First time M16

[oyabuns]

This is my first time photographing the M16.

Equipment:

Skywatcher 130PDS

Canon 700D full-spectrum mod

Optolong L-Pro 2" filter

Image details:

119 subs @ 60 sec  ISO 1600

Data was collected over two nights.

I applied flats & darks and processed it in Photoshop and Pixinsight.

I provided two versions, in one I get  some weird grey haze.

Any tips appreciated

 

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by oyabuns

[ebdons]

Yep! well done, top one looks better maybe give it another process and see,  do you use DSS and maybe do a kappa clip to sort out the star shapes maybe? but even a dark sky has some patches of light and dark so not the end of the world but nice to see the image keep it up. ton

[oyabuns]

22 minutes ago, ebdons said:

Yep! well done, top one looks better maybe give it another process and see,  do you use DSS and maybe do a kappa clip to sort out the star shapes maybe? but even a dark sky has some patches of light and dark so not the end of the world but nice to see the image keep it up. ton

Hi Ebdons,

Yes, I have used DSS and kappa clipping for this. How else could I improve the shape of stars?

[bobro]

That's a very good image with really good detail (much better than I have ever achieved). It's not a big deal but the trailing stars towards the right hand side of the image looks to be due to polar alignment not being accurate as the trails rotate about a point. An earlier post by yourself shows you asked how to best use a polar scope, though without response. I can't help there as I use Sharpcap for polar alignment (very good), but you could try searching the forum (no doubt has been asked numerous times before) or posting again.

Great work.

[oyabuns]

6 minutes ago, bobro said:

That's a very good image with really good detail (much better than I have ever achieved). It's not a big deal but the trailing stars towards the right hand side of the image looks to be due to polar alignment not being accurate as the trails rotate about a point. An earlier post by yourself shows you asked how to best use a polar scope, though without response. I can't help there as I use Sharpcap for polar alignment (very good), but you could try searching the forum (no doubt has been asked numerous times before) or posting again.

Great work.

I have used Sharpcap for polar aligning too. It stated that I had near excellent polar alignment. Maybe I nudged something??

Another thing, if anyone can help me with this. I shot 140 subs but I had to throw away 20 subs due to sattelite trailing and airplanes (I live near a flight route) and 1 sub due to me adjusting something.
Is it okay for me to keep the subs with the sattelite trails in or should I discard them as I have done. (It was a pain to throw away so many subs) Is DSS able to take out the sattelite trails in the final stack?

[ebdons]

Hi, there is a process in PS to change the shape of the stars, using layers, I used this a while ago now this is another version of star shape layer process. http://www.bf-astro.com/starRepair.htm lots of good stuff and tips on here. tony

[bobro]

Kappa Sigma stacking works really well (as you already use) in eliminating satellite and plane trails as it works at the pixel level.

[alacant]

On 06/07/2019 at 21:42, oyabuns said:

Any tips

Hi. Nice image.

It looks tilted, bottom left - top right. I think the stars in the latter corner are beyond software correction at this resolution. Maybe you could bin it? OTOH, next time out maybe simply reseating the camera is all it needs.

Cheers and clear skies.

 

[oyabuns]

7 hours ago, alacant said:

Hi. Nice image.

It looks tilted, bottom left - top right. I think the stars in the latter corner are beyond software correction at this resolution. Maybe you could bin it? OTOH, next time out maybe simply reseating the camera is all it needs.

Cheers and clear skies.

 

Hey, 

 

With reseating the camera you mean putting it in the exact same postion right?

[alacant]

7 hours ago, oyabuns said:

putting it in the exact same postion

Hi. No. Just release the camera, wiggle it around a bit then hold it tight up against the rim of the focuser. Tighten each screw [1] by small amounts in turn, keeping pressure on the rear of the camera in an attempt to keep it square. Then, if you use flat frames, redo those too to allow for any camera rotation inbetween.

HTH.

[1] The sw thumbscrews -and only 2 of them- are not conducive to holding dslrs properly.