Okay this time I won't get frustrated!

[CKemu]

I have ranted and raved thanks to focus, and DSS' in-ability to process my images (thanks primarily to my focusing skills, or lack of there in).

Tonight had a brief window with Orion, no supernova from old Betelgeuse tonight, but the Great Orion Nebula was fantastic to observe through the scope, so I mounted my Nikon D300, and my f4-5.6 300mm lens and had enough time to take 90 shots, which at 10 seconds per shot, gives me a clean 15 minutes worth of exposure.

I spent abit more time focusing this evening, and whilst I'd argue that the shots are far from perfect focus, they are better than previous attempts.

Below is a reduced size "Sub" or "Light" frame:

Shot Info: ISO: 1250 / f.stop: 5.6 / Shutter: 10 seconds / mm: 300 / Location: Lincoln, UK - Stars "twinkling" and light pollution is fairly strong.

As I said, I have 90 shots, 10 darks, and once I learn flats and bias, I might one day have some of them.

I got the BETA of DSS, as it handles NEF files, my thanks to forum users here for pointing the beta out to me.

DSS is currently showing me:

Its somewhat underwhelming, so what do I do from here, specifically for a shot like mine?

[kentronix]

I found this page fantastically easy to follow :-

Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum • View topic - Superb Processing Tutorial

My first DSO (orion like you) was only about a week ago so I am learning just as you are.

The link (which I agree with) basically suggests to adjust the RGB/k levels so the colours are roughly even, leave the luminance, then use levels in photoshop to do the rest. Leave everything open and save lots of backups so you can go back and try another go.

I am not the man for the job , still a total newb to it, but it looks like you have a fair bit of light captured there. Focus may mean you wont get the detail but I think there is promise.

ps, sorry if I was moody in the other thread, as a software developer myself I probably get a bit defensive big hugs

[CKemu]

Thankyou for the link, extremely usefull reading. I understand your software developer angle, whilst not a developer myself, I have worked with programmers on a few projects as a betatester, and undestand the passion!

You have the privilage (or misfortune), of seeing my first vaguely okay image from the world of DSO photography.

Meet Fuzzy M42!

[msinclairinork]

Good read and good pic!

You are well on your way here now!

I personaly never bother doing any post processing using DSS, I just head straight for PS after it's stacked. You can see from your DSS sreen shot though that the RGB is out of alignment. But this can be solved in PS too. Auto align in PS works somtimes.

I think you could keep processing this one in PS and bring out a bit more yet, and remove the light poloution.

Keep at it! You are off to a great start!

Michael