First images with new ZWO ASI120MC camera and Firecapture

[stargazerlily]

Hi everyone,

A few nights ago I managed to get outdoors to try out my new astro camera ... ZWO ASI120MC together with Firecapture software.  Never used this set up before so first results were  ...  hmmmm ... which is most probably down to user inexperience.  

Therefore I'm after lots of comments and hints & tips to help me get the best out of the new camera.  I've included the camera settings as well.

First shot is a moon photo.   Why is there a 'split' along the right hand side?  I was using ROI setting when in capture mode.

FireCapture v2.3  Settings

------------------------------------

Camera=ZWO ASI120MC

Filter=L

Profile=Moon

Filename=205815.avi

Date=250315

Start=205815.671

Mid=205831.202

End=205846.734

Duration=31.063s

Date_format=ddMMyy

Time_format=HHmmss

LT=UT

Frames captured=1180

File type=AVI

Extended AVI mode=true

Compressed AVI=false

Binning=no

ROI=640x480

FPS (avg.)=37

Shutter=26.07ms

Gain=14

AutoExposure=off

WBlue=100

WRed=46

Gamma=55

USBTraffic=80

Brightness=0

Histogramm(min)=0

Histogramm(max)=255

Histogramm=100%

Noise(avg.deviation)=20.45

Limit=none

Sensor temperature=12.9 °C / 55.1 °F

The next shot is Jupiter ... again I've included the settings below in the hope that someone with more experience can point me in the right direction.  The original was very small and this is an enlargement.  It's in B&W ... yet it is a colour camera.  I must have forgotten to switch something on

FireCapture v2.3  Settings

------------------------------------

Camera=ZWO ASI120MC

Filter=L

Profile=Jupiter

Diameter=42.12"

Magnitude=-2.37

CMI=266.7° CMII=282.1° CMIII=205.9°  (during mid of capture)

FocalLength=960mm

Resolution=0.80"

Filename=211145.avi

Date=250315

Start=211145.437

Mid=211216.015

End=211246.593

Duration=61.156s

Date_format=ddMMyy

Time_format=HHmmss

LT=UT

Frames captured=3972

File type=AVI

Extended AVI mode=true

Compressed AVI=false

Binning=no

ROI=120x128

FPS (avg.)=64

Shutter=15.38ms

Gain=4

AutoExposure=off

WBlue=100

WRed=46

Gamma=29

USBTraffic=80

Brightness=15

Histogramm(min)=6

Histogramm(max)=194

Histogramm=76%

Noise(avg.deviation)=13.07

Limit=none

Sensor temperature=11.4 °C / 52.6 °F

[ronin]

Moon looks OK little bright - suspect that means drop the gain (???).

Not a clue what the repeat of the Left bit is over on the Right, someone else will I suspect know what the cause is - likely from having experienced the same.

Jupiter simply looks out of focus.

When stacked you did  tell the software to select the best 400 or 500 frames and to just stack them, not to stack the whole lot?

Just the not good frames would destroy the quality of the good frames.

[stargazerlily]

Moon looks OK little bright - suspect that means drop the gain (???).

Not a clue what the repeat of the Left bit is over on the Right, someone else will I suspect know what the cause is - likely from having experienced the same.

Jupiter simply looks out of focus.

When stacked you did  tell the software to select the best 400 or 500 frames and to just stack them, not to stack the whole lot?

Just the not good frames would destroy the quality of the good frames.

Thanks for your comments Ronin.  With the Jupiter images I just stacked all the frames (I'm still a beginner when it comes down to processing).  Do you have to manually pick the best frames in Registax or is there an automated way?

Cheers

Pete

[knobby]

Have a crack at stacking with Autostakkert, It seems easier to me ... you can select a percentage or number of frames to stack 

[Bizibilder]

I would suggest dropping the gain to zero and the exposure to around 10ms and try again - Your Moon image is very overexposed.  As said Autostakkert is an exallent stacking program but you will need to do your wavelets in Registax as AS has no wavelet function.  I must admit that I prefer to use Lucy-Richardson deconvolution for sharpening Lunar images - you can get Astra Image 3.0 for free and this will do the job for you (usual disclaimer)

[D4N]

I think unity gain is 20% on that camera so you shouldn't need to go below that, just reduce exposure time instead or you may get data loss.

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