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Pages: << 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | >> (show all) Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Alex Post]       #4674920 - 07/05/11 10:10 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Alex, If that Off Axis Guider DOES work, I wish Celestron would let me in on the act ! However, from what I've experienced with this piece of kit, I would advise others to stay well clear of it. In my view, with all the complexities of operation it invokes, it deserves to go the way of the wedge. As to your image of M27: I respect your opinions as always without question. Best regards, Tel Edited by Tel (07/05/11 10:12 AM) Post Extras:       Alex Post Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/24/08 Loc: Iowa, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4675081 - 07/05/11 11:40 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Can't get any more data for now, so I was stil going over my M27 data. One thing that still blows my mind is that with just a simple little mirror we can see very faint stars. So, I took a piece to the low left off the nebula and tried matching it with the Stellarium database. It appears, that in that 1 hour worth of 30 second shots I can clearly get to Mag 18 (calibrate your monitors gentlemen, I could not see that 17.95 star on one of mine at first). Just to think how little light that star is shining and us being able to see it, is amazing. I also believe we can get to Mag 20 or better with the C8. Post Extras:       Skip Starlifter Driver Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Alex Post]       #4675229 - 07/05/11 01:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Amazing Alex! So you have ordered the Orion ST-80. I'm anxious to hear how it all works out. See below if you want a light-weight approach. Tel, ol' buddy, Have you looked into the new Orion 50mm mini-guide scope package? Some folks on the DSLR forum are liking it. Guide scope: here. Magnificant mini-guider package: here. The UK has a few Orion dealers. I'm sure the prices are quite a bit higher there than here. But thought you might want to consider it. Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Skip]       #4675275 - 07/05/11 01:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Skip, Many thanks for the information on the Orion Magnificent Autoguider. I was actually aware of it as a complete unit, (i.e. supplied in the UK with an auto-guiding camera).... very nice and compact .... but .... at about £300 ($480) ! Being the miserly character that I am therefore, and having failed miserably to get my long standing but never formerly used Off Axis Guider to work, I have been trying of late to combine my RACI finder with a Meade DSI, modelling this on the Orion concept. My attempts, as with the OAG have however proved fruitless so I'm at present looking into the possibilty of using a "Gemini" bar to link the OTA of my Nexstar 8i with my 4" refractor, which I believe will serve as the guide 'scope. If this proves feasible and I see no real reason why it shouldn't, then the "Gemini" bar will cost me a much lesser £85 ($136) plus if necessary, the cost of an extra counterweight. Many thanks once again for the tip though, very much appreciated. Best regardss, Tel Post Extras:       svtdoug sage Reged: 02/07/11 Loc: Gig Harbor, WA, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4677526 - 07/06/11 05:52 PM Attachment (27 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ok, here is M27 - the Dumbbell from last night. Boy, this is fun! This was taken with a 8SE on the 8SE Mount! 120 - 20 second subs, 20 darks, with my Canon XSi and 6.3 focal reducer. Seeing was pretty good, finally. Processed with DSS, and tweaked a bit (maybe too much) with Gimp. I tried some new things, using Levels and Curves, and Unsharp Mask a bit. Considering I am in the Orange to Yellow LP zone, and using the stock mount, I am thrilled to be able to get a photo like this in my driveway. I may be hooked for good... Comments and suggestions please. Thanks for looking! Doug Post Extras:       Alex Post Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/24/08 Loc: Iowa, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4677760 - 07/06/11 08:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Beautiful Dumbbell Post Extras:       Peter9 Post Laureate Reged: 10/30/08 Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Alex Post]       #4678288 - 07/07/11 04:29 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Great image Doug. All credit to you. Thanks for posting. Regards. Peter. Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Peter9]       #4678298 - 07/07/11 04:42 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Doug, Looks like you're hooked already ! If not, you should be after such a great capture ! It certainly can be done from the N8SE's standard Alt./Az mount so long as those exposure times are kept short. (In many cases they can be artificially extended during processing to good effect) ! Congratulations on a fine image ! Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       flboy Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/10/10 Loc: De Leon Springs, FL Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4678363 - 07/07/11 06:44 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That's a sweet image Doug! Post Extras:       haytor Pooh-Bah Reged: 11/29/07 Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK. Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: flboy]       #4678403 - 07/07/11 07:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   A very good image oof M27 Doug, looking forward to seeing many more from you. Regards, Tom. Post Extras:       Skip Starlifter Driver Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4679034 - 07/07/11 01:55 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Outstanding M27, Doug! Very nice round stars, lots of color. Excellent work! Post Extras:       svtdoug sage Reged: 02/07/11 Loc: Gig Harbor, WA, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Skip]       #4679110 - 07/07/11 02:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks guys for your encouragement and kind words. Yes, I am hooked. Can't wait for the next imaging session. One thing taken from this last image and from my limited experience, it seems that one of the keys to successful imaging (at least with the 8SE mount) is to get as many exposures as possible. Seems the quality really went up when I went from 30 exposures to 120. Further experimentation will need to be done to see if you can get an improvement by going to say 250 exposures. I think Uggbits has used this to great advantage. Anyway, thanks again for the comments. This really is the best forum I have ever been involved in! Doug Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4679370 - 07/07/11 05:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Doug, You are basically looking at a signal to noise ratio when considering the number of frames to shoot. I just wondered therefore, if this website might explain your various options (?) http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/SIGNAL.HTM Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       svtdoug sage Reged: 02/07/11 Loc: Gig Harbor, WA, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4679699 - 07/07/11 07:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Tel. I appreciate the link - and nice explanation. It also reminds me to go through Jerry's website (and book) in more detail, now that I am a bit more involved. Thanks again! Post Extras:       ghataa professor emeritus Reged: 06/20/11 Loc: Central, NJ Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4681587 - 07/08/11 05:30 PM Attachment (31 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Guys those Dumbbell images are super. And the processing is wonderful, a skill I have not refined as you will see below. I tried M27 the other night as well and had ok results. I did 110 30 sec subs, 10 darks and stacked with DSS (only 60/110 stacked) and tried for the first time using the Carboni's tools in PS. I played with the light pollution removal, enhance DSO, lighten DSO and a few others. I know little about PS curves and levels so really feel a bit silly at the moment. At the end of the day there is no substitute for more signal and losing about 50% of the subs after stacking really hurt so I will probably go after it again with 20 sec exposures to see if I can minimize trailing. I was wondering if you could post your original stacked unprocessed image so I can practice and knowing what can be achieved with a skilled hand. A little retrosynthetic analysis! Thanks, George Nikon D50 (6MP DSLR) Prime focus Capture control software Stock 8SE Post Extras:       ghataa professor emeritus Reged: 06/20/11 Loc: Central, NJ Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: ghataa]       #4681594 - 07/08/11 05:34 PM Attachment (21 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Unskilled processing referenced in above post. Post Extras:       Alex Post Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/24/08 Loc: Iowa, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: ghataa]       #4681723 - 07/08/11 06:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   George, yes 30 second is a bit too long for 8SE. 15 second should work much better. Same amount of time, just twice as many images. However, you are definitely on the right track with the capture and processing. Post Extras:       svtdoug sage Reged: 02/07/11 Loc: Gig Harbor, WA, USA Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Alex Post]       #4682479 - 07/09/11 04:40 AM Attachment (24 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi George, If you like, I can send you my stacked but unprocessed image of M27. Just send me a PM with your email address. For what its worth, I did do some processing in DSS first, after stacking - which resulted in more color and better image detail. I can not seem to replicate that just using GIMP for processing. Using DSS, I increased the saturation, and adjusted the Luminance (basically the same thing as using Curves) to make the curve steeper where the spikes are, in the image. Here is an image of what M27 looks like after stacking AND processing with DSS - but before processing with Gimp. I hope this helps. Doug Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: svtdoug]       #4682498 - 07/09/11 05:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Congratulations on some Nice M27 imaging, guys ! I don't know whether these help as they're somewhat specific to Photoshop, but I'd be surprised if they didn't read across in principle to other processing programs like GIMP. I think I've posted them before a long while back, but for anyone relatively new to imaging who might be able to make use of them.......... http://www.waid-observatory.com/article-curves.html http://www.waid-observatory.com/article-LRGB.html http://www.waid-observatory.com/article-hipass.html Hoping they might just help, Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       ghataa professor emeritus Reged: 06/20/11 Loc: Central, NJ Re: NexStar Imaging Showcase [Re: Tel]       #4683027 - 07/09/11 12:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Once again, thank you Tel for the link. The curves walkthrough was a very nice explanation. Cracking the code, pixel at a time. Doug, thanks for the offer. I PM'd you. Looking like clear skies tonight! George Post Extras:       Pages: << 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | >> (show all)

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