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Pages: << 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | >> (show all) astroman68 sage Reged: 07/09/07 Loc: West Yorkshire, UK Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: MushroomBill]       #4627701 - 06/08/11 07:59 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nice, got the supernova I see... Regards, Paul Post Extras:       Uggbits sage Reged: 04/28/10 Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: haytor]       #4628128 - 06/08/11 12:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the nice feedback guys. Tel, it was at f6.3, but the frame was so noisy, I "cut out the fat" and just worked with the galaxy. Working with this reminded me of photographing Stephen's Quintet last year - there is detail to work with, and it is possible to capture a general image, but without a really good sky it is hard to get high definition between features in such a small object at f6.3. Tel, I don't think I got a better image than you, I just cropped it so it appeared bigger, making any detail easier to see in mine. Thinking of the halo surrounding the object in yours, you might be able to use the technique I use if you can follow this. Duplicate the layer -> go to "select colour range," (In a drop down menu) -> use the dropper to pick a "black" area on the frame (or one that you want darker) -> to go the layer menu, and then to layer mask "reveal section" -> hit alt while clicking on the new section that appears to reveal it -> do a high pixel gaussian blur (I do around 20 pixels) to the black and white layer mask -> click back on the normal looking copy of your frame (no the black and white layer mask) and then using curves, drag the curve down, it will dim the black areas of the image without dimming the object itself due to the layer mask. When done go to layer, flatten image, because otherwise the file will be huge (we're talking in the gb's sometimes). This is generally used to replicate flats when you haven't taken them, and if it helps that's awesome. I find it to be a useful tool, but it is rather hard to follow, and I'll try to find a link to a better explanation. Take care guys, Dan Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Uggbits]       #4628444 - 06/08/11 03:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Dan, I like that ! That looks like a mean image manipulation procedure ! I've never come across that one before but having just tried it out, this, my dear friend, has REAL promise and I think possibly represents a technique for which I've been looking for ages. Certainly my initial attempts to use it on my originally posted "Firework" image, (NGC6946), already shows significant improvement. (I won't post a modified version yet though, as I'm still working on the learning curve) Very many thanks and best regards, Tel Post Extras:       MushroomBill super member Reged: 02/26/09 Loc: Oxfordshire. UK. Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4628541 - 06/08/11 04:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the tip Dan, that looks an interesting method that I hope to try very soon. Edit: Well I would but Photoshop Elements doesn't have the select colour functionality. Time to investigate the upgrade and get scared by the price... Edited by MushroomBill (06/08/11 05:26 PM) Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: MushroomBill]       #4630394 - 06/09/11 02:40 PM Attachment (34 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've just been trialing the technique Dan, (Uggbits) provided above, and I must say I am well pleased with the results it brings, particularly to the image of NGC6946 I posted a short while ago. I'd therefore like to convey many thanks to Dan, and to say that if he has any more of his Photoshop skills to share, I'm a willing pupil ! Many thanks, Dan ! Best regards, Tel (Please feel free to compare with the original... from the same set of subs.). Edited by Tel (06/09/11 02:49 PM) Post Extras:       flboy Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/10/10 Loc: De Leon Springs, FL Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4630528 - 06/09/11 03:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nice image Tel! Between you, Alex, Uggbits(Dan), Tom, Andy and soon Dan; we're going to be seeing some great images for some time to come. These images show how important it is to have the correct imaging mount(GEM or similar style). Keep on posting!! Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: flboy]       #4631502 - 06/10/11 03:54 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi John, Thank you very much for your kind comments but praise and credit for this improvement over my original offering must of course go to Dan, (Uggbits) for his most impressive Photoshop tip from which I was able to rework my subs. It's great to see though that overall, imaging is beginning to take off in an ever increasing and pleasing manner with these Nexstar 'scopes, illustrating just what they and the folks of this forum who operate them, are capable of ! Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       Peter9 Post Laureate Reged: 10/30/08 Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4631540 - 06/10/11 05:13 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: It's great to see though that overall, imaging is beginning to take off in an ever increasing and pleasing manner with these Nexstar 'scopes, illustrating just what they and the folks of this forum who operate them, are capable of ! Best regards, Tel Never a truer word spoken. Although I am a visual observer, I love to read the exchanges between you lads, and totally enjoy looking at the ever increasingly good images you all produce. The performance you tease out of the S.E range of scopes (and others) never fails to amaze me. Keep up the good work lads. You are a credit to the forum. Regards. Peter. Post Extras:       Alex Post Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/24/08 Loc: Iowa, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Peter9]       #4631748 - 06/10/11 09:02 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Never a truer word spoken. Although I am a visual observer, I love to read the exchanges between you lads, and totally enjoy looking at the ever increasingly good images you all produce. The performance you tease out of the S.E range of scopes (and others) never fails to amaze me. Keep up the good work lads. You are a credit to the forum. Regards. Peter. With Tel at the helm! I only wish this year's weather would not be so horrible. Post Extras:       MushroomBill super member Reged: 02/26/09 Loc: Oxfordshire. UK. Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Alex Post]       #4631903 - 06/10/11 10:42 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Fingers crossed that your weather will change soon. Can't wait to see your images from the CGEM mount. I'm sure you know that you are going through the compulsory post-purchase bad weather patch. I bought my HEQ5 in November last year and then endured several months of awful weather. It changes eventually! Andy Post Extras:       TmaninTn sage Reged: 12/19/10 Loc: Nashville, TN USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: MushroomBill]       #4633165 - 06/11/11 02:14 AM Attachment (30 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   So the moon was blocking all the things I have available in my viewpoint tonight, so moon pictures I did take. First, with registax close up. F/15, 1/25 FPS, using a barlow and the Neximage cam with wAstrocapture, then processed through Registax 6. Post Extras:       TmaninTn sage Reged: 12/19/10 Loc: Nashville, TN USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: TmaninTn]       #4633173 - 06/11/11 02:28 AM Attachment (24 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   And then with the Olympus E-510 through my 6.3 focal reducer and the AE zoom lens ISO-400, 1/40th exposure time. No processing, but I'm tempted to stack some of these... Post Extras:       svtdoug sage Reged: 02/07/11 Loc: Gig Harbor, WA, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Uggbits]       #4633197 - 06/11/11 03:10 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Doug, first let me apologize - It seems I never saw this post. I was just re-reading the thread today, as I have been quite busy wrapping up a summer course and just now have a bit of free time (Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1945, great course, but of course very sad at the end). I image from my parents house, as I don't really have room for the CPC in the city. My Mom's house is a yellow/green zone (anything south is looking into the Victoria light dome, an area with ~300,000 people). I use the live view function to focus, and EOS utility with my laptop sitting outside to record the images on my computer (lets me get off the deck and stop making pesky vibrations). For your focusing I would suggest using the live view function on your XSi, set it to "bulb" and iso 1600 and then focus on the precise goto star before getting to the object itself. This makes sure the object will be centered, and also gives you a fine focus (when focusing I generally magnify 10x just to make sure I get it as tight as possible,) and always end your focus counter-clockwise so that the weight of the mirror is on the focusing mechanism. A big thing is collimation. I collimated last night (I've only owned an SCT for a year so this isn't exactly a refined process for me), and I feel it helped with the clarity. Despite this I want to point out the limitations of Alt/az in even 30 second exposures. The fact that the field is rotating means the data is being blurred, so the longer you go, the more photons you may get, but the less contrast you will have from the shifting image. Give me two shakes and I'll post a frame of m65 and 66, but first let me advise you to start off around 10-15 seconds, and just get as many images as you can. There is plenty of data available in that range, and both tracking and rotation are almost non-issues at that exposure length. Look at Alex Post's images - he's the guy that made me say "Hey, I think I can do this after all," and he did his work with mainly ten second exposures on his 8SE. Also, processing is a big part of astrophotography - at least as important as the data gathering itself. If you are just taking a ten second frame and looking at it, no there won't be much there. Even if you calibrate it with flats darks and bias frames, there won't be very many photons caught over ten seconds, so stacking and total exposure are very important. Hope you see this, and hope it helps. Once again sorry for missing it the first time (unless I already responded and missed that and my brain has gone to mush.... I was up until 4am imaging last night, so if that's the case give me a break guys :P) Regards, Dan Dan, Thanks for the reply. No problem with the delay. I understand with your classes, besides - weather has been rotten here, and then have been out of town the last 2 weeks - so no scope use in weeks. I'll give those tips a try - especially on the focus. So you are a bit north of me, but sounds like you have a fairly good dark location - which I envy. I still would like to see one of your single images if you have time. You are doing really good work and I'm trying to learn from everyone. This is a great group - very helpful. Thanks much, Doug Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4633207 - 06/11/11 03:28 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Tim, Congratulations on a couple of fine moon shots ! I copied the second, (Olympus E-510/f.6.3 image), and played a little with it in Photoshop. I didn't think that a stack would be necessary. A stand alone good image in its own right in my opinion. The only mod. I made was to sharpen it a little, get rid of the slight blue edge it presented and to me it looked absolutely fine ! Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       Viv member Reged: 06/03/11 Loc: Tabuk , Saudi Arabia Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4647721 - 06/19/11 04:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Gday all.I am am still new to here and newly reaquainting myself with my aspirations for astronomy.One being to take some nice pic's. I have had a most enjoyable night reading this thread, thanks to Alex Post.I accidentily found a great pic he took, that led me here. I feel a bit uncomfortable with EQ mounts so far,and i am thinking an SE would be more suitable for me.You guys are very inspirational and funny..I have a Canon 60D to play with. I take it,the 8SE is the way to go,or aperture reason's.If i end up going this route. Thanks again for the entertaining and informative evening. Viv Post Extras:       Arthur Dent Galactic Hitch-Hiker Reged: 10/23/08 Loc: South Yorkshire, UK Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Viv]       #4647763 - 06/19/11 04:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   G'day Viv Welcome to the fourm. The 8SE is a great scope and will certainly get you started in AP. Make sure you get a portable 12V leisure battery/power tank as the NexStar scopes simply eat AA batteries! Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Viv]       #4647772 - 06/19/11 04:51 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Viv, Glad we were able to entertain so much ! A hearty welcome to CN and to this Nexstar forum. As to your possible 'scope selection, I'd recommend that you first consider in depth where you see yourself going with it, not only now but in the future, particularly since you want to get into astrophotography. Obviously you have seen from this thread what the Nexstar 'scopes are capable of, but there are also significant drawbacks associated with their use particularly when the time comes for you to take the next step up, which, if you get the bit between your teeth, won't be long in coming. Essentially the Nexstar SEs are limited by two main factors: firstly their alt.az. mount which will only lend itself to short exposure times and secondly, the excessive backlash inherent in their spur gear drive : perfectly satisfactory for tracking when observing but not so "hot" when imaging. For these reasons, if you really want to get serious where astrophotography is concerned, the only real way to go is with either a German equatorial mount or by means of an equatorial wedge ensuring that the 'scope which you buy has, in any event, a worm gear drive as for example, with the CPC series. Hoping this helps, Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       Viv member Reged: 06/03/11 Loc: Tabuk , Saudi Arabia Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4648458 - 06/20/11 03:24 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thankyou Arther and Tel for the hearty welcome..More food for thought.. Just been reading Don G's thread on the wedge..fascinating.. I do like the nebula photo's and will probably head in that direction.I do have an Omni 150R refractor at home.It was too sexy to resist and should end up being quite good for my photographic aspirations when i get going ie more experienced. I figured the Nextstar would be good for taking to the beach or the desert when we go camping for easy setup.I am currently working in Saudi Arabia, but i'm an Aussie.I hope to get some nice photo's from this part of the world. Thanks again Viv Post Extras:       Viv member Reged: 06/03/11 Loc: Tabuk , Saudi Arabia Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4648459 - 06/20/11 03:24 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thankyou Arther and Tel for the hearty welcome..More food for thought.. Just been reading Don G's thread on the wedge..fascinating.. I do like the nebula photo's and will probably head in that direction.I do have an Omni 150R refractor at home.It was too sexy to resist and should end up being quite good for my photographic aspirations when i get going ie more experienced. I figured the Nextstar would be good for taking to the beach or the desert when we go camping for easy setup.I am currently working in Saudi Arabia, but i'm an Aussie.I hope to get some nice photo's from this paer of the world. Thanks again Viv Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Viv]       #4648464 - 06/20/11 04:06 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   With an initial greeting, like "G'day", Viv, where else would you stem from ! Just watch out for all that salt and sand ! I'm told it gets everywhere ! Best regards, Tel Edited by Tel (06/20/11 04:34 AM) Post Extras:       Pages: << 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | >> (show all)

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