M42 With Skywatcher Star Adventurer

[atomicmak]

Hi All,

Here is my first attempt to Skywatcher Star Adventurer. Complete newbie with first time dss and stretching up in Photoshop.

Lights : 30s * 6

ISO 1250 300f/4 @ f/4

Dark : 6

Canon 60d+canon prime 300f/4

Processed in DSS and stretched in Photoshop.

Captured from city with light pollution.

The core is burned out but since it was first time and I did not even fully calibrated the polar alignment it was moving and giving trails at some point of time.

If someone who already using Star Adventurer can guide me exact method to polar align and take long exposures possibility I would love to learn.

I have some raw files of diff stacks posted on google drive and if someone is ready to teach me of dss process I would be so thankful.

Here is the another stack url 

http://googledrive.com/host/0B-YzoR9nIS6zWl9nbUxyTmJiWFk

[D4N]

Odd diffraction pattern for a DSLR lens, did you add it in with processing?

M42 is a good target for mixed exposure lengths, you need some shorter exposures to reveal the core then you merge the two together.

/Dan

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[xtreemchaos]

great firstlight mate, the core is allways the hardest to get right,ive tryed many times and still havent got it right. well done.thanks for posting charl.

[laudropb]

Very nice for a first attempt.

[atomicmak]

Yes spikes of stars are artificial as tempted to have them in frame.

Seems i need to get more exposure of 30" subs and so the darks and bias .

I believe in this stack I have ruined the exposure making 1250 iso choice with 30" but the one posted link raw files does have multiple three set of expo 10",20",30" at iso 400 and I am curious to know if thats the best way and how to process it and stretch it max.

If someone can take up time to guide.

[D4N]

Ah ok that explains e spikes then, personally I like round stars when the equipment is able to make them

I don't use DSS and I think you would want to stack the different exposure lengths separately then combine them in Photoshop as DSS isn't going to do a good job of it.

I stacked the 13 images you linked in PI, I didn't use the dark frames as I think with so few they are of no benefit. I just processed out the noise with pixel rejection during stacking.

I did Star Alignment on all then Image integration on the 6 x 10s sub, image integration on the 7 x 20s subs, HDR composition of the resulting two images, Histogtram transformation to stretch and align the colour channels, dynamic crop to region of interest, HDR multi scale transform to pull out detail, ACDNR to reduce noise, another histogram transformation and a final ACDNR and it is done.

I'm sure other would be able to do better as I am not particularly skilled in PI yet.

Not bad for 3 minutes 20 seconds total exposure time and no calibration, it could probably do with a few colour boosts in Photoshop to brighten it up a bit.

/Dan

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[atomicmak]

that's wonderful explanation. but being nowise and newbie i think i have to read a lot and try pixinsight.

[D4N]

PI has a free trial, give it a go and see if you like it.

/Dan

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[atomicmak]

Yes I have heard a lot about PixInsight Unfortunately I dont know even dss. I got trial but dont know where to start.

Trying to find video's on youtube for basic stacking and processing.

[baggywrinkle]

Very nice image indeed. The SW Satra Adventurer is a great AP mount. Beats all the barn door equivalants hands down.

[D4N]

Definitely the best PI tutorials I know are these:

http://harrysastroshed.com/pixinsight/pixinsight%20video%20html/pixinsighthomenewbie.html

/Dan

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[happy-kat]

Dss covered on the tutorials on budgetastro.net and image editing using something like photoshop. Î bought paintshoppro it was a lot cheaper.

[Pankaj]

Hi I did this one recently using an Orion ST 80 (achromatic) on my NEQ6 PRO and Canon unmodded 1200D. Was able to take 4 minute exposures for the first time. No guiding.