EAA first steps

[Richard N]

I was until last week, 100% visual so EAA has required a lot of learning. Anyway, last night was session number 3. I now have full plate solving and I'm learning to adjust the images. Here is my rather over processed view of the Fireworks Galaxy last night. My wife and family were impressed. EAA has lots of positives albeit a bit fiddly to get working at first. I was able to view multiple objects with ease last night.

 

[PeterC65]

EAA is quite a learning curve, just like visual, but well worth it for the extra you can see and the ability to observe from indoors, particularly in this cold weather.

There isn't much contrast in your image, it looks very white. Try displaying the histogram X axis in log mode and selecting zoom, then you will be able to adjust the mid level slider to get some contrast differentiation.

It looks like you may have a couple of hot pixels (the squiggly lines on the right of the image). The SharpCap hot pixel removal function (Camera Controls pane, Preprocessing tab, Subtract Dark options) does a good job of getting rid of these. You could also use the sigma clipping live stacking algorithm (Live Staking pane, Stacking tab).

 

[Richard N]

Thanks. I was experimenting with pushing the image rather aggressively. That and ice crystals on the objective led to the rather odd (but pleasing) star dust effect. Noted on the hot pixels. Yes darks is my next step. It’s certainly been fun learning. 

[PeterC65]

I sometimes take darks but I find that the hot pixel removal function works just as well and is more convenient in that you can change the gain and exposure without having to take new darks. Darks for me sometimes do strange things to the black level, requiring me to increase the cameras offset value in order to be able to see the peak in the histogram.

 

[Richard N]

4 hours ago, PeterC65 said:

 

 

It looks like you may have a couple of hot pixels (the squiggly lines on the right of the image). The SharpCap hot pixel removal function (Camera Controls pane, Preprocessing tab, Subtract Dark options) does a good job of getting rid of these. You could also use the sigma clipping live stacking algorithm (Live Staking pane, Stacking tab).

 

Applied that setting tonight. I would never have found it myself. No more squiggles. Thanks. 

[PeterC65]

There are lots of very useful features in SharpCap, some are easy to find, some are not, but they are all explained in the user manual. It's well worth reading it cover to cover (took me two days).

Robin Glover who writes SharpCap regularly adds new features so its worth keeping up to date with the latest version. The most recent addition is planetary live stacking which has transformed EAA observation of the planets (making it possible).

 

[Richard N]

Read the manual? I'm a male in his 60s. Clearly I haven't done that... But yes I do need to do that. Not tried the planetary live stacking yet. Thanks once again for the help.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Richard N

[bosun21]

10 hours ago, PeterC65 said:

, but they are all explained in the user manual. It's well worth reading it cover to cover (took me two days).

I had a quick look at the manual and couldn’t believe how large it was. I will now read all of it during these cloudy skies.