Newbie M31 & M42 at Full Moon 07/12/2022

[imakebeer]

I got out last night for what feels like the first time in ages and finally got a decent few hours to put my new gear through its paces. I've posted some previous DSO attempts with my Nikon D5500 + 18-300mm lens on a fixed tripod (here and here), but I've now upgraded my gear to a SW150PDS + HEQ5, and I wan't going to be deterred by the full moon. Or the street lights. Or the Xmas lights! I had a go doing some planetary and lunar first but these have turned out poor. Then I moved on to some DSO...

I started with M31 and my Canon 450D - 30 x 60s at ISO 400 lights - but the battery died so I never got a change to take any dark frames which I think shows in the output 😭😭😭 Nevertheless I put it through Sequator and GIMP and here's the result - I need to work more on post processing and next time I'll do a better job of capturing (any advice welcome!). But it's a big step forward from my previous attempts with a DSLR on a fixed tripod!

 

I had to swap out the Canon for my trusty D5500 and since Orion was coming up I figured I'd have a bash at M42. I have to say I'm super chuffed with this for a newbie! I don't know how much is luck, how much is the camera (much more modern than the 450D) or what - but even in the raw light frames the colours and these twinkly-star-shaped stars (what do you call that by the way?). 60 x 15s at ISO 400 lights PLUS 10 dark frames! 😁😁😁 Sequator again to stack and some random twiddling in GIMP - again, all suggestions and advice welcome (I think the next logical step is to try M31 with the Nikon):

[Rallemikken]

24 minutes ago, imakebeer said:

I don't know how much is luck, how much is the camera (much more modern than the 450D)

Congrats, not bad at all! As for the camera, I don't think the 450D lacks much behind the Nikon, after all, the Orion nebula is the brightest DSO out there, with a 10 or 12" reflector you can even see the colors. Do both, with the other camera, and see what the result will be. And try to dip your feet into Siril and DSS, in the long run both will serve you better than Sequator. For a long time I stacked ALL my images in all three, and processed each full out in Gimp. Rather hit-and-miss, but at least I got three versions to choose from.

[imakebeer]

Thanks @Rallemikken 👍 Lots of things to learn, but yes I'd like to get the hang of DSS at some point.

I haven't heard of Siril before though - what does it add that DSS and Sequator don't?

[Rallemikken]

2 hours ago, imakebeer said:

what does it add that DSS and Sequator don't?

Total control, and the ability to view and handpick the frames you should throw out. Consistent stacks.  Every option is explained in detail, and after a while you actually learn what the application does, and what the settings means and does. Not just random results based on options explained and recommended in forums and on youtube. But it takes time. I've stacked 50 images on Siril the last year, and I'm finally confident in the most basic use of the app. I don't use Sequator at all today, and I very seldom fire up DSS. Now and then to compare, the last image in my collection that was finally stacked with DSS was from april. Since then Siril has always had the lead, and I rarely do a DSS-stack.