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Seestar S50 photos

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#3351 ensign

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 10:47 AM

I thought I knew the Messier catalog by heart (When I can’t sleep at night, I try to go through it in order in my head), but this had me stumped. Where is the galaxy M73!!? I couldn’t remember. 
 

Finally I looked it up, and M73 is of course the tiny asterism in Aquarius. So typo. What is the correct Messier number? Is this M74?

Oops.  My mistake.  Yes. Number 74 in Messier’s list of not-comets.  Fat fingers coupled with being grumpy about  continual clouds.  Sorry about that.


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#3352 WillR

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 12:05 PM

Okay I have now had the Seestar for 4 nights and been able to image on 2. This thing is crack, no kidding.

 

I spent a lot of time trying to track down obscure open clusters in Cassiopeia, something I doubt few Seestar owners do, but the Seestar is a great tool for this. Here is an annotated image (a mosaic) centered on NGC 136. This was 11 minutes of data, processed in Photoshop only. Note I am not trying to make pretty pictures, so I left the black corners in where the Seestar didn't finish the mosaic.

 

The mosaic feature takes so long, and I can normally capture an open cluster in a minute or two. So I may try just making my own mosaics with the regular Seestar framing. In 11 minutes I could capture quite a bit of the sky.

 

I'm definitely noticing that in 11 minutes I am getting some elongated stars.

Attached Thumbnails

  • Mosaic of NGC 136 for web.jpg

Edited by WillR, 03 January 2025 - 12:07 PM.

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#3353 project nightflight

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 12:11 PM

In the evening of december 30, 2024, we did a test of the Seestar mosaic mode. The target was the M81/M82 group, including NGC 3077. As mentioned before, recording in mosaic mode takes much more time than regular imaging. In our case, in 4.5h session time the S50 accumulated 1.5h of exposure time. Nevertheless, the result ist quite pleasing.

 

(click to enlarge)

M81_M82_group_cloudy_nights.jpg


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#3354 WillR

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 12:17 PM

And now the obligatory capture of the Horsehead. The nebula was revealed after a minute or two, to the point I wondered if in fact it was stored in the Seestar's memory. So I decided to do a mosaic and include sigma Orionis. The mosaic didn't finish- clouds and trees rolled in, but I managed about 26' of data. processed in Graxpert, Siril, and Photoshop.

 

I used to think all astrophotos of the same image looked alike! But perusing the web for the Horsehead, for example, showed every conceivable variation in color and detail. Obviously I am still learning, but coming from a visual observing background, I prefer simple and descriptive with natural color. I personally don't see the point of adding diffraction spikes to an image captured with an apochromatic refractor. (I understand why people do it- for the effect and maybe to emulate the big space telescopes).

 

Any way, having a ball with this to the point I am neglecting my other responsibilities!

Attached Thumbnails

  • IC 434 2 for web.jpg

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#3355 WillR

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 12:18 PM

In the evening of december 30, 2024, we did a test of the Seestar mosaic mode. The target was the M81/M82 group, including NGC 3077. As mentioned before, recording in mosaic mode takes much more time than regular imaging. In our case, in 4.5h session time the S50 accumulated 1.5h of exposure time. Nevertheless, the result ist quite pleasing.

 

(click to enlarge)

attachicon.gif M81_M82_group_cloudy_nights.jpg

Beautiful!


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#3356 DyDyMT

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 01:33 PM

One of those moist nights I had a while back and just found this one - I need to restrain and do only a couple - feed myself slowly wink.gif  Bodes & Cigar ~ Some contrast in Photo.

Attached Thumbnails

  • Bodes and Cigar M81-M82in Ursa Major.jpg

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#3357 Recretos

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 01:55 PM

The great Horsehead and Flame nebula, IC-434, captured in a mosaic, but without using the Seestar framing mode. The total number of subs in this image is around 11000*10s, but it is cropped, so the raw stacked area was larger, tho not all is usable.
I captured this data using the normal single frame, targeting several different areas of the nebula, and then using the field rotation to my advantage to increase the data coverage as the target was rotating over the night in the frame, so I captured a large area by rotation alone.
All the data was captured without using the integrated LP filter, meaning this whole image was captured in broadband mode. I love shooting in broadband mode because that allows the faint dust clouds to be visible, and a lot of reflection components of the nebula.

 

This image is compressed for forum sharing. The full resolution image can be found on my Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/790aan/

 

Untitled-421.png


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#3358 WildMarker

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 02:39 PM

Wow! That is an unbelievable result from the tiny little Seestar!

Clear calm nights are too few and far between for me, so I never seem to spend more than a few hours on a single target.  I'm going to have to commit myself to a single target one of these days to see if I can get anywhere near your results. Bravo!


After seeing some of the previous images of Supernova 2024aeee I wanted to check the box for Supernova image as well.

med_gallery_505265_28198_288258.jpg

 

I then turned to the Leo Triplet for a little over an hour. 

med_gallery_505265_28198_456576.jpg


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#3359 project nightflight

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 06:02 PM

… using the field rotation to my advantage to increase the data coverage as the target was rotating over the night in the frame, so I captured a large area by rotation alone.

 

Great idea!



#3360 WillR

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Posted 03 January 2025 - 10:26 PM

Wow, Recretos! I was proud of my image until I saw yours. Of course mine was 26' and yours was 35 1/2 hours by my reckoning. Plus I have been imaging for exactly 2 days. grin.gif

 

I love your esthetic. I especially love your stars. I assume you take them out to process the nebula and then put them back? And reduce them as well? It's good to have something to shoot for.


Edited by WillR, 03 January 2025 - 10:31 PM.

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#3361 Recretos

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 05:18 AM

Wow, Recretos! I was proud of my image until I saw yours. Of course mine was 26' and yours was 35 1/2 hours by my reckoning. Plus I have been imaging for exactly 2 days. grin.gif

 

I love your esthetic. I especially love your stars. I assume you take them out to process the nebula and then put them back? And reduce them as well? It's good to have something to shoot for.

Thank you Will! 
Yes, I remove the stars, as they need a different approach than the rest of the data, so for an optimal result should be processed separately.



#3362 markalot63

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 10:33 AM

Wow! That is an unbelievable result from the tiny little Seestar!

Clear calm nights are too few and far between for me, so I never seem to spend more than a few hours on a single target.  I'm going to have to commit myself to a single target one of these days to see if I can get anywhere near your results. Bravo!


After seeing some of the previous images of Supernova 2024aeee I wanted to check the box for Supernova image as well.

 

 

I then turned to the Leo Triplet for a little over an hour. 

 

Great stuff!  I retook NGC2146 last night to see if the supernova faded.  Hopefully can post the image later today.  

 

 

The great Horsehead and Flame nebula, IC-434, captured in a mosaic, but without using the Seestar framing mode. The total number of subs in this image is around 11000*10s, but it is cropped, so the raw stacked area was larger, tho not all is usable.
I captured this data using the normal single frame, targeting several different areas of the nebula, and then using the field rotation to my advantage to increase the data coverage as the target was rotating over the night in the frame, so I captured a large area by rotation alone.
All the data was captured without using the integrated LP filter, meaning this whole image was captured in broadband mode. I love shooting in broadband mode because that allows the faint dust clouds to be visible, and a lot of reflection components of the nebula.

 

This image is compressed for forum sharing. The full resolution image can be found on my Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/790aan/

 

 

 

Stunning result!  



#3363 josjavpol

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 12:01 PM

Field rotation: It is produced by the apparent rotation of the DSO as they move across the sky (like the A):
 
Rotación de Campo

 
Let's start with 200 photos or subs taken by the Seestar. If we stack them without rejecting data we would get this:
 
M 77 200x10sec T20degC 2024 12 04 mosaic mode

 
The usual stacking respects the original size of a single sub, but it cannot avoid problems in the corners:
 
M 77 200x10sec T20degC 2024 12 04

 
How to avoid the problems (field rotation)?
 
1) To crop the photo, eliminating the corners and keeping the part of the image that interests us.

M 77 200x10sec T20degC 2024 12 04 recorte

 
*This image is unedited, just cropped (ask for a DBE).
 
2) You can shoot the Seestar in mosaic or framing mode (with the minimum magnification x1.1 or with a small rotation of a few degrees is enough), then you will have clean corners. Thanks to bradhaak.
 
Screenshot 2025 01 04 17 01 21 517

 
3) Another way, is to put the S50 in equatorial mode, but ZWO does not officially support this.


Edited by josjavpol, 04 January 2025 - 12:07 PM.

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#3364 Karlov

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 04:02 PM

Congratulations. Your works with this telescope are simply amazing. You are an inspiration for some of us.
You are the living prove that not always more money in equipment means better results in ap.

The great Horsehead and Flame nebula, IC-434, captured in a mosaic, but without using the Seestar framing mode. The total number of subs in this image is around 11000*10s, but it is cropped, so the raw stacked area was larger, tho not all is usable.
I captured this data using the normal single frame, targeting several different areas of the nebula, and then using the field rotation to my advantage to increase the data coverage as the target was rotating over the night in the frame, so I captured a large area by rotation alone.
All the data was captured without using the integrated LP filter, meaning this whole image was captured in broadband mode. I love shooting in broadband mode because that allows the faint dust clouds to be visible, and a lot of reflection components of the nebula.

This image is compressed for forum sharing. The full resolution image can be found on my Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/790aan/

Untitled-421.png


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#3365 THem

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 05:04 PM

hello everyone. Another newbie. Well, I do have an 8" LX200 gps, and a william optics zenithstar 110 (a lovely bit of kit) - but havnt used either for a very, very long time.
remember the DSI pro - that was my imager back then. Ive forgotten everything.
Anyways, I read the reviews, I watched the youtubes, and splashed the cash for the S50.
Really is an awesome thing.
Thursday night was the first clear night....i look one image 
 Stacked-49-NGC-281-W-10-0s-LP-20250102-2

 

then i had friday night i did a few targets, M31 coming out best
Stacked-66-M-31-10-0s-Ifrom-fit8.jpg

Starting to see some detail there maybe.
Just doing rough and ready stretching with the tablets editor, but may jump on the Siril learning curve sometime.
The S50 is just perfect for lazy old codgers like me.
Oh, Saturday night, well that is a Cloudy Night - so, Hello
 

 

Edit - good lord, l just notice the previous post to mine - I'll get my coat. That is insane!


Edited by THem, 04 January 2025 - 05:43 PM.

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#3366 Psion

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Posted 04 January 2025 - 05:29 PM

The great Horsehead and Flame nebula, IC-434, captured in a mosaic, but without using the Seestar framing mode. The total number of subs in this image is around 11000*10s, but it is cropped, so the raw stacked area was larger, tho not all is usable.

I wouldn't be afraid to add color saturation and contrast to the photo, great work!



#3367 FredOz

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Posted 05 January 2025 - 01:47 AM

How to avoid the problems (field rotation)?
 
1) To crop the photo, eliminating the corners and keeping the part of the image that interests us.

2) You can shoot the Seestar in mosaic or framing mode (with the minimum magnification x1.1 or with a small rotation of a few degrees is enough), then you will have clean corners. Thanks to bradhaak.
 
3) Another way, is to put the S50 in equatorial mode, but ZWO does not officially support this.

Nice explanation of the problem.

 

I have another way to eliminate (or at least minimize) field rotation artifacts:
4)  On a starless image (i.e. after star removal & before star re-composition) use a clone brush in a photo editing program (I use PaintShop Pro but I think Photoshop would work) to paint out the artifacts after at least 2 denoising treatments in Graxpert and with a fairly dark background.


Edited by FredOz, 05 January 2025 - 05:57 PM.

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#3368 Garmy

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Posted 05 January 2025 - 06:50 AM

Took it this night had a window of 31 min

Attached Thumbnails

  • Stacked_181_mosaic_NGC 2244 Satellite Cluster_10.0s_IRCUT_20250105-020015.jpeg

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#3369 WillR

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 11:18 AM

I have no idea what I am doing, but I am having fun.

 

Here's the Bubble Nebula with M52. I did 104' of data in the regular FOV. Fortunately the orientation in the sky was such that I could get both in.

 

This was stacked by Seestar, denoised in Graxpert, stretched in Siril. The I had some fun in Photoshop, emphasizing the two DSOs while minimizing the rest. Did some star reduction, selectively, leaving the M52 stars in. Levels, curves, sharpening and various things. Some broad panting of the background. And then the most fun- making specific masks for the Bubble with the paint brush and Using the hue-satuation-brighten adjustment to bring out some Hubble palette colors.

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  • 7635 prosessed hubble palette.jpg

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#3370 josjavpol

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 02:59 PM

I have no idea what I am doing, but I am having fun.

 

Here's the Bubble Nebula with M52. I did 104' of data in the regular FOV. Fortunately the orientation in the sky was such that I could get both in.

 

This was stacked by Seestar, denoised in Graxpert, stretched in Siril. The I had some fun in Photoshop, emphasizing the two DSOs while minimizing the rest. Did some star reduction, selectively, leaving the M52 stars in. Levels, curves, sharpening and various things. Some broad panting of the background. And then the most fun- making specific masks for the Bubble with the paint brush and Using the hue-satuation-brighten adjustment to bring out some Hubble palette colors.

 

And sir, did you start with the little one yesterday? Very good progress! waytogo.gif


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#3371 FredOz

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 03:39 PM

Sh2-296 (Seagull Nebula) from a Seestar mosaic

 

The attached photo was made from 179 minutes of integration over 2 nights using the Seestar's mosaic with 2x expansion of the field of view plus 40 minutes of IC 2177 (Seagull's Head) from last year.  The three files were stacked in Siril, processed in GraXpert, Siril and GraXpert again on the starless image before star recomposition in Siril.  I also used the clone brush in Paintshop Pro to eliminate stacking artifacts in the corners.

 

I've marked several features in the photo as identified in Siril plus the runaway star FN Canis Majoris identified in APOD: The Seagull Nebula.  However I did not capture the blue reflection nebula nor the blue bow shock from the runaway star.

 

From AstroBackyard: The Seagull Nebula (also known as IC 2177) is a relatively bright, and very large emission nebula found between the constellations Monoceros and Canis Major.

     Amateur astronomers and astrophotographers often refer to this emission region as the Seagull Nebula, even though it actually encompasses a much larger area, including star clusters, dust clouds, and reflection nebulae. ...
     The full extent of the nebula’s wings spread out over 100 light-years, which some say resembles a seagull in flight.
    The cloud of gas at the ‘head’ of the Seagull (Sharpless 2-292) glows brightly due to the energetic radiation from an extremely hot young star within it (HD 53367).
     Sharpless 292, IC 2177, and NGC 2327 all refer to the ‘head’ of the Seagull, which is only a small portion of the larger nebula. The entire nebula region spans nearly 240 light-years across.

Attached Thumbnails

  • Sh2-296 (Seagull) mosaic 1-06-25 149m.jpg

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#3372 N3ptuno

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 05:32 PM

The great Horsehead and Flame nebula, IC-434, captured in a mosaic, but without using the Seestar framing mode. The total number of subs in this image is around 11000*10s, but it is cropped, so the raw stacked area was larger, tho not all is usable.
I captured this data using the normal single frame, targeting several different areas of the nebula, and then using the field rotation to my advantage to increase the data coverage as the target was rotating over the night in the frame, so I captured a large area by rotation alone.
All the data was captured without using the integrated LP filter, meaning this whole image was captured in broadband mode. I love shooting in broadband mode because that allows the faint dust clouds to be visible, and a lot of reflection components of the nebula.

 

This image is compressed for forum sharing. The full resolution image can be found on my Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/790aan/

 

Untitled-421.png

Sublime work, my congratulations!


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#3373 RoofMonkey911

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 05:57 PM

Acquired 549 ten second subs over 2 evenings on M1 the Crab Nebula.

Bortle 6/7 suburban backyard, minor editing in PSExpress for contrast, sharpness.

 

IMG_3210.jpeg


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#3374 WillR

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 06:03 PM

And sir, did you start with the little one yesterday? Very good progress! waytogo.gif

Well, almost a week, but thanks!


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#3375 WillR

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 06:29 PM

Acquired 549 ten second subs over 2 evenings on M1 the Crab Nebula.

Bortle 6/7 suburban backyard, minor editing in PSExpress for contrast, sharpness.

 

attachicon.gif IMG_3210.jpeg

I did just 11’ on it last night in town at the GF’s. This is just lightly edited in iPad photos. I noticed those weird artifacts after the first few frames. Maybe I was shooting through the bare trees? Or lights from the house? 
 

More of an EAA picture that’s anything, but that’s ok.  This is still more detail than I can see through the eyepiece.

Attached Thumbnails

  • M1.jpeg

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