Confusion about lights for stacking

[Rickvanman]

Evening all,  I've been trying to get to grips with stacking images and think I have sort-of figured out how to do the calibration images as well as the lights. However, as I read through these forums, I'm seeing lots of references to people successfully stacking lights that have been made up of various different timed exposures.   I seem to have fallen under the impression that all the light images need to be of identical parameters.  I've even tried experimenting with deep sky stacker using lights with different parameters and DSS always rejects them ( I end up with the "only one frame will be stacked" error.

Appreciate any insight on this - thanks

  

 

[Thalestris24]

Hi

You can use the dss 'group' feature to stack different exposure lengths (see the documentation). However, there are only a few targets eg M42, where it might be necessary or advantageous. In any case you can always stack separately and merge the final stacks manually in post-processing. Similarly with separate lrgb or narrowband.

Louise