paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Hi all I had another go at the M31, I had a look at Jerry Lodriguss DVD and his PP skills are a lot better than mine. The image is 60x60 seconds still looks pathetic but it’s a bit better than my 1st one I still couldn’t see it so I did not expect much. Here is one of the subs and what I ended up with,,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
60 x 60 sec subs
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
Nils_Lars
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 983
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
|
|
M31 is a hard target to start with , stars look nice and round and the sky is black but I think you cliped the data , I think if you reprocess but watch the histogram to make sure the hill never gets cut off on the left side.
Its really tough in the begining but dont give up , it pays off.
--------------------
Erik
Orion ED 80
Orion Atlas GOTO mount
Williams Optics reducer
Various eyepieces and other gear
Baytronix 80mm guidescope
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D (unmodded)
Stilleto Focuser
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://home.comcast.net/~eriknlarsen/site/?/photos/
|
nofxrx
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 1458
Loc: palm bay,florida
|
|
Paul could you post the file straight out of whatever stacking SW you are using(obviously have to convert it to Jpeg to post here).It may help me help you find the right way to dim down the LP without clipping all that good DATA..
Do you have PS(any version),if so,get Noels actions for PS,it is a life saver and will make the processing learning curve a joyride!!Trust me,I am kicking myself for not getting it when I first started...
If you dont have PS,try and make that your next AP buy...Elements can be had for pretty cheap(well I know some sites where you can get any PS for free but that is not what I would consider to be ethical...but my brother in law doesnt think that way...  )anyways!!.. it is a very good start,looks ten times better than my 10th attempt,seriously.
Keep shooting!!
--------------------
Brent Oliver
3 Wonderful dogs: Sadie, Kara and Ozzie
Celestron C10-N///C9.25///Orion 80ED///WO ZS66SD White
Celestron CI-700 & ASGT Eq. Mounts
Nikon D40Xa///SBIG ST-402ME/Class 1/CFW///DSI-PRO...
My Gallery
Ohh yeah,and a VERY undersanding wife!! 
|
Wouter D'hoye
sage
Reged: 06/27/03
Posts: 370
Loc: Belgium
|
|
Hi,
This actually looks quite good. I mean the single image. I seriously stretched it in PS and it already contains quite some data. The biggest problem is the very bright background. This also causes the vignetting to be very well visible. The final image however is severely overprocessed... You totally clipped the background. Be very careful when editing the histogram. You might also take a look at editing the curve of the image. This allows you to bring out certain brightnes levels more and suppressing others. For example lowering the background, enhancing the midtones (data) and keeping the highlights at bay.
Keep up the good work,
Wouter.
wouter.
--------------------
4" f/8.8 Vixen Fluorite on GP-DX
SBIG ST-7 + CFW8a + Baader CLRGB-filters
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Thank you very much for trying to help me with this, I do have CS3 and I used DSS to stack the images.Can you let me know where I can buy Noels Actions and any other software I may need. I use DSS on it’s standard settings I just load the lights and darks and then stack the images and then save the file, is that ok ?. And here is the the stacked image,,,Paul.
Edited by paul11 (10/14/08 04:29 AM)
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Edit on the above I did change a couple of settings in DSS and this made the image come out grey instead of red/pink,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
Wouter D'hoye
sage
Reged: 06/27/03
Posts: 370
Loc: Belgium
|
|
Hi,
Looks better already. I would say this is an image ready for further processing... What format do you use to import it to PS? Don't use JPEG. You will lose too much data. Use TIFF or something with lossless compression or even better no compression at all...
In PS start playing with histogram, curves, brightness and contrast. Quite soon you will get the hang of it.. Dont worry about experimenting... As long as you don't save over the original nothing is lost. You will be amazed what can be pulled out from an image.
wouter.
--------------------
4" f/8.8 Vixen Fluorite on GP-DX
SBIG ST-7 + CFW8a + Baader CLRGB-filters
|
Adrena1in
sage
Reged: 09/02/07
Posts: 275
Loc: Hampshire, UK
|
|
What sort of skies do you have there in Essex? Looks pretty light-polluted, and the arms of M31 are quite faint and might get lost in the pollution. Perhaps investigate a light-pollution filter? Can you actually see M31 with the naked eye?
My skies in Winchester, Hampshire, aren't too bad, but light-pollution still gets to be a problem. I'm going to get a filter in the next day or two to see what sort of difference it makes.
Keep trying though, you'll end up being very pleased with your results. I've tried 7 or 8 times to get M31, and only really started getting what I would call acceptable on my latest attempts.
--------------------
Phenix 102mm f/5.9, Phenix 127mm f/9.5 and Orion ST80 f/5 refractors on EQ5 with GOTOStar
Phillips SPC900NC, Meade DSI-C, Canon EOS 450D with 18-55mm IS, 28-105mm and 75-300mm plus 2x TC
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Quote:
Hi,
Looks better already. I would say this is an image ready for further processing... What format do you use to import it to PS? Don't use JPEG. You will lose too much data. Use TIFF or something with lossless compression or even better no compression at all...
In PS start playing with histogram, curves, brightness and contrast. Quite soon you will get the hang of it.. Dont worry about experimenting... As long as you don't save over the original nothing is lost. You will be amazed what can be pulled out from an image.
wouter.
Hi,the saved file is a 58mb Tiff the problem is i don't really know where to start,,,Paul. 
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Quote:
What sort of skies do you have there in Essex? Looks pretty light-polluted, and the arms of M31 are quite faint and might get lost in the pollution. Perhaps investigate a light-pollution filter? Can you actually see M31 with the naked eye?
My skies in Winchester, Hampshire, aren't too bad, but light-pollution still gets to be a problem. I'm going to get a filter in the next day or two to see what sort of difference it makes.
Keep trying though, you'll end up being very pleased with your results. I've tried 7 or 8 times to get M31, and only really started getting what I would call acceptable on my latest attempts.
Hi, on the night I took this image it was almost a full moon I could not see the M31 with the naked eye or through the scope. As far as LP goes I don’t think I’m in a very good area about 20 miles from central London,i have got a LP filter and i did take some images using it.This image is 7x10 minutes with the LP filter stacked in DSS and saved as a tiff,,,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
Edited by paul11 (10/14/08 07:11 AM)
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
If anyone would like to have a go at processing these images that's ok by me,,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
Rammysherriff
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 1967
Loc: Lancs, UK.
|
|
Hi Paul
you've done well in the circumstances - light pollution and moonlight just make galaxies really hard work, even with an LP filter.
I've tried taking out the gradient/background with Pixinsight dynamic background extractor, but it's hard to get anything much better than you have already done so don't be too hard on yourself.
Maybe shoot a few clusters, and leave galaxies for moonless nights/darker sites?
NB - your image with filter in place; I'm not sure what filter you're using but is it made for AP or visual use? There's virtually no red channel at all.
Are you shooting through the LX90 by the way - the heavy vignetting makes it hard to get the best from what there is. Drop me a line if I can help further.
--------------------
Simon.
One man and his shed: http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb288/Astroshed/
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Hi Simon these images were shot using the Equinox 80mm, I don’t know if my LP filter is for AP or not it’s an Orion Ultra Block Filter and as you say it lets through no red.I can only see NE-NW from my back garden where I do my AP so I can image in that direction only, if you have any ideas of the best things to image please let me know, thanks,,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
Edited by paul11 (10/14/08 12:09 PM)
|
Nils_Lars
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 983
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
|
|
Try posting the 58mb Tiff on Mediafire.com and put the link up here on this thread well give it a go.
--------------------
Erik
Orion ED 80
Orion Atlas GOTO mount
Williams Optics reducer
Various eyepieces and other gear
Baytronix 80mm guidescope
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D (unmodded)
Stilleto Focuser
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://home.comcast.net/~eriknlarsen/site/?/photos/
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?gmqymdzzjj2This is the link to the grey image 58mb.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
Edited by paul11 (10/14/08 04:25 PM)
|
Adrena1in
sage
Reged: 09/02/07
Posts: 275
Loc: Hampshire, UK
|
|
I've not checked the TIFF files, but to be honest, is it really worth trying something as tricky as M31 when the full moon is out? I'm not asking you Paul, I'm asking the general populace. I wouldn't bother...I'd target the moon at times like that instead. You really do want the darkest skies possible to attempt M31 I think.
--------------------
Phenix 102mm f/5.9, Phenix 127mm f/9.5 and Orion ST80 f/5 refractors on EQ5 with GOTOStar
Phillips SPC900NC, Meade DSI-C, Canon EOS 450D with 18-55mm IS, 28-105mm and 75-300mm plus 2x TC
|
Nils_Lars
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 983
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
|
|
Sorry I forgot about this thread ill take a whack at it once im home , I say get out and shoot no matter what since you will always learn from it.
--------------------
Erik
Orion ED 80
Orion Atlas GOTO mount
Williams Optics reducer
Various eyepieces and other gear
Baytronix 80mm guidescope
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D (unmodded)
Stilleto Focuser
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://home.comcast.net/~eriknlarsen/site/?/photos/
|
Rammysherriff
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 1967
Loc: Lancs, UK.
|
|
Hi again Paul
I think your filter is for visual use - I have one also and recognise the blue cast you get. Best get an AP filter or you'll struggle to get the colour balance right and they block loads of light I think. I now use Astronomik CLS which is ok for me.
Vignetting - are you using a 2" t-ring from the camera? Not sure why you get the looking down a plughole effect.
Otherwise as Adrenalin says, you're up against it with bad LP and moonlight for galaxies.
Praps try M52, Bubble nebula, M27, any other clusters if they're in your fov, as they have higher surface brightness to help you along?
Your set of 60x 60 looked good - you've got the right idea, so praps use the same technique on an easier target, sure you'll be rewarded for your efforts!
--------------------
Simon.
One man and his shed: http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb288/Astroshed/
|
paul11
sage
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Essex UK.
|
|
Quote:
Hi again Paul
I think your filter is for visual use - I have one also and recognise the blue cast you get. Best get an AP filter or you'll struggle to get the colour balance right and they block loads of light I think. I now use Astronomik CLS which is ok for me.
Vignetting - are you using a 2" t-ring from the camera? Not sure why you get the looking down a plughole effect.
Otherwise as Adrenalin says, you're up against it with bad LP and moonlight for galaxies.
Praps try M52, Bubble nebula, M27, any other clusters if they're in your fov, as they have higher surface brightness to help you along?
Your set of 60x 60 looked good - you've got the right idea, so praps use the same technique on an easier target, sure you'll be rewarded for your efforts!
Hi Simon I ordered a CLS filter today it’s the clip in type that goes in the DSLR. I was going to ask about the plughole effect I don’t get that effect when I use a Canon lens on my camera but I do get it when I connect it to the scope. Is this because I am using an 11/4” t- ring, will a 2” fix this,,,,,Paul.
--------------------
LX90-10" Canon 350D Toucam 840K Barn-door tracker
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
