Pleiades tonight.

[LaurenceT]

Another step forward tonight, first time I managed to organise guiding so increased subs to 120 seconds up from 60 seconds. Still haven't bitten the calibration files yet so that's my next adventure!

60x120secs subs, WO Z61, Asi533 MCPro, Evoguide 50ED with asi 120mm mini, Asiair Pro, Skywatcher EQ5 Goto. Processed in APP, DxoLab, Lightroom and Topaz.

I wasn't sure about using a filter so I stuck on a Baader Moon and Skyglow filter to see what happens!

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by LaurenceT

[Elp]

A good result as you've also eeked out some of the nebulosity too. You don't need a filter for Pleiades you can shoot as is, and for a bit more finer detail use a luminence or a UV/IR cut filter and apply it as a luminence layer.

[LaurenceT]

22 hours ago, Elp said:

A good result as you've also eeked out some of the nebulosity too. You don't need a filter for Pleiades you can shoot as is, and for a bit more finer detail use a luminence or a UV/IR cut filter and apply it as a luminence layer.

Thinking more about this, I'd have to decide which Astronomik L filter to get (I'm currently researching this) and whether there would be any advantage of a fairly expensive luminance filter over my cheap Svbony UV/IR cut filter.

Also, could you please explain to this novice what you mean by "apply as a luminance layer "?

Thanks again for your help and advice.

[Elp]

1 hour ago, LaurenceT said:

"apply as a luminance layer "

Do you use GIMP or PS? I assume it's similar in other programs.

Your RGB colour image will in simplest form be on one layer once complete. When you produce the luminence layer you put that at the top of your layer tree and change it's blend mode from "normal" to "luminosity".

Luminosity is like a multiplication factor of a colours brightness level taking the RGB data from below it, but for the purposes of AP a luminence layer by cutting the UV and IR signal from your camera removes any bloat from mostly the red channel (as that is where IR is closest to), by doing this you'll see the luminence layer is slightly more finely detailed than raw RGB. Your RGB can be fairly poor in terms of detail, the luminence on top tightens it all back in. When shooting mono people typically do short times for R G and B, but spend the majority on L for this reason.

Using hydrogen alpha as a luminence layer also works very well but this depends on the target (it wouldn't work on galaxies for example).

[AstroNebulee]

It looks brilliant Laurence, well done. Calibration files are pretty easy really, just compile your darks library anytime and then just fire off your flat and dark flats at the end of the session. A tracing pad from amazon is fine for flats don't cost much. Doing flats and dark flats on the asiair pro are simple. Just use the the auto flats option for your flats and then for dark flats put cap on, select darks on the AAP and select the same exposure time that your flats were. Not sure on how to combine in App but easy in dss. 

Though your image looks great without the calibration files 👍

Lee 

 

[LaurenceT]

1 hour ago, AstroNebulee said:

It looks brilliant Laurence, well done. Calibration files are pretty easy really, just compile your darks library anytime and then just fire off your flat and dark flats at the end of the session. A tracing pad from amazon is fine for flats don't cost much. Doing flats and dark flats on the asiair pro are simple. Just use the the auto flats option for your flats and then for dark flats put cap on, select darks on the AAP and select the same exposure time that your flats were. Not sure on how to combine in App but easy in dss. 

Though your image looks great without the calibration files 👍

Lee 

 

Thanks for your encouragement Lee 👍