Imaging and processing The Plaedes

[Fordos Moon]

23 lights, 4 darks and PS gave me this:

.

How do I get closer to something like this:

I'm not expecting to be Hubble-esque but I know more can be achieved but wondering if more likely to be more subs, longer subs or something I'm missing in the processing via DSS and PS.

Any advice appreciated!

[Steve Ward]

Longer subs .

[Fordos Moon]

The top one is only a jpg, the tif looks a bit better but still disappointed.

[Fordos Moon]

Longer subs .

Thanks Steve, that's probably the answer I most wanted to hear!

[astrosathya]

I assume you have used the ED80 for the imaging scope, and the 1100D as the imager? Have you turned off Noise cancellation? The camera may be automatically clipping off good data thinking that it is noise. Also, the ED80 is F7.5 isn't it? Do you use the 0.85x flattener reducer? The faster F ratio will go a long way in photon gathering. Finally, as Steve Ward said, have longer exposures each. I'd reckon 5 min should get you good data and make that 2 hours integration time.

While post processing the data, use curves, but make sure to select the blue option only, this way you get more control over the dominant color.

By the way, what do you guide with?

Regards,

Sathya

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks Sathya yes was using the kit you assumed with the reducer flattened, I have not knowing touched the noise cancellation but I will check!

I have no means of guiding at the moment but am saving up for it debating whether to get ST80 and QHY5 or alternative but appreciate I need something for longer exposures.

Was also using astronomik clip in filter, I hope this isn't reducing data capture?!

[astrosathya]

Hello Fordos Moon,

Would be nice to know your real name lol

The clip on filter container will typically have a printed graph showing its bandwidth. If its just an LP filter, then no problems at all. It will cut away only the Na and Hg lines which come from street lamps. Noise cancellation and taking images in RAW mode make a big difference. They capture all data which can later be selectively filter during processing.

As far a guiding goes, don't purchase expensive stuff. There are things in the market which work the same, sometimes better but for a cheaper price. I use an old refractor for a guidescope, luckily it is also an ED scope. You can purchase a cheap ST-80 or similar 80mm refractor on Astrobuysell UK for cheap or go to a car boot sale on a Sunday You will sometimes find treasures. I use an Opticstar PL-131M monochrome guide camera. It has the same chip as the QHY5 monochrome camera and is also cooled with a fan and heat sink. It does not compress data, so is an excellent planetary camera, I get beautiful pictures off it. A monochrome guide camera is better than a color one because it is 2.5 to 3 times more sensitive and hence 1.25 times more pricier. You can also use it fpr RGB planetary work. I try to do my astronomy/astrophotography on a tight budget, but do not compromise on quality.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Regards,

Sathya.

[Fordos Moon]

Hi Sathya my real name is Bob, nickname is Fordos so happy with either!

My noise reduction setting on camera is this:

But just tabbed along to see this screen on "standard"

So have switched to "disable" is that right?

Am now going to look at finding the equipment you suggested!

I do use RAW captures :-)

[jnc71106]

how about telling us the details of the subs and what you did in post processing ??

[Fordos Moon]

40 second subs only I think and processed firstly in DSS then just levels and curves in Photoshop.

I'm thinking I need much longer sub lengths

[jnc71106]

yes you need longer but that image you have posted is very much clipped in your processing so you have lost any of the faint nebulosity that you did pick up, redo the processing and make sure you leave a gap between the left side and the start of your histogram

4 darks isn't enough and there is a good chance you have actually added noise to your image by using so few, try stacking and processing without the darks as well. try to aim to get 20 dark frames if you can

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks for your time, I will give it another go following your advice

[Rommel]

At what aperture do you get The star lines instead of just dots?

They look Way cooler that Way!

[jnc71106]

If you mean diffraction spikes they come from the type of scope not the aperture

Newtonians produce spikes because of the spider at the front of the scope. Refractors don't which is the scope being used in this image

[Rommel]

Ok, I'm just using a 70-200/2.8.

[billhinge]

Hi

I managed to squeeze a little bit more out of your file, but since it was quite small and low res this was the limit before it went too blocky, can you post a higher res file?

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks Bill, can I post a higher res one on here? Any tips on how you teased out stuff would be appreciated too!

[billhinge]

Hi

Yes you can post up to a 20mb file, png format works best for display but I think you can save tif as well (use the more reply option and attach a file)

To do this I used an editor called Pixinsight, first I converted your image to a 32 bit image to minimise processing rounding errorrs

Then essentially I stretched the image as much as I could get away with as suggested previously using blue histogram and curves then added some noise reduction from Pixinsight - there are a few other tools in PI but there wasn't enough information in the original file to keep it getting blocky

The advice on more subs is also valid but just saying you do have some nebula captured already

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks Bill I must look into this Pixinsight!

I will attempt to load my TIF

[Fordos Moon]

Okay struggling to turn DSS file into less than 20MB but better than Jpeg?

[billhinge]

Yes I think so, 16 bit images like tif or png seem to suffer less than 8 bit jpeg images when edited or so I find

I don't use DSS so can't help with file saving options, sorry, unless you can import into PS and resize there ?

[Rommel]

Use dropbox and save as 32 bits TIFF.

[billhinge]

good idea