the right track there! Very nice I think.

One tip could be to look into flats, and grab a few next time. You will be surprised at how much difference they make during the editing.

[kingboya]

Thank you! A response!

I only had a few lights too so there is plenty more improvement possibility. I am really only starting out with imaging, and this is actually only my first DSO image too.

Flats seem to be quite hard to do. Could I do the DIY approach and get a white t shirt with a light bulb behind?

[Jessun]

First DSO? Well, you're off to a flying start.

A DIY flat is absolutely a good way to go. Even the little ED80 will benefit a great deal.

On your second edit you have got the red down a fair bit but watch out for loosing that nice colour from the galaxies. M82 in particular here.

[kingboya]

Is that red colour the gradient?

Thanks very much for your feedback! Much appreciated.

[Jessun]

Gradients are as far as I'm aware when there's a change across the image in colour or light.

Your first image simply has too much red across the board, it's not just red in one corner for instance. It is brighter in the center, compared to the corners though - and that is a gradient. One that flats will help to sort out.

[mgirdwood]

Hi these are looking good -

I am also shooting ths for the first time, did you stack in DSS or Nebulosity ? I have my attempts in the tips section by error. How much processing on the first image as it is close to my initial nebulosity stack.

Given the number of lights you had I am really interested to what you can tweak out.

[swag72]

Flats can easily be done using a laptop screen opened up and maximised on 'Notebook' - I always did my flats for my DSLR using the lappy screen just held up to the scope. Worked a treat and cheap too!

[kingboya]

Hi these are looking good -

I am also shooting ths for the first time, did you stack in DSS or Nebulosity ? I have my attempts in the tips section by error. How much processing on the first image as it is close to my initial nebulosity stack.

Given the number of lights you had I am really interested to what you can tweak out.

Hi I used dss to stack. I have never tried nebulosity before. I really don't know what I am doing with regard to the processing, and I am just stretching out the levels and curves etc.

I am using a modified 1000d dslr so the images are very red. I need to work out how to sort this out and manage the gradient ( probably using flat frames). This is a journey that I have really only just started but totally love the whole process!

Do you have a link to your images or thread? I am moving house tomorrow so I am probably going to be slow in any responses!

Tony

[Bizibilder]

You are getting the hang of image processing pretty quickly!

When I started out I took my first flats using a battery lantern and a piece of white coated mdf (the side of an old kitchen cupboard!). to take the flats I switched the lantern on and propped it on a stool next to the scope. Then used the white board to reflect the light from it down the telescope tube. Set the camera to AV mode and take your pictures (about 30 will do). Surprisingly it worked! Flats must be taken with exactly the same set-up and focus as your lights - so take them at the end of your imaging session, they only take a few minutes to do.

Take some darks as well - just put the lens cap on the camera and take exposures that are the same length and ISO as your "lights" (image subs). They should also be at roughly the same temperature (within +/-2 or 3 degrees C) - again take about 30. The good thing with darks is you can save them and use them again and again for their particular set-up.

If you look in the imaging section there are some exellent tutorials here: http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=149442

[mgirdwood]

Hi kingboyaa. Good luck with move, don that so many times. My post tis in the image - discussion forum area, titled re the start of the processing process. I understand the "don't know " statement as that's right where I am also

[tony4563]

Nice!

[AndyUK]

Regarding using the laptop screen for taking flats, there's a bit of freeware called Al's Virtual Light Box. If you google it, it'll bring it up