12663 replies to this topic

[N2KEN]

M11 Wild Duck Galaxy  - ZWO224MC-F/6.3 FR-C9.25-SharpCap 2.9. One of my favorite targets. Images adjusted with Photoshop, but are similar to screen images during viewing. 

 

9seconds x18

3seconds x46 (full moon nearby)

Edited by N2KEN, 07 August 2016 - 10:38 PM.

[Stargazer3236]

wrpspeed, I am using x256 and in some cases x512. I think x256 is about 5.2 seconds per integration, so a total of about 30 seconds per stack.

[wrpspeed16]

wrpspeed, I am using x256 and in some cases x512. I think x256 is about 5.2 seconds per integration, so a total of about 30 seconds per stack.

Thanks for the info. I have been using 512X-1024X which was way to much . I wasn't sure on the exposure per integration though.

terry

Edited by wrpspeed16, 08 August 2016 - 09:53 AM.

[Stargazer3236]

If you use Live Stacking in SharpCap, set your SenseUp to x128 or x256, Live Stacking will stack your images so you don't have to increase your SenseUp to get more sensitive nebula or galaxies. I use Save as viewed when I use Live Stacking, then post process in Photoshop to stretch and bring out fainter details or more nebulosity.

 

Sometime, you have to play around with Live Stacking to get it to stack. It needs 3 alignment stars to do the Live Stacking. If y ou use SharpCap 2.9, you can use Digital gain, typically 2X under the alignment tab once you open up Live Stacking. Make sure your Histogram is tweaked so that you have the right brightness. Watch this AYoutube video on how to get the best results:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=zIlJHyVWei4

 

It helped me out alot when I started using Live Stacking last week.

[Stargazer3236]

Revolution Imager at OC Telescope has a PDF that explains all the functions of both the Revolution Imager 1 and 2. It explains what the SenseUp numbers mean and what the exposures are per integration.

[wrpspeed16]

If you use Live Stacking in SharpCap, set your SenseUp to x128 or x256, Live Stacking will stack your images so you don't have to increase your SenseUp to get more sensitive nebula or galaxies. I use Save as viewed when I use Live Stacking, then post process in Photoshop to stretch and bring out fainter details or more nebulosity.

 

Sometime, you have to play around with Live Stacking to get it to stack. It needs 3 alignment stars to do the Live Stacking. If y ou use SharpCap 2.9, you can use Digital gain, typically 2X under the alignment tab once you open up Live Stacking. Make sure your Histogram is tweaked so that you have the right brightness. Watch this AYoutube video on how to get the best results:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=zIlJHyVWei4

 

It helped me out alot when I started using Live Stacking last week.

 

thanks for your help. I know I am getting close

Terry

[larryjh]

I took a shot at the Eagle Nebula last night.  Celestron Omni XLT150, 0.5x focal reducer, UV/IR cut filter and AVS MKIV.  I finally got dark subtraction working in Sharpcap and was able to get rid of some hot pixels.

[Stargazer3236]

Nice pic, Larry. try to readjust your mount tracking during your picture taking. Your stars are a little bit trailing. That happens to me a lot and I just reset my Revolution Imager so the trailing goes away. I also have the ZEQ25 mount.

[RandyC]

hi here is M27 in one exposure of 30secs at iso40000 using the Sony A7s with a C14xlt at f12.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[larryjh]

Nice pic, Larry. try to readjust your mount tracking during your picture taking. Your stars are a little bit trailing. That happens to me a lot and I just reset my Revolution Imager so the trailing goes away. I also have the ZEQ25 mount.

Thanks for the tips, I agree I'm having some trouble with trailing.  Sorry to be a little slow, but I'm not sure I know what adjustments you're referring to.  I didn't think there was any way to adjust the mount tracking or camera while I'm doing a live stack.  I know I can reset the stack itself in Sharpcap, which I do sometimes, but my camera is analog and can only be adjusted via it's menu, which appears in the image when you pull it up.  How do you reset your camera?  I don't think my camera has a way to do that.

[Howie1]

Had the pleasure of driving up to Clermont in Central Queensland Australia to visit my daughter and partner (both teachers). Clermont is 500km inland from our populated coast, and 1100km north of our capital. Population just over 2000 and this includes local farmers and posed no LP problems. Not only were we situated several KM away from town, but I don't think the town even has more than 10 street lights. There was also no Moon and therefore very dark skies. Wonderful stuff for EAA.

 

The requirement on the night was fast setup and fast acquisition and colorisation for live audience.

 

Equipment: HEQ5 PRO with SkyWatcher 200P newt, Canon 700D with bootcamped Macbook running EOS Utilities and AstroToaster (AT).

 

Due to time constraints, long exposure Noise Reduction was not set, and no darks were taken, no guiding, no PA was done, no coma corrector fitted. Limited all shots to 15 second at ISO6400 with fine quality small size JPEG. We flew from target to target over about an hour. Managed to remember to save some images in between talking about the objects using iPad info. Wonderful night.

 

Images:

 

Due to no PA nor coma correction, I apologise for the clearly visible star streaks. 

M17 single 15 second ISO6400. First setting change in AT select Log, then move black point to darken. Done!
 

 

M57 single 15 second ISO6400. AT setting left as per first photo so no tweaking was necessary. ... (IE Log selected, then move black point to darken).

 

 

M83 six 15 second ISO6400. AT setting ... Log was un-selected, then moved black point, white point and contrast will watching the six 15 sec frames come in.

 

 

M13 single 15 second ISO6400. AT setting left as per previous photo so no tweaking was necessary. ... (Log selected, then move black point to darken). Nearby to glob M13 lies galaxy NGC6207 (mag 12) visible half way along line running from centre of photo to lower right corner.

 

 

cheers

[wrpspeed16]

the dumbbell m27 with celestron 8 and revolution camera

Attached Thumbnails

• 

Edited by wrpspeed16, 09 August 2016 - 11:29 AM.

[Howie1]

Aha, posted some jpegs earlier (few posts above) as I couldn't get the flickr album link working. Finally I have figured out the correct link to my Clermont Flickr album. These are the tif files.

 

Ten shots from dark skies outback Queensland, Australia. All single 15 sec frames except M83 was stack of 6 x 15sec frames. Details in the album description and photo descriptions.

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHskFTvKWG

[nytecam]

the dumbbell m27 with celestron 8 and revolution camera

 

Nice pic of M27 - you need to adjust the sky background in your shot as its too dark and you're loosing detail that must be there. 

 

Nytecam

[RandyC]

hi here is Veil West in one exposure of 30secs at iso40000 using the Sony A7s with a C14xlt at f12.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[wrpspeed16]

 

the dumbbell m27 with celestron 8 and revolution camera

 

Nice pic of M27 - you need to adjust the sky background in your shot as its too dark and you're loosing detail that must be there. 

 

Nytecam

 

Your probably right. I was trying to much to get the red sky out and probably need to reduce the gamma. This was another image of it taken that night.

Terry

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[N2KEN]

Here's a couple of Dumbbells, M27.  EAA from my backyard in Brooklyn, NY one M27 using C9.25, Hyperstar, Sharpcap 2.9 and ZWO ASI224MC. Exposure info if you click on the pic.  Also a Ring Nebula, M57.

Dumbbell using Celestron F/6.3 FR, ZWO IR Cut filter

[Howie1]

hi here is Veil West in one exposure of 30secs at iso40000 using the Sony A7s with a C14xlt at f12.

Very envious. I see Mark broadcast sometimes with his A7s and lust after one for both daytime and EAA use .... but OMG, they are a tad shy of $4000 (body only - no lens) here in Australia. DSLR/mirrorless cam's combined with AstroToaster on f/5 (or under) scopes are my absolute favourites for EAA. Love my trusty ol' EOS 700D for EAA, but still lust after an A7S.

 

Top Veil for single 30 sec @ f/12 Randy! Beaut image! More please!

[Robrj]

A few shots from last night.  130SLT on an AVX mount, Ultrastar-C and an Optolong CLS CCD filter:

 

Barnard 86 (1x60s)

 

M22 (5x15s)

 

M75 (6x15s)

 

M55 (6x15s)

 

M72 (5x15s)

 

NGC 6166 (8x45s)

 

[RandyC]

 

hi here is Veil West in one exposure of 30secs at iso40000 using the Sony A7s with a C14xlt at f12.

Very envious. I see Mark broadcast sometimes with his A7s and lust after one for both daytime and EAA use .... but OMG, they are a tad shy of $4000 (body only - no lens) here in Australia. DSLR/mirrorless cam's combined with AstroToaster on f/5 (or under) scopes are my absolute favourites for EAA. Love my trusty ol' EOS 700D for EAA, but still lust after an A7S.

 

Top Veil for single 30 sec @ f/12 Randy! Beaut image! More please!

 

How much are mounts?

[Howie1]

Cost of mounts? I won't answer that for fear of derailing the topic of this thread, except to say .... I buy all my gear second hand

[charotarguy]

Cost of mounts? I won't answer that for fear of derailing the topic of this thread, except to say .... I buy all my gear second hand

Same here, almost all the gear I own with an exception of one of two things I bought when I started this hobby, is second hand.

[Stargazer3236]

+1

[RandyC]

Plenty of used Sony A7s for sale, especially since A7sII came out.

[Astrojedi]

NGC7331 while waiting for a transit... details at bottom of image.