Problems in Processing Widefield Milky Way

[Drica]

Hello guys

After following SGL for a long time as a non registered user, I finally decided to join.

 

Yesterday we had nice clear skies so I decided to shoot the Sadr region with the following equipment and settings:

SW Star Adventurer

Canon EOS 1200D (unmodded)

Canon 50mm f1.8 lens

Settings:

ISO 3200

F1.8

Shutter at 7"

I took a total of 40 Lights, 6 Darks and about 20 Flats. Stacked all of them in DSS. After stacking it looks like there is lots of Data to work with, but when I import the .tif to Lightroom and play around with various sliders, no detail at all can be brought out. 

What am I doing wrong? Wrong camera settings? Too short exposure? I really can't tell what it is.

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Thabk you in advance.

Best

MilkyWayRaw.TIF

[alacant]

Hi. No expert but I think there is a rogue light frame or two. There seem to be big stacking overlaps. Try one of the other stack methods? I had to crop quite a bit and the green is beyond me. Is this led lamps perhaps? Here's my attempt anyway. What there is looks OK, especially since it's a non modified camera.  If you can do say 2 minutes, f5.6 is good. HTH.

[Yamez]

after stacking in DSS did you move the RGB sliders forward. Check linked settings box and move the levels so they are somewhere within the curve like this: 

 

This helps bring out a lot of detail, from dim nebulosity and dim stars etc. It gives a lot more to work with while processing. The black point obviously can be sorted out in photoshop using the levels adjustment.

I hope this helps.

[steppenwolf]

I took your image into PhotoShop (but any image processing software should be OK) and adjusted the 'Levels' of each colour so that the histogram for each overlapped exactly. I then gently increased the RGB levels using 'Levels' again with the centre slider moved to the left and the black point slider moved to the right in numerous small adjustments until the Double Cluster appeared. Finally, I removed the overall gradient using Gradient Xterminator.

Hope that helps.

[wimvb]

Gradient removal, colour calibration and stretched.

You managed to capture a few clusters and a VERY weak Heart and Soul (IC 1805 and IC 1848). These are the red areas above the double cluster.

To get more out of this, you would need to increase exposure time and ideally get many more subs to stack. If you have light pollution, a LP filter will help a lot.

The cropped image shows that you picked up nice colours in the stars.

[Drica]

Thank you guys so much for your tips and efforts!! I will definitely try to take way more subs of longer exposure. I already ordered a LP filter and it should arrive the day after tomorrow.

I will consider all of this and try to process the picture again.

 

Thanks and clear skies!!