Plato, Vallis Alpes and Montes Caucasus

[AbsolutelyN]

No luck with Mars last night due to never ending clouds but managed this quick snap of the moon during a brief break in clouds.  

 

 

Edited October 8, 2020 by AbsolutelyN

[Altocumulus]

If all your quick snaps turn out this brilliant!!!!!

[MarkAR]

Lovely sharp detail.

[AKB]

That's stunning.  How did you DO that? (and with what?)

[AbsolutelyN]

13 minutes ago, AKB said:

That's stunning.  How did you DO that? (and with what?)

Thanks. It's taken with a Skywatcher 250-PDS, stack from a 1min avi in autostakkert with zwo178mm and a IR filter. There are actually clouds passing by on the clip so conditions were far from ideal!

Edited October 7, 2020 by AbsolutelyN

[AKB]

1 hour ago, AbsolutelyN said:

stack from a 1min avi in autostakkert with zwo178mm and a IR filter.

That's a lot of frames!  How many did you keep? 

I've never had much luck with moon (or planets, for that matter.)  Using AS! the sticking point for me seems to be placing the reference points.  I'm just amazed at how crisp your result is... my favourite crater too!

Tony

[AbsolutelyN]

28 minutes ago, AKB said:

That's a lot of frames!  How many did you keep? 

I've never had much luck with moon (or planets, for that matter.)  Using AS! the sticking point for me seems to be placing the reference points.  I'm just amazed at how crisp your result is... my favourite crater too!

Tony

It was 2500 frames and stack of the best 500. It was only using a part of the sensor -1500x1000 - to boost frame rate.

[maw lod qan]

Wonderful image!

I really enjoy being able to zoom in on a Lunar image and see such clear detail!👍

[markse68]

That’s a beautiful crisp image!

Mark

[Spacecake2]

When I see other people's photos, mine look so bad.

[Rusted]

Beautifully processed.

I was advised [here] to reduce my video frames to 500 and stack only 75. I found it very useful advice.
Experimentation with frame numbers and stacking may find you a happy medium.

The theory is that large frame numbers and stacking lots of them merely adds to the overall noise.
You are processing a lot of average images rather than working on only the best.

Besides the arguments above, it greatly reduces the need for huge file storage. SSDs aren't cheap.
You can capture a lot of short videos in a much shorter time frame.
Which reduces tracking issues, cloud intervention, vibration, subject and wind movement.

You also get to choose between multiple videos for processing.
Which should automatically help to increase your success rate.
I like to think that multiple short captures provides far more practice than far fewer long ones.

[Mr Spock]

Really good for a quick snap! 

[AbsolutelyN]

2 hours ago, Rusted said:

Beautifully processed.

I was advised [here] to reduce my video frames to 500 and stack only 75. I found it very useful advice.
Experimentation with frame numbers and stacking may find you a happy medium.

The theory is that large frame numbers and stacking lots of them merely adds to the overall noise.
You are processing a lot of average images rather than working on only the best.

Besides the arguments above, it greatly reduces the need for huge file storage. SSDs aren't cheap.
You can capture a lot of short videos in a much shorter time frame.
Which reduces tracking issues, cloud intervention, vibration, subject and wind movement.

You also get to choose between multiple videos for processing.
Which should automatically help to increase your success rate.
I like to think that multiple short captures provides far more practice than far fewer long ones.

Thanks for all that info. Not really done much in the way of lunar imaging before so not really sure what works best.  I tend to aim for 10% or 20% of total frames. I see some logic in lots of smaller clips, will give it a try.  

[AbsolutelyN]

One more from same session. Best 10% of 700 frames but with full frame of the 178MM. 

[Rusted]

I can't be certain but I think I'm seeing more surface detail in Plato.
This is very much a matter of taste and some will argue I have overcooked your image.
I just darkened your image and applied a touch of contrast. Central crater and some streaking?

 

[Rusted]

A more gentle approach avoiding burning out the highlights:
Reduced contrast and then some darkening with Histogram in PhotoFiltre. [Free]

 

[Rusted]

I should have added that my "messing about" with your image should not remotely be seen as criticism of your skills.

Your images are excellent, are very natural, well exposed and have a lot of detail.

 

[Nigella Bryant]

Brilliant, I'm inspired to have a go, not done any lunar imaging before. Thanks for sharing.

[AbsolutelyN]

32 minutes ago, Rusted said:

I should have added that my "messing about" with your image should not remotely be seen as criticism of your skills.

Your images are excellent, are very natural, well exposed and have a lot of detail.

 

That's really interesting thanks, not really sure what is considered acceptable on lunar imaging so very much open to suggestions and feedback as I'm just making it up as I go. Very wary of going overboard with sharpening, in fact I thought I had already gone over on it. Your right in that there is more detail that can be brought out. This is my own attempt based on your feedback.  

[Nigella Bryant]

I thought your first one was the nicest and sharpest.

[AbsolutelyN]

6 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

I thought your first one was the nicest and sharpest.

Thanks. It's often the case the less you do the better. 

[AbsolutelyN]

12 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Brilliant, I'm inspired to have a go, not done any lunar imaging before. Thanks for sharing.

Cool, look forward to seeing some images. I only started looking at planets and moon because weather is currently a bit hopeless for deep sky. It's something you can do without needing a clear sky all night too and with full moon. Really enjoying it.  

[Nigella Bryant]

I've a Zwo 178mm too and I've just bought an IR pass filter which came the other day so I'll see, lol. 

[Rusted]

If that was your first go at lunar imaging then you put my poor efforts to shame. 

Your first image has amazing scale!  I like close-ups.

[Rusted]

9 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

I've a Zwo 178mm too and I've just bought an IR pass filter which came the other day so I'll see, lol. 

The Moon does not seem to mind filters as long as they don't slow frame rate exorbitantly.
I use my 6" f/10 H-a solar scope for lunar imaging when the Moon is cooperative.
Leaving the D-ERF, UV and IR filters in place seems not to spoil the results when using a mono camera.
The one no-no is the Baader Solar Continuum, a popular, green, lunar filter.
When used with red filters it turns all the lights out.  It had me completely baffled for a couple of minutes.