AstroPixel Processor

[StuartT]

I'm trying to stack from two different sessions. I loaded up the lights, flats and darkflats sequentially and checked the session 1 and session 2 boxes accordingly. But during the calibration, I got this message, which I don't understand. Doesn't APP use the flats and darkflats from the matching session with the lights? I'm puzzled as to why I have got this error

 

[Tomatobro]

I had a master class given by my brother the other day on just this problem. The gain (iso) and black level of the darks, flats and dark flats must match the lights.  Process the sessions separately and then combine the results

[scotty38]

You can definitely have the multiple sessions as well as files assigned to all sessions so I would double/triple check your file logic to make sure you have the right files in the right places first

[StuartT]

46 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

You can definitely have the multiple sessions as well as files assigned to all sessions so I would double/triple check your file logic to make sure you have the right files in the right places first

Yes, that's what I wondered too. So I started all over again to make sure I had put all the right calib frames with all the lights from the same sessions.

3 hours ago, Tomatobro said:

I had a master class given by my brother the other day on just this problem. The gain (iso) and black level of the darks, flats and dark flats must match the lights.  Process the sessions separately and then combine the results

Aha! That must be it. I just checked and the flats are at gain 100 and the lights are at 105. Annoying because I used NINA's flats wizard (and you would think the NINA developers would know that the gain has to be the same!). 

So if I process the two sessions separately, that will give me two separate result.FITS files (one for each session). How would I combine those?

Edited March 8, 2022 by StuartT

[Stuart1971]

10 minutes ago, StuartT said:

Yes, that's what I wondered too. So I started all over again to make sure I had put all the right calib frames with all the lights from the same sessions.

Aha! That must be it. I just checked and the flats are at gain 100 and the lights are at 105. Annoying because I used NINA's flats wizard (and you would think the NINA developers would know that the gain has to be the same!). 

So if I process the two sessions separately, that will give me two separate result.FITS files (one for each session). How would I combine those?

Use the RGB combine tool, in the tools list…👍🏼

[StuartT]

3 hours ago, Tomatobro said:

The gain (iso) and black level of the darks, flats and dark flats must match the lights.

Actually, are you sure about this? I don't think the flats have to be at the same gain as the lights. That's not what the error message is saying.

In fact, re-reading it, it seems to be saying I need darks. But I never use darks in a single session stack, so why would I need them in a double session?

🤷‍♂️

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, StuartT said:

Actually, are you sure about this? I don't think the flats have to be at the same gain as the lights. That's not what the error message is saying.

In fact, re-reading it, it seems to be saying I need darks. But I never use darks in a single session stack, so why would I need them in a double session?

🤷‍♂️

You can ignore that message and carry on, if you load Darks, Flats and dark flats it won’t come up….anything less and it will, but ignore it, no need for bias..👍🏼

Edited March 9, 2022 by Stuart1971

[PeterCPC]

I have had this when I tried not using darks just flatdarks. Use darks and it will not come up.

[scotty38]

7 hours ago, StuartT said:

I just checked and the flats are at gain 100 and the lights are at 105. Annoying because I used NINA's flats wizard (and you would think the NINA developers would know that the gain has to be the same!). 

 

How did you set up in NINA as both lights capture and flats use what is set for the camera? Mine has never varied at all so if yours has it might be worth sharing your logs with them as I don't imagine that's by design and there might be something odd in the driver.

EDIT: I see you did....

Edited March 9, 2022 by scotty38

[StuartT]

Thanks everyone! I think I do have a master dark that I could use for these sessions actually (at gain 105), so maybe I'll just try that. (or just ignore the error, as you say)