TeamGS
Post Laureate
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Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 3073
Loc: Elk Grove, CA
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John's post here showing his great improvement in 1 year gave me an idea. I think it might be helpful and heartening to beginning imagers to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  While it all may seem overwhelming at first, one should be aware that no one starts out with "Gendler quality" pics, and that substantial improvement can be made in a relatively short time with knowledge and practice.
So...why not post links or pics showing your improvement? Post one of your first images, then the latest. The same object and equipment would be preferable, but if not, something similar, such as two galaxies, nebula, clusters, etc. Please note if your equipment has changed significantly.
Having said that, I will start it off with two M13's. M13 was one of the first objects I imaged with my new MX7-C last May, and is one of my latest, exactly 1 year apart! The camera and scope are still the same, but I have stopped using the selfguiding features of the camera, and now use a seperate guidescope and guide camera. I also now use AstroArt to capture and process my images, and not the Starlight Xpress software from the first image. I also take many more sub exposures per image. I had my first child right after getting my camera last year, so I really haven't had that many nights imaging. My stuff will never be confused with Gendlers's, et. al, but at least I am going in the right direction. 
M13 Old
M13 New
Regards,
Gary
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Celestron 80ED
Losmandy G11
NexStar 80
Starlight Xpress SXV-H9
SXV guidehead, ToUcam 840
http://www.teamgs.org/astrophotography.htm
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Blueshark928
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/19/04
Posts: 2853
Loc: Crownsville, MD
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Those are great improvemnents Gary! Considering your using the same equipement more so than mine.
Have you noticed that people who start in spring usually do M13 as a first image and people who start in fall use M42?
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John
SV-102APO
SV-80/9d
Losmandy G11
HX-916
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TeamGS
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 3073
Loc: Elk Grove, CA
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Yes I did notice that. I think because they are so bright and easy to see. Unfortunately, they aren't the easiest to image properly. I think M27, M57, M16 etc, are much easier.
Regards,
Gary
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Celestron 80ED
Losmandy G11
NexStar 80
Starlight Xpress SXV-H9
SXV guidehead, ToUcam 840
http://www.teamgs.org/astrophotography.htm
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ScottS
sage
Reged: 04/01/05
Posts: 327
Loc: Central Ohio
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I think your older, a year ago image is way better then my not so older, more recent image. It is good to see how others have improved. Now I just have to figure out how to do the same... improve that is. Thanks for the uplifting and energizing post, it makes me want to try harder. I just have to figure out how!
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Celestron EdgeHD 11 Pro
Celestron CGE1100 XLT
Celestron C80 ED APO
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS XLT
ST-2000XM w/CFW8A Filter Wheel
Celestron F/6.3 & F/3.3 Focal Reducer
Meade Zero Shift Micro Focuser
Meade #647 Flip-Mirror System 2" w/UHTC
DSI Pro w/Filter & DSI Color
Canon 5D MarkII un-modified
Kendrick 2081 Power Pack 12v 18aH
Kendrick Premier Dew Controller
Telrad Reflex Sight Finder
MaxIm DL, Starry Night Pro Plus
http://www.teamastro.com
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CigTech
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/28/04
Posts: 1271
Loc: Largo, Fl
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Here is my go at the Moon.
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Keep looking up,
CigTech
Orion AstroView 120mm
LXD55-Autostar Pier
Meade LPI
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Paul Rix
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/06/04
Posts: 3421
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These were taken with the ETX70 and NexImage webcam.. (all are thumbnails.. click on them for full size images).
Saturn first attempt January 2005
Saturn March 2005.
First attempt at jupiter. January 2005
Two shots of Jupiter March 2005.
April saw the arrival of our new telescope.. 10in LX200..
I am pretty happy with my progress so far, but I still have a long way to go yet.
Edited by Paul Rix (06/03/05 09:44 AM)
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scupking
sage
Reged: 05/22/05
Posts: 200
Loc: Enfield, CT
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Some awesome pics Paul
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Stellarvue SV102ED
Orion Apex 127 (for sale)
Orion ST80
Mounts:
Vixen Porta mount
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werper
member
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 80
Loc: S.E. Wisconsin
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Great shots! I'm consistently amazed at what amateurs are able to image these days. I'm 41 years old. When I was about 6, my parents gave me a very high quality hard cover atlas for Christmas (that I still have to this day) that included "state of the art" observatory images of the planets. What we are able to do today in our back yards, in light polluted skies, with MUCH smaller scopes and a modest investment, blows those old 1960's images in my atlas away!! I'm seeing newbies capture images that are FAR superior, and to me, I find that simply amazing.
I am now the proud owner of a humble little DSI, and I could not be more delighted about my first attempts with it. While my images have a long way to go to compare with many of the fantastic imagery found here, (or the somewhat overly optimistic Meade DSI ads for that matter) I'm very happy with my first attempts and excited about the raw capabilities of the technology now at my personal disposal.
What a great time we live in, to be involved in this wonderful hobby!
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Thomas Bardenwerper
Celestron C8-N on a Roboscoped Vixen Polaris GEM - the BorgScope
Celestron C4.5
Lomo 60 MAK
Meade DSI-C
Meade 11x80 Binoculars plus a few other binos
Olympus E-20 digital SLR
Olympus OM-2 and several other 35mm SLRs.
Minolta Scan Dual III 35mm film scanner and a couple hi-res flat bed scanners
Six networked PCs plus a few others
Two astro dogs
Few empty bank accounts
One incurable case of TFS (Techno Freak Syndrome)
One VERY understanding wife who loves me!
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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I managed to get a bit of imaging in during mid-April, and again in mid-May.
M3 - same image. First processing try 4/19, second go at the same subs May 15. (DSI-C)
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
Edited by Hoser (06/03/05 04:42 AM)
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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Same story on M13. Same subs. First try at processing May 11, second on May 15. (DSI-Pro)
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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M51, DSI-C. First image, 4/25. Added some more luminance shots with the DSI-Pro on 5/13.
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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M101. First image of a galaxy for me on 4/16 (DSI-C), second on 5/16 with the DSI-Pro.
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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Quote:
These were taken with the ETX70 and NexImage webcam..
I am pretty happy with my progress so far, but I still have a long way to go yet.
I love your Jupiter, Paul. Do you have a copy of Photoshop? I gave it (and Saturn) a whirl - some levels, curves, brightness/contrast, and saturation adjustments.
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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Paul Rix
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/06/04
Posts: 3421
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Thanks Neil! No, I don't have Photoshop (The thumbnails look good (any chance you could tweak the full size versions?). Those two shots were taken with the LX200 btw.
Your DSI images are quite frankly superb. That DSI Pro seems to give have given you quite an increase in image quality! Great work.
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description
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/09/04
Posts: 2159
Loc: Estonia, Tallinn
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Thats a good idea, Gary! Excellent images posted so far!
As I'm pretty new to astronomy and imaging i would like to show others my improvement also.
My first try with the ToUCam II Pro on March 14 if im right. Taken with TAL-1 (110mm Newtonian) at FL 2415mm. That looks pretty bad comparing to the shots i can take now. Well atleast i was happy to get the cloud belts
This one is taken on April 18. A month after my first attempt. The progress is visible for sure. This is the best image i have managed to take so far. The weather has just been terrible lately 
Some Saturn shots too. This one is taken on March 14 too. I got the ring for sure 
As you can see this one is taken on April 17. Again a month after the first light images. The Cassini division is visible for now and the polar cap as well as the equatorial belt are visible too.
A month in planetary imaging can make miracles!
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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Quote:
Thanks Neil! No, I don't have Photoshop (The thumbnails look good (any chance you could tweak the full size versions?). Those two shots were taken with the LX200 btw.
Your DSI images are quite frankly superb. That DSI Pro seems to give have given you quite an increase in image quality! Great work.
Many thanks, Paul!
Yep...processing is a lot of the story. The only difference in the first two shots (M3 and M13) is the processing. I'd love to have your added aperture! You really can't see much visually here in Boston through a 5" refractor!
The last two do have the added advantage of the increased resolution and sensitivity of the Pro. Overall, I like/use the Pro more now. On the downside, I'm not entirely sure, but it seems like it is more sensitive to temperature changes for the dark frames. I get far more noise, and I have a couple of moderately large dead pixel areas. And the filters in that slide holder are NOT parfocal - which is a pain. The sensor is also far more exposed to the external environment - which means dust! On the positive side, I've found some excellent tools with which to clean the sensors directly. The swab comes sealed in a "clean-environment", and the liquid is great too. Not cheap, but then I wanna take care of the sensor. They typically use these to clean DSLR sensors directly.
I'd be delighted to tweak! Just send them to me at neilfleming@hotmail.com.
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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AnimeEd
member
Reged: 05/26/05
Posts: 64
Loc: Vancouver, BC
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Quote:
Same story on M13. Same subs. First try at processing May 11, second on May 15. (DSI-Pro)
Just wondering
What did you do differently that made such a significant outcome
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Mirror-less
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Hoser
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Boston, MA
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Quote:
Quote:
Same story on M13. Same subs. First try at processing May 11, second on May 15. (DSI-Pro)
Just wondering
What did you do differently that made such a significant outcome
The first shot was the very best I could do at that time. Then I discovered DDP processing. MaxIm, Astra Image, and a few more image processing programs have it.
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www.flemingastrophotography.com
Brilliant diamonds in pea soup
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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They are all so freaking awesome, and it's a terribly wonderful time to live in. I want a DSI thing, and I'll get one perhaps. I've been using a regular digi canon, and thought my mars shot was clever, remember not to laugh at the stupid one. This beginning image is the most active forum I've seen on here lately.
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thelittleman
Vendor (Peter's Actions)
Reged: 05/21/05
Posts: 4079
Loc: Hampshire, UK
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I might as well join in the fun too I suppose...
Anyway, here you are. Just one month apart. The best one (the bottom if you didnt realise) has the GRS just visible in the bottom RH corner. First taken 21/May/05, Best taken 10/Jun/05
Both with a 4 1/2" OPTRONS   AAAAAHH! (that I have by the way sorted out to a fairly good)scope, and NexImage. 15 seconds video for both. The second has 2x 15secs combined. Processed in Registax and finally touched up (not a lot though) in Micrografx Photo Magic (freeware).
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Clear Skies,
Peter
Photoshop Tutorials and Actions! New actions now added
Preprocessing in Iris Tutorial
http://peter-morris.magix.net/
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