Pinwheel with Canon 100D

[jason32]

7 X 420 secs

No dark, No flats and No bias processed in PS.

[Jannis]

Very nice, and plenty of details.

[Lebster31]

Wow, beautiful picture! I'm amazed

[laudropb]

Very nice detail captured. Well done !

[MartinFransson]

That looks really good, especially when considering the number of subs and the lack of calibration frames!

 

[wimvb]

At least 7 different galaxies in those 7 frames. All in all a nice catch.

[jason32]

Thanks everyone

I am trying to learn to use Pixinsight so maybe photos will improve once I get hang of it

[Jannis]

For this little data and no calibration frames its a very nice result. 

The next step should probably be taking calibration frames - especially flats, it will help on the end result and make processing a lot easier. :-)

Bias takes only a few sec to take, and darks may be less critical depending on stacking method and target movement between frames.

[jason32]

15 hours ago, Jannis said:

For this little data and no calibration frames its a very nice result. 

The next step should probably be taking calibration frames - especially flats, it will help on the end result and make processing a lot easier. :-)

Bias takes only a few sec to take, and darks may be less critical depending on stacking method and target movement between frames.

Flats frames are taken using an even background like white wall or the twilight sky with a t-shirt coving the scope? is focus important? Last time I did the t-shirt methed and when trying to calibrate in Pixinsight the photo turned out completely blue and not usable. Is there anything I am missing?

[Jannis]

Correct. I don't know how pixinsight works, but flats shouldn't be affected by color. So i can't help with your blue picture issue.

How i usually take them is by pointing the scope stright up in the evening or morning while it's still light outside, but no strong sunlight, and no stars visable.
Personally I don't use the t-shirt method, and neither a wall or a laptop-display. Just a pure clear sky.
I set the camera in AV mode and set a low ISO, 100-200. This usually give about 1/4 to 1/25 exposure. I set the camera to take about 20-30 of these in a row.

Focus and angle of camera is 100% critical! What i usually do if i can't leave the camera on the scope, is that i lock the focus position so it won't move when removing and attaching the camera. On my focuset and T-ring adapter i have a marking so the camera angle always will be identical.

I should probably also say that i had all sorts of issues taking my flats with my Explorer 200 PDS until i eventually found the cause. The primary mirror didn't have a back plate, so it was leaking in light from the rear, as well as i had forgotten to cover the DSLR viewfinder. I easily fixed the primary mirror issue by covering the rear of the scope with alumimum foil - and to my surprice it also solved all my mirror dewing issues. I don't know how it is with your 130 PDS, but i can imagine it's similar.

I know it's said to be a big no-no to re-use flats, but i've yet to see any issues with mine after i marked the camera position, and i always keep my sensor clean. Of course the best is to take new flats for every session, but the re-use of dustbunny-free flats usually works and is at least better then no flats at all if you have marked the camera position carefully - my opinion. You'll new flats set as soon as you have made any changes what so ever though.

Sorry this went a bit off topic...

[sulaco]

Great Image, nice to see what the 130pds can do. I changed to this just at the end of last year and have yet to find the time to get it out.