My first DSO

[Albenn]

Took this last night. It's a single image of M13 using a Canon 600D prime focus through my 8SE. I took several shots all at varying exposures/ISO settings but this one turned out the best.

It's a 10 second exposure at ISO 3200 hence the noise. I tried to get longer exposures (25-30 secs) at ISO400 but there was a lot of smearing on some of these as the GOTO tracking is a little hit and miss at that length of exposure. Still, I'm quite chuffed that I actually got something to show.

I had a little go at processing but was just faffing about as I really don't have much of a clue re processing techniques so any advice on how it could be improved on would be most welcome.

The first one is a PNG without any processing. The second one has been processed.

[Leveye]

Stretch it with levels and curves to lighten it up a bit nice work!

[devilgas]

nice start alan!

your next step is to capture more images, at the same exposure, and then use a bit of free software called deep sky stacker (DSS) to combine the exposures. it takes a bit of faffing about with the sliders to get an image ready for further processing, but will do a fine job of averaging out the sensor noise. if you do start to use DSS, don't forget to take 'dark' images (same exposure as the main images), just with the camera covered so *no* light gets in.

DSS takes a bit of getting used to, but after a few goes with it, it soon makes sense.

i'm not familiar with the mount you are using, but i know with my goto mount (an EQ5) i can get exposures (unguided) of upto 2 mins with little to no star trailing using only a good polar alignment.

in this months sky at night mag, pete lawrence has an article on imaging this very object which may be of use?

[chrislj74]

Nice shot! I have yet to get a single DSO image or even see one with my own eyes for that matter. All I have gotten are lunar and planetary shots of Saturn and Jupiter.

[Crebles]

Hi Albenn. I did the same thing meself the other night. My first attempt at any imaging with my Canon 600D. I gather the maker of success with M13 is to get the 'propeller' exposed just right. I used Deep Sky Stacker freeware to process the best four of my six M13 photos and then Adobe Lightroom to tweak the final DeppSky Staker image and I got a result i'm dead chuffed with. M13 was on Sky at Night and my lads (10 and 9 yrs old) said my picture was better than the one on the telly!!! High praise indeed! Good luck with it, may be compare beginner 600D notes with you in future, Simon

[Crebles]

here's the image i forget to attach to my last post. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdrandall/8714883545/in/set-72157633163861663 Simon

[Albenn]

Stretch it with levels and curves to lighten it up a bit nice work!

Thanks for comments . Much appreciated. Is there a set procedure for processing or is it more a question of messing with it until it looks right?

[Albenn]

...use a bit of free software called deep sky stacker (DSS) to combine the exposures...

Thanks for comments. Most appreciated. I tried DSS yesterday as an experiment with 4 shots, but despite my best efforts, it would only stack one of them. I found this strange as each shot was the same exposure/ISO.

The SE mount is a little 'hit and miss' regards tracking. Some nights the target drifts in the ep and then all of a sudden it re-centres. Other nights it keeps everything centred. This is probably due to a a bit of backlash in the gears. I suppose I should spend some time adjusting this which may allow me to drop the ISO and take longer exposures but at the moment for experimenting it serves me well. However, If I got serious about imaging, I would just get a better mount as I realise the mount is crucial.

I'm getting worried in case the AP bug bites and the financial black hole that accompanies the hobby opens up!

[Albenn]

Nice shot! I have yet to get a single DSO image or even see one with my own eyes for that matter. All I have gotten are lunar and planetary shots of Saturn and Jupiter.

Thanks for comments. I have found that the DSO's (Galaxies) I have found so far to be just faint, fuzzy blobs but many Star clusters are beautiful to view and to me are far more interesting.

I have got a couple of images of the moon but have yet to get a shot of Saturn and Jupiter. Saturn is my next target to shoot as I think it is the most majestic and beautiful object I have ever seen. Sure, the Hubble/NASA pictures are incredible but seeing it for yourself for the first time is something you never forget.

[Albenn]

Hi Albenn. I did the same thing meself the other night. My first attempt at any imaging with my Canon 600D. I gather the maker of success with M13 is to get the 'propeller' exposed just right. I used Deep Sky Stacker freeware to process the best four of my six M13 photos and then Adobe Lightroom to tweak the final DeppSky Staker image and I got a result i'm dead chuffed with. M13 was on Sky at Night and my lads (10 and 9 yrs old) said my picture was better than the one on the telly!!! High praise indeed! Good luck with it, may be compare beginner 600D notes with you in future, Simon

Simon. Nice image and have to agree that if your sons like it then it must be good! Usually, with kids, it's the opposite - if it's on telly, then it must be better than anything else! Sounds like a good idea re swapping notes as I am a complete novice with a DSLR and have a hell of a learning curve to overcome.

[baggywrinkle]

Good start. I have a Canon 400D and have used this on my 6SE at prime focus. I have found the best tracking time is no more that 20 secs.

[badgerchap]

Is your mount alt/az or equatorial. If it's the former you'll be very limited in exposure length as the field of view will appear to rotate as the scope tracks. If its the latter you may well get up to a minute or two which will enable you to get a good range of DSOs. Be warned - you might see nothing visually but the camera can pick up a lot!

Don't worry too much about the propeller in M13 just yet - that's a fairly tough cookie to crack!

Do worry about the expense of AP though. I frequently consider selling my dog, my wife, all sorts of things for this hobby!

Posted via Tapatalk on an ageing iPhone so please excuse any erroneous spellings or accidental profanities!

[Guest]

Had a play with your image hope you don't mind

Just used levels, curves and some noise removal in PS CS5

MM

[Albenn]

...I have found the best tracking time is no more that 20 secs.

Thanks Baggywrinkle. Noticed that too with the SE mount. Anything over 20 secs starts trailing so guess I'll just have to limit exposure times and just take more frames.

[Albenn]

Is your mount alt/az or equatorial. If it's the former you'll be very limited in exposure length as the field of view will appear to rotate as the scope tracks. If its the latter you may well get up to a minute or two which will enable you to get a good range of DSOs. Be warned - you might see nothing visually but the camera can pick up a lot!

Don't worry too much about the propeller in M13 just yet - that's a fairly tough cookie to crack!

Do worry about the expense of AP though. I frequently consider selling my dog, my wife, all sorts of things for this hobby!

Hi Badgerchap - The mount is the Celestron single fork Alt/Az GOTO and is great for visual but like you say, put a camera on the scope and it soon starts to show it's limitations.

However, as I bought the set-up purely for visual, I am only having a dabble in the black art that is AP to see what my current equipment is capable of and have no great desire at this stage to take it further (I wonder how many near bankrupt astro photographers said that at the start?)

I do see though how so many people get hooked - which is a very worrying thought for me!

[Albenn]

Had a play with your image hope you don't mind

Just used levels, curves and some noise removal in PS CS5

MM

Hi MM - Don't mind at all. Thanks for taking the time to show me what is achievable even from a limited quality single image. Much appreciated. Maybe some darks would have helped........oooh, er....I'm getting hooked aren't I???

[badgerchap]

(I wonder how many near bankrupt astro photographers said that at the start?)

At least one, I can attest to that! Completely worth it, of course.....

Posted via Tapatalk on an ageing iPhone so please excuse any erroneous spellings or accidental profanities!

[devilgas]

Thanks for comments. Most appreciated. I tried DSS yesterday as an experiment with 4 shots, but despite my best efforts, it would only stack one of them. I found this strange as each shot was the same exposure/ISO.

The SE mount is a little 'hit and miss' regards tracking. Some nights the target drifts in the ep and then all of a sudden it re-centres. Other nights it keeps everything centred. This is probably due to a a bit of backlash in the gears. I suppose I should spend some time adjusting this which may allow me to drop the ISO and take longer exposures but at the moment for experimenting it serves me well. However, If I got serious about imaging, I would just get a better mount as I realise the mount is crucial.

I'm getting worried in case the AP bug bites and the financial black hole that accompanies the hobby opens up!

no worries! when i select shots for DSS, i usually filter out all the bad images myself (ones where there is star trailing through the scope being affected by wind etc) such that they don't get presented to DSS. you'll also need more 'lights' than 4, as the more images it has to work with, the better the final image will be. i try to take at least 20 light images, and at least 8 darks. with DSS, the more the better!

with the mount, you can reduce backlash in the gears by having the telescope *slightly* unbalanced so that the drive gears are always meshed with gravity helping to keep things tight. certainly what you describe with it suddenly re-centring does sound like gear backlash being taken up. you should only see this once though, assuming you don't re-align the scope on another target, as once the gears are engaged they should (in theory) stay engaged.

have now just seen that your mount is alt/az. for astro imaging, you really need to have equatorial tracking for anything longer than 15s or so. it'd be worth seeing if there are any wedge options available for the mount. you now know what your exposure limit is with the current setup, so using higher ISO settings and using DSS with multiple lights is the way to go.

[Albenn]

... it'd be worth seeing if there are any wedge options available for the mount. you now know what your exposure limit is with the current setup, so using higher ISO settings and using DSS with multiple lights is the way to go.

Hi Dave

Thanks for feedback. I believe Celestron used to do a wedge, but from what I've read on the web of other peoples experience of them, they are a PITA to set up. I'll just go with what I have and use multiple lights and maybe drop the ISO a little.

[brantuk]

Both nice first shots Alben and Simon

[Leveye]

Thanks for comments . Much appreciated. Is there a set procedure for processing or is it more a question of messing with it until it looks right?

There is a procedure but it is best to learn the ropes yourself and dive in. Editing astrophotography shots is an art in itself there are a few Youtube guides to point you in the right direction.. With only one or a few exposures there is not much else you can do with it but levels and curves to edit it. I usually capture at least 25 light exposures and 5 darks and stack them in DSS and then onto CS5 for levels and curves.You will be amazed what you get from stacking multi exposures.

[Albenn]

Both nice first shots Alben and Simon

Thanks Brantuck.

[Albenn]

..... stack them in DSS and then onto CS5 for levels and curves.You will be amazed what you get from stacking multi exposures.

Yikes! After seeing the cost of CS5 the only thing I'd be amazed at if I bought it would be the speed that the divorce papers arrived at! Seriously though, I've heard a lot about the GNU freeware package the GIMP, would that be suitable for now?

[poogle]

Yikes! After seeing the cost of CS5 the only thing I'd be amazed at if I bought it would be the speed that the divorce papers arrived at! Seriously though, I've heard a lot about the GNU freeware package the GIMP, would that be suitable for now?

GIMP will work just fine. In order to process 16 bit images make sure to get the "unstable" version though.

You can also download Photoshop CS2 for free from Adobe

/Patrik

[Albenn]

Hi Patrik

Thanks for advice and the heads up re CS2