Brand new in processing.

[Ccolvin968]

So I've got a few cool star trail pics, a few cool moon pics, the typical stuff.

how on earth do I know/learn how long the exposures have to be, or how to stack them perfect to get shots like you all get? Specifically star clusters and DSO's... Any tips or tricks would be wonderful! Thanks a ton everybody!

[leelee970]

The best start would be to get “Making every photon count” book by Steve Richards

I truly wished I had got this straight away, would have saved me loads of money and time in the field.

[ollypenrice]

Experiment.

Are you guiding? And imaging throught the Mak? It has a very slow focal ratio so is not at all suited to deep sky imaging but you can give it a go.

Get a good polar alignmet and try 30 seconds. If you get round stars try longer, and so on. WIthout guiding you'll be very lucky at that focal length to get to 2 minutes, but see how it goes.

There is a free programme called Deep Sky Stacker.

Steve's book would ndeed be a good start, though.

Olly

[Ccolvin968]

Imaging through the mak?? You already lost me.

[ollypenrice]

Imaging through the mak?? You already lost me.

Sorry, my fault! I looked at your signature for the kit list but obviously looked at the wrong one. Doh!! What optics/mount will you use for imaging?

Olly

[Russe]

Yep.

Get a German equatorial mount

Learn polar alignment

Learn EQMOD/ASCOM control of your mount

Learn guiding with a finder guider.

That should keep you busy for a while...

[Ccolvin968]

I have an EQ3-2, and I'll be using the telescope listed in my signature. I also have a motor on the way for my scope for tracking.

[Quatermass]

Have a read through my blog its a kind of diary charting my journey into astrophotography lots of help and advice there if your wanting to get swallowed up in this amazing obsession. QM

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