Mr PacMan's innards...

[ChrisLX200]

1 minute ago, Rodd said:

Amazing Chris--2 questions:  1) How did you get this image scale with a 5" scope?  It looks like it was taken at a much higher focal length--like 1,960 or something.  2) How did you get such spectacular clarity with only 10 subs per channel?  I use a tV np101is and even 30 1800sec subs per channel does not get me anywhere near this level of clarity and sharpness.  Same old thing huh?

Thanks but I don't really know how to answer that - this is just what it does :-)  The small (3.69uM) pixels of the Atik490EX gets me down to an image scale of just over 1 arcsec/pxl (I can't exactly remember off the top of my head...), which is better than the 'seeing' I get around here. So no matter how big an aperture or focal length beyond that I'm not going to resolve more detail than the refractor shows - and the refractor is intrinsically way sharper than my larger 12" ODK anyway although the ODK collects more light of course. So although the NP127is resolves well if I had to jack up the focal length (for, say imaging the planets where you need high fps) then the image would be too dim to work with - that's the advantage of the bigger aperture scope to me - not any theoretical increase in resolving power. I'm also obsessive about achieving accurate focus. :-) The rest is in the post processing, it doesn't matter which software you use so long as you're familiar with it and understand what it is doing, I've said it many times but I prefer StarTools for basic processing, I'm familiar with it and IMHO there's no better software for noise reduction.

ChrisH

 

[Rodd]

14 minutes ago, ChrisLX200 said:

Thanks but I don't really know how to answer that - this is just what it does :-)  The small (3.69uM) pixels of the Atik490EX gets me down to an image scale of just over 1 arcsec/pxl (I can't exactly remember off the top of my head...), which is better than the 'seeing' I get around here. So no matter how big an aperture or focal length beyond that I'm not going to resolve more detail than the refractor shows - and the refractor is intrinsically way sharper than my larger 12" ODK anyway although the ODK collects more light of course. So although the NP127is resolves well if I had to jack up the focal length (for, say imaging the planets where you need high fps) then the image would be too dim to work with - that's the advantage of the bigger aperture scope to me - not any theoretical increase in resolving power. I'm also obsessive about achieving accurate focus. :-) The rest is in the post processing, it doesn't matter which software you use so long as you're familiar with it and understand what it is doing, I've said it many times but I prefer StarTools for basic processing, I'm familiar with it and IMHO there's no better software for noise reduction.

ChrisH

 

O Yeah--I forgot about pixel size.  So--If I were to drop down to a smaller pixel size with a Tv np101is, it would increase scale and that coupled with its inherent sharpness over a C11 Edge HD would rival the image scale and detail I can get with my C11 edge at 1960FL.  At some point though the light increase through bigger aperture will overcome the scale increase through pixel size and objective quality of a smaller but better scope.  I would imagine your 5" refractor can do allot better than my 4" refractor in this respect (I do wish I had gotten the 127!!)

[ChrisLX200]

There should not be _that_ much difference between the 102 and 127mm refractors, obviously the image scale will be proportionally reduced but image sharpness should still be there.

I'll tell you what - this is a link to my raw Ha, SII and OIII stacks (calibrated but otherwise unprocessed), you should be able to reproduce something that looks similar to my result using whatever image processing techniques you prefer. If you can't then it's clear you need to work on that area. No good collecting lots of good data if you can't make use of it :-)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n6bfsxbqn1l6s7b/ngc281 unprocessed autosaves.rar?dl=0

 

ChrisH

PS. note that my image here is a crop of the full data in the raw image files...

[Gina]

That is superb - beautiful image

[Rodd]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 07:22, ChrisLX200 said:

I reprocessed some old data from 2014/15 with the aim of revealing as much of the internals of Mr. Pacman as possible - at least those seen using my TV NP127is. I probably pushed it too far in processing because I threw everything at it - StarTools and PixInsight. This was 10x 1800s each channel (Ha, OIII and SII), Atik490EX, NP127is, Losmandy G11.

Hmm. Looks better in full-res if you can stand the 19MB download... http://s970.photobucket.com/user/ChrisLX200/media/Astro - Images/LRVB PI crop_zpshojvvwue.png.html

ChrisH

OK Chris--I will see if I can give it a try.  I do know that when I try the Hubble pallet my images always look very green--not like your above--my balance is way off.  You use Pixinsight and so do I, so it will be a perfect comparison.  I note that there is the same number of subs with the same exposure times for all 3 channels, so it not because you included less Ha.  I have not looked at the subs yet--but I would be willing to make a wager that your unprocessed but calibrated stacks appear just as amazing as your finished image.  In other words, I think that your starting point is higher than my finish line.  I will give it a go.  Give me a few days--tonight's another clear night and I just can't let it pass.  Actually, I just tried and have no idea how to get the files into Pixinsight.  I access PI by an icon on my screen--.  But when it say choose an app to open the files, I don't have access to the screen.  I will keep trying.

[ChrisLX200]

I saw your note - the file is a simple RAR archive containing three FITs files. WinRAR is the tool for extracting the files, they will then load straight into  PixInsight. If you can't manage the RAR files I'll have to use ZIP instead.

Chris

 

Edit: 7Zip will also extract the files (it cannot create a RAR archive, but that's of no concern to you). Get it here:   http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

[Maximidius]

Never imaged this one, in fact I haven't seen any stars for ages due to rain and clouds. Images like this keep me motivated and hopeful that it'll clear up soon. Maybe some day soon eh lol, and if I do get the chance, I hope it turns out half as good as your image. Thanks for posting. 

[ChrisLX200]

Many thanks Maximidius, I think we're all waiting for our weather patterns to return to 'normal' after the strongest El Nino ever recorded...

ChrisH