Stack 1x1 bin and 2x2 bin images together using DSS??

[PARTY MARTY]

Hi everyone of SGL!

I've been collecting alot of data of M31 Andromenda Galaxy with my QHY8L ccd last week and I finally reached my ultimate goal reaching the 15mins of exposure mark which my polar alignment was that good I reckon I've could gone more but the moon was in the way which prevented my aim!!

However I have actually collected around massive sum of light frames of 112 in all which I want to stack in DSS, however on small problem, I can't do it DSS just doesn't like it. My images consist of 1x1 bin and 2x2 bining! Now what's going on, Is there someway to do this in DSS??

Again why stacking and processing is such a real pain??

Does anyone on SGL know how to do this?

Please any help would much appreciated!!!

[PARTY MARTY]

Just clarify a little bit it's Deep Sky Stacker, if anyone didn't know?

[martin_h]

DSS needs all the images to be the same size, the 2x2 binned images will be smaller....and you do realize that a binned colour image will now be monochrome?

[dmahon]

Set up a script in photoshop and resize them all.

[SnakeyJ]

Not sure what file format your subs are in, but irfanview is pretty good for bulk file conversion operations including resize/resample. Pretty sure there is a FITS plugin, though not used this myself. Chris Garry's excellent PIPP will also do this for most file formats, but don't think he currently support FITS.

[jgs001]

Stack the two sets seperately, then combine them in photoshop ??

[PARTY MARTY]

Thanks everyone for some help here!

John, I understand the stacking part, but combine them in photoshop, Did mean using the images as layers? I'm bit lost here? Please could you claify bit more in this Thankyou??

[jgs001]

That's about it, load each image file separately, then copy and paste one on top f the other. Use the transform tool to adjust the too one. You can use the layer blend mode to either apply the colour or the mono as luninosity. I've only done it the once, added a mono higher quality image o a colour one.

[PARTY MARTY]

Thanks John for the prompt reply!

Again I'm not a great Photo shop expert, I'm using the old Photoshop CS2 which works really well, but I was wondering where could the transform tool be situated? I can't seem to find it mate?? Sorry for being totally useless, photo processing is not my strong point here??

[ollypenrice]

Stacking and processing isn't a pain, it's the main pleasure of DS imaging! You do need to understand it, though.

You cannot bin the QHY8L if it is colour camera, as I believe it is. Well you can but you shouldn't! In a colour camera the pixels are colour filtered through an RGGB matrix. This matrix will be ignored if you group pixels 2x2 into blocks of four. The blocking of 2x2 will not mesh with the RGGB matrix so no colour can be retained. This is one of the arguments against one shot colour. I'm afraid your 2X2 shot in a colour camera are destined for the bin since they are both colourless and low in resolution. Stick to your unbinned data.

Olly

[jgs001]

Marty, try under edit, transform, I think

[PARTY MARTY]

Thanks John!

I'll look into this mate! I'll let you know how I got on! Thankyou for big help!!