Combining data from different sessions

[Skipper Billy]

I don't really think of myself as a newbie but I don't know the answer to this basic question.

I have data from last year inc. all the individual subs, all the calibration files and the masters for each channel as well as the finished image for various targets.

I want to repeat the exercise this year on the same target with exactly the same equipment as last year to give me much more data.

What I don't know is how and at what point to combine the data from last year with this years.

I don't think combining all the subs from both years will work as the calibration files (esp. flats) will be different - the rig has been apart for cleaning.

Any suggestions or links to useful resources??

 

 

[tooth_dr]

10 minutes ago, Skipper Billy said:

I don't really think of myself as a newbie but I don't know the answer to this basic question.

I have data from last year inc. all the individual subs, all the calibration files and the masters for each channel as well as the finished image for various targets.

I want to repeat the exercise this year on the same target with exactly the same equipment as last year to give me much more data.

What I don't know is how and at what point to combine the data from last year with this years.

I don't think combining all the subs from both years will work as the calibration files (esp. flats) will be different - the rig has been apart for cleaning.

Any suggestions or links to useful resources??

 

 

In Astro Pixel Processor you specify sessions, eg 2019 and 2020, and assign the relevant calibration data to the relevant session. So it produces a set of correctly calibrated lights which you then register and stack.  Is this what you are after?

[Skipper Billy]

2 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

In Astro Pixel Processor you specify sessions, eg 2019 and 2020, and assign the relevant calibration data to the relevant session. So it produces a set of correctly calibrated lights which you then register and stack.  Is this what you are after?

I think so but I dont use APP just Pixinsight.

I dont think I have kept last years calibration files so it may be a waste of time but thanks for the suggestion.

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, Skipper Billy said:

I think so but I dont use APP just Pixinsight.

I dont think I have kept last years calibration files so it may be a waste of time but thanks for the suggestion.

No prob David. You can use already calibrated files too.  Sorry I don’t use PI sp cant help you but hopefully you can get sorted. 

[Skipper Billy]

Cheers Adam.

[Viktiste]

Have a look at this Youtube video.

 

 

[Skipper Billy]

Thanks Viktiste will watch it this evening.

[carastro]

I do it all the time.  I tend to take the master stacked images from LAST time and combine them with the master stacked images from THIS time, and stack them in my chosen software without further calibration.  OR register them in Registar and then combine them in Photoshop as layers making the top layer 50%.

It seems to work for me. 

Sometimes I even take the final processed images and register them and stack on top of each other using the 50% method, I even do it with different equipment as Registar will re-size and register.  See this image I have just done with this method, one with WOZS71/Atik460EX and the second with a Samyang lens and same camera.

See my original last year and C is the new one combined with this year's data.  

https://www.astrobin.com/419048/C/?image_list_page=2&nc=&nce=

Edited September 21, 2020 by carastro

[Skipper Billy]

Thanks Carole - I don't have Registar but I might try the evaluation option and see what happens.

I need a clear night this year to get some data to play with - we haven't had a single clear night yet!