· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Astrophotography and Sketching >> Beginning and Intermediate Imaging Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 lunar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/03/10 Loc: NY, United Sates First image - M51 - Courtesy of BRT       #5190350 - 04/25/12 05:56 PM Attachment (12 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hey everyone, I've been looking through the data from the Bradford Robotic Telescope because I thought I'd try and learn how to process CCD images. Below is my first attempt, using a free trial dowload of MaxIm DL 5 and GIMP photo editing software. Please tell me how I might be able to make this image better as well. It's only three exposures, BVR filters, through each only ~1.5 minutes. There also appears to be a "ring" around the center, but I'm not exactly sure about how to get rid of this artifact, as well as the random noise in the background in order to make for that nice, contrasty black appearence. I would appreciate any help or suggestions you might be able to give me. Clear skies, Brandon Doyle Post Extras:       jjongmans super member Reged: 02/11/12 Loc: The Netherlands Re: First image - M51 - Courtesy of BRT [Re: lunar]       #5190365 - 04/25/12 06:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think it is a great image, only the colorbalance is a bit too yellow. Post Extras:       zerro1 Postmaster Reged: 08/02/09 Loc: Smokey Point , 48.12°N 122.25°... Re: First image - M51 - Courtesy of BRT [Re: jjongmans]       #5190671 - 04/25/12 08:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   more sub exposures is how to smooth out the image. So 4.5 minutes total integration? That's a lot of data for so little time. if in "ring" you're talking about the dark area, it looks like flats over corrected the vignetting. It's an uphill battle with gimp if they have not added 16bit support yet. when you process in 8 bit you lose control of a lot of details. I would look at Fitsworks http://www.fitswork.de/software/softw_en.php or some other program that works with 16 bit files. Post Extras:       NorthBoundTrain Carpal Tunnel Reged: 11/23/11 Re: First image - M51 - Courtesy of BRT [Re: zerro1]       #5190988 - 04/26/12 01:17 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   In order to smooth out the background more subs are needed. As for the dark ring around the galaxy, an artificial flat can take care of it if you don't have access to the actual flats. This is a good base point to create one: http://www.corius.net/cont/artic/artiflat.html Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 2 registered and 10 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Undermidnight, fishonkevin  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 221 Calendar Event: 04/25/12 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media CN Forums Home

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