M42- First image

[M00NMonkey]

Hi All,

I have posted this image somewhere else on this forum, but I thought I would post it here too as, the more I look at it, the prouder I feel. And it also shows whats possible for a complete Newbie with my set-up

3 Weeks ago, I had no scope, no dslr, no idea about AP or the workings of DSS or Photoshop/GIMP. But, now, here i find myself capturing images like this. (but I still dont have much knowledge on the whole DSS and GIMP software side of things, but I am enjoying the learning curve and I am in it for the long haul )

One thing I will say before I show the image is a MASSIVE THANK YOU to the MODS/FLO staff and all of you on SGL, without who's help, I would still be scratching my head about the F/ratio. You are all, in my mind, AWESOME!! :headbang:

Ok, here it is:

20x80sec subs @ISO1600 + DARKS using BackyardEOS (BYE)

DSS/GIMP- processing

Any comments, tips, tricks, advice or criticisms welcome.

Clear Skies

Jez

p.s. I am trying my best to keep an up-to-date blog diary of my escapades which is linked in my signature

[mitchelln]

Good stuff! How are you getting on with backyardEOS?

[Obi Wan Ken00bi]

Wow, I really like the purple in it. How do you manage this? Looks awesome!

[M00NMonkey]

Good stuff! How are you getting on with backyardEOS?

thanks Mitchelin.

I am finding BYE really easy to use. You just fill in what shutter speed, ISO etc you want and the number of subs (you can add separate settings and quantities i.e 5 x 80sec@iso1600 + 5 x 5sec@iso800 etc) and name what the subs are of and whether lights, darks etc and then click image and leave it to it. You can literally walk away and wait indoors if you wish, until it finishes the run of subs. the you do same for darks, bias etc

The only thing I am having trouble with it is, I can't seem to set the shutter speed to less than one second, even when I have selected bias. I need to set this to 1/4000sec as this is my cameras quickest shutter speed, but I am not sure how to do this using BYE. anyone any ideas?

Cheers

Jez

[M00NMonkey]

Wow, I really like the purple in it. How do you manage this? Looks awesome!

Thanks Obi Wan.

Tbh, it was more of a case of fiddling around with curves etc in both DSS after stacking and then GIMP. I have watched a few tutorials on using the software and saw how to use curves and a few other settings and I just played around until I was happy. It was only a basic processing job. I was on such a high from capturing the data that what I actually did is a bit of a mystery the purples kinda just popped out and I was all like "wow that looks cool!"

The really great thing about the software is that you can do it in steps and save each time, so if you do something you don't like, you just delete it and start again.

Jez

[stem1989]

great shot, i was in a similar boat to yourself 6 months ago, had no idea but with all the help that is out there on this forum and the guys from FLO it really is a steep learning curve and a fun one. I only just got my HEQ5 a week ago and the learning curve just got even steeper! Have fun and keep posting results.

Also a focus mask from FLO will be a fantastic, quick and easy way to focus your images.

[Obi Wan Ken00bi]

Well, attached is my last effort, but it's hard to be able do it 'right' if you know what I mean. What are the actual colors In photoshop I can make it yellow, green, orange, but what IS the actual color

[mitchelln]

thanks Mitchelin.

I am finding BYE really easy to use. You just fill in what shutter speed, ISO etc you want and the number of subs (you can add separate settings and quantities i.e 5 x 80sec@iso1600 + 5 x 5sec@iso800 etc) and name what the subs are of and whether lights, darks etc and then click image and leave it to it. You can literally walk away and wait indoors if you wish, until it finishes the run of subs. the you do same for darks, bias etc

The only thing I am having trouble with it is, I can't seem to set the shutter speed to less than one second, even when I have selected bias. I need to set this to 1/4000sec as this is my cameras quickest shutter speed, but I am not sure how to do this using BYE. anyone any ideas?

Cheers

Jez

Thanks for the info! Worrying about the shutter speed though. For Jupiter I was around 1/160th with my 7D. I'm also going to try APT http://www.ideiki.com/astro

Cheers.

[M00NMonkey]

Well, attached is my last effort, but it's hard to be able do it 'right' if you know what I mean. What are the actual colors In photoshop I can make it yellow, green, orange, but what IS the actual color

In my original files I could see the pinky blue haze as in like your shot. This must be the ACTUAL colour as it was picked up by the camera. In GIMP I focused more on the red and blue curves and took out a little of the green, which left the purple effect.

[M00NMonkey]

Thanks for the info! Worrying about the shutter speed though. For Jupiter I was around 1/160th with my 7D. I'm also going to try APT http://www.ideiki.com/astro

Cheers.

I was using the imaging tab in BYE. there is another tab for planetary which I think takes movie files at a high frame rate, so basically you will end up with a shed load of individual images.

[M00NMonkey]

great shot, i was in a similar boat to yourself 6 months ago, had no idea but with all the help that is out there on this forum and the guys from FLO it really is a steep learning curve and a fun one. I only just got my HEQ5 a week ago and the learning curve just got even steeper! Have fun and keep posting results.

Also a focus mask from FLO will be a fantastic, quick and easy way to focus your images.

yeah I had advice on buy the mask on another thread as i wasnt sure on best way to focus. I will get one very soon, thanks

[butlermike]

Regarding taking exposure under a second in BYE, don't you need to take the camera off Manual to be able to do that? Turn the dial round to AV and then you should be able to take any shutter speed under a second.

I think that's correct, worth trying it out.

[M00NMonkey]

Regarding taking exposure under a second in BYE, don't you need to take the camera off Manual to be able to do that? Turn the dial round to AV and then you should be able to take any shutter speed under a second.

I think that's correct, worth trying it out.

Cheer ButlerMike,

I will try this tonight!

Jez