First Saturn capture this year

[astromerlin]

I've spent the last couple of months playing with kit setup for DSO's with varying success but still with disappointing results, probably because my target was the horsehead in Orion.

So i've returned to the SW250 setup with a 3x barlow and SPC880/900 and wanted to try Sharpcap properly. I found the focusing score was a great help once I understood how it works.

A total of 3000 subs processed in Registax and finally stacked 800

Quite pleased how it turned out since I just plonked the scope on the mount and imaged straight away, well after an hours cooldown.

[Cordulegaster]

Great picture. I was looking at Saturn last night with my 80mm APO refractor but nowhere near this level of detail.

Thanks for sharing it.

[astromerlin]

Thanks Cordulegaster, I think last years collimation frenzy has paid off.

[Space Cowboy]

Very nice Merlin! Storm detail very good. Another reason I need to try sharpcap..that focussing aid sounds good. Have you tried 5x barlow?

[astromerlin]

A 5x barlow is on the list of things to get. Whilst doing some processing today i'd taken some images using my preferred capture software and method and they didn't have the same quality or level of detail so a visual focusing aid whilst tweaking the scope and software is a great help, Sharpcap now Icon'ed with my other capture software.

[Spikey]

That's a great pic.

How do you use the focus score?

[Martin-Devon]

same question from me -what is the "focusing score" - sounds very handy!

[astromerlin]

Hi, Sorry for delayed posting I've been without internet access.

I'm not sure if it is the correct way to use the focus score on SharpCap but this is how I did it..

In Sharpcap there's a dropdown box usually labeled "No Transform" if you drop down the list select "Focus Score" and you get a window along the bottom under the webcam image. The score changes rapidly and I adjusted my focuser for the lowest number possible, the score color changes to red.

Once I was happy with the setting I readjusted the gain and brightness to get the focus score number as low as I can. You will find the image is quite bright and at this stage I selected in the dropdown "Over Exposed" which will shown in red directly on the webcam image if the image is hitting the top in exposure.

So my main aim was to get as low a number on the focus score with going overexposed. I started the capture and later, stacked it in Registax with an rgb align and a little tweak on the number 2-3 wavelets and a fair bit of reducing the brightness.

[JB80]

Lovely picture

I have read a couple of interesting things about sharpcap today, certainly worth remembering. Thankyou for the info too