iannz
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home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 7, 2020 22:28:47 GMT
Hi all. Here the first attempts...... Camera - QHY163C (see here) Object - Moon (obviously)
70 of 100 @ 4min, Autostakkert13 + Registack6 wavelet fiddling
edit: This the bigger image for effect..... with different compression.
Eta Carina area - it was overhead and a visible fuzzy so went for it. Figured out later (after breakfast, lots of coffee) what it actually was..... did I say I was beginning at this? I think it was this one, 4 frames for 1min total. Highly uninformed fiddle with GIMP. Have tried Star tools and DSS but get lost in the myriad of fiddle functions. Gimp was no better but just a stab at a couple of controls at least got something!! Wind was kicking things around hence the star shapes.
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 8, 2020 13:57:58 GMT
WOO-HOOOOOO!!! Nicely done Ian! Wow, that Moon is sharp! Very nice You are definitely off and running now
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iannz
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Post by iannz on Apr 8, 2020 16:12:11 GMT
Thanks Dragon Man, the moon pic is just gob-smacking to me; that with a bit of uneducated fiddling with free software and no experience, that I can get an image like that! The latest attraction is comparing with Virtual Moon Atlas to check the identifiable features. Down to 3km craters at this point! Just amazing! Now to get my head around the software for DSOs..... Not such a happy nor effective experience at this stage.
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iannz
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Posts: 71
home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 8, 2020 18:03:58 GMT
another play with a eta carina sharpcap stack and startools advice from elpajare.
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iannz
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home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 8, 2020 18:06:04 GMT
ENORnormous THANKYOU to elpajare for his starter tutorial on Startools.
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Post by howie1 on Apr 9, 2020 4:08:55 GMT
Good stuff Ian. Did you check out that sharpcap intro video I linked you to in your original intro posts? Here's the link again ... astrovideoforum.proboards.com/thread/2687/guide-using-sharpcapIt will show you how to get sharpcap going. Especially the histogram. Whether bright stuff or dim stuff the histogram as outlined in that how to video tells you if you have got gain and exposure right to be able to stack and stretch stuff out. And, that Eta Carina image which is really dark ... while it has great data (as you have found stretching out some details in startools) ... you should have been able to stretch out details very nicely right there out in the dark using the stacking histogram in SharpCap. It enable you to do the same as what you've done with Startools ... right there out in the dark next to your scope. I think you'll be blown away by that stretching using SharpCap! Cheers
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 9, 2020 11:34:03 GMT
Thanks Dragon Man , the moon pic is just gob-smacking to me; . . . Pleeeeeeez, call me Ken, That's how I sign off on every post SEE
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iannz
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Post by iannz on Apr 9, 2020 22:13:10 GMT
Um, right............ ken I entered it that way because on other forums it gives a heads up link to the person mentioned. Good to let know that they've been talked about, sometimes on threads that are relatively old to them.
howie: yes I looked at the tutorial thanks and the image I used was a stack capture from live-stack. I'm still on a free version of Sharpcap so maybe some features aren't as accessible. The alignment box for instance, I tick the box and I guess its attached to some star somewhere but I don't see a place to size and place it. Yet. Anyway, still finding my way with camera and software, both at the scope and after. Had a giggle the other night. Happily catching Jupiter and then tried for Mars when my brand new laptop tells me all the drives are full! Guess I need to house-clean big time so now going over the many videos I've got while trying to control the beast.
Enjoy guys, Ken, Howie. Hope you and yours are keeping bright as we get thru these days.
ian
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Post by howie1 on Apr 9, 2020 22:48:11 GMT
I don't do planetary imaging so I've never used the alignment thing. It's not used for non planetary imaging. But there's good help in SharpCaps Help menu item. Broken nicely down into subsections as well as searchable. Use that to figure out how to size and place it.
Re free version. Do yourself a favour Ian ... spend the $20 annual fee to get the PRO licence. One of the things it will do is open up the Folder Monitor Camera option. This is a GREAT feature. It enable you to (1) replay your images from the night at any time in the future to practise reprocessing them! (2) to use images from any camera or the web to practise processing. And the BIGGIE ... (3) to post process/stretch faint stuff with just one button click better than StarTools or many post processors.
I'll shoot a quick video today and post here in your thread to show you that one click adjustment. It's spectacular IMO.
Re you used my vid to stack that Eta Carnia image. Your stacked image is very dark. Did you use the stacking histogram to brighten it up at all? The stacking histogram adjustments will give you an image which is better than your post processing StarTools adjustments. So you'd be able to see a better image right out there at the scope.
Again, when I do a quick vid today and post it here in your thread, I will also show you how to use the stacking histogram using your Eta jpeg file.
Cheers Howie
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iannz
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home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 9, 2020 23:02:42 GMT
Ah that would explain why I sometimes see the alignment box and other times not! Yes have considered the Pro ver. Not sure about your mention of me using your eta carina image? It was a stack I captured using the live stack from my scope.....
[QHY163C] Output Format=TIFF files (*.tif) Binning=1x1 Capture Area=4656x3522 Colour Space=RGB24 Pan=0 Tilt=0 Force Still Mode=Off Enable Live Broadcast=Off Use DDR Buffer=On USB Traffic=0 Offset=77 Amp Noise Reduction=Off Frame Rate Limit=Maximum Gain=110 Exposure=15000 Calibration End Pos Adjust=1125004298 Calibration Start Pos Adjust=6301 GPS Calibration LED=Off GPS Freq Stabilization=Off GPS=Off Timestamp Frames=Off White Bal (B)=64 White Bal (G)=64 White Bal (R)=64 Contrast=0 Brightness=0 Gamma=1 Temperature=-10.1 Target Temperature=-10 Cooler Power=71(Auto) Banding Threshold=35 Banding Suppression=0 Apply Flat=None Subtract Dark=None #Black Point Display Black Point=0 #MidTone Point Display MidTone Point=0.427435534312858 #White Point Display White Point=1 TimeStamp=2020-04-04T09:32:26.9929368Z SharpCapVersion=3.2.6248.0 TotalExposure(s)=60 StackedFrames=4
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Post by howie1 on Apr 10, 2020 1:32:58 GMT
Not sure about your mention of me using your eta carina image?
Hi Ian, I saw your sharpcap log output so I know you used "your" (I meant your ... not mine) eta carina image! The important bit is what I said afterwards ... did you use the stacking histogram to tease out the details? I asked because the result of you using sharpcap stacking does not look stretched at all. It is very dark. Stretching is what you did using post processing with StarTools .... ie stretching the signals in the image to tease out the faint details. But while you used StarTools to do the stretching, you can get much of that stretching done using the SharpCap histogram! The ability to stretch the details out from within SharpCap using the histogram itself within the stacking window ... is what really makes it such a great tool. You can stretch right there beside your scope ... at the time of stacking ... while it is still stacking. And (IMO) get a better result than trying to figure out how the heck to use something like StarTools or such software the following day. I think the short vid I make will be a game changer for you. Will try to do after lunch today. Cheers Ian Howie
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iannz
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home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 10, 2020 2:45:37 GMT
ok Howie, I did play with the histograms, one to 'tother to try and get more, after all, having just spent several thousand $ in the last couple of weeks I was sure I'd be equaling Hubble. At least, before it was upgraded...... Could do with more movies to watch, too. Thanks for your interest, brother. ian
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Post by howie1 on Apr 10, 2020 5:23:19 GMT
Here you go Ian ... link is below (23 min video) ... how to post process using SharpCap. And the techniques shown also apply to how you adjust the SharpCap LiveStacking histogram in order to see stuff while actually taking the shots with your camera. So out there while actually stacking you can see really amazing images without any post processing. By the way ... sometimes youtube shows to you in low resultions so always click on the youtube settings "cog" and make sure you are viewing at the highest resolution. Cheers
Cheers bloke! Howie
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iannz
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Post by iannz on Apr 10, 2020 21:36:37 GMT
Hi Howie and thanks heaps for the time and effort to make the tutorial. It certainly gives me a better understanding of the effects and increments to use. I had been doing mostly all of what you touched on but not to enough of a degree it seems.
In particular, I haven't brought the white value slider/cut-off back to give more saturation. But mostly, not long enough exposures I guess. More to fiddle with.....
The biggest problem I have in general is the wind kicking things about which is why I try for shorter exposures and hadn't been that enthused with the live stacking; it tending to accumulate a lot of easter egg stars..... Still, when it quietens down I'll get out and stack stars..... easier than hay bales for sure!
Thanks again Buddy for your efforts on my behalf, very appreciated. Hope you're managing the crisis ok and your family and friends are keeping well. It's pretty ok in my area, there had been some overseas arrivals with issues but otherwise the general population is clear. Only two deaths nation-wide.
Clear skies and calm nights. ian
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2020 0:43:55 GMT
Watched your video Howie.Thanks. I use the histogram for both single exposure and for live stacking but have never reloaded an image into sharpcap for post processing. This may be a dumb question,but is there any advantage in post processing given that I have stretched to the best image I can do live.In other words ,can I improve my image any more by post processing in sharpcap?
I have had the ASIair pro out in the last couple of days waiting for some decent weather. Next opportunity I will use the EQmod just as astrodad described.
And Ian, you are doing remarkably well with your imaging. It has taken me a long time to get anything decent. Also,where are you guys across the Ditch getting all this good weather from. It has been terrible here. We havent heard from Carlos (Elpajare) for a while. I think he must be ok in Spain. He still posts a lot of images on Telescopius cheers Paul
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iannz
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home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 11, 2020 2:01:32 GMT
Hi Jaybee and thanks for the kind words. Bit of a hit and miss process at the mo, for sure. This is a bit of a dangerous hobby for getting a big arse I have to say..... all these vids and snaps and now my hard drive is chokka and I'm spending most of my days sorting and deleting. Have to be a bit more selective although am fiddling and learning for now. The weather has been nice; thankfully for those standing in line at supermarkets (doesn't happen much here, for long, not many of us locally) but I see a heavy system approaches for Sun! I get a constant breeze here which kicks the scope about somewhat so the live stacking isn't so effective for now. uh oh, maybe a astro shelter is needed.... How is the Hyperstar? Seriously thinking of getting one for my C8se. They are in the middle of another production run on them. I checked.... Anyway, good luck with it all and take care mate.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2020 4:30:43 GMT
Ian, the C6 hyperstar is pretty good but not great.The stars are never pinpoint. I have spent a lot of time making sure the collimation is right and am still not sure .I have a meade lx90 8" which I have deforked and put on a HEQ5. My images on that setup are better than with my alt/az but still not great. Just cant get pinpoint stars. Hyperstar for the C8se gives you more camera choices. But to answer your question, I would get the hyperstar. For VA and sct's I think they need to be fast. I was always disappointed with images on my sct's until I got either hyperstar or very sensitive cameras The C6 needs cameras with sensors below 11mm. Here are a couple of images on the C6 with hyperstar from about 18 months ago ngc 253 15sec x 5 stack slight stretch on astrotoaster and zwo 178 M8,zwo 178,14s x5 stack
I have a Rasa8 which has same dimensions as C8 with hyperstar. You still have the choice of many configurations with the C8 Here is an image of Eta Carina on the Rasa 18sec x 10,zwo 294. from august last year If you look at the bottom right corner you can see donut stars, this is because of mirror tilt probably on the Rasa but apparently can be caused by the camera not seated properly. The astrophotographers hate those donuts and ask me what am I going to do about the tilt. My answer is ...nothing...I love my Rasa the way it is. I am getting off the topic a bit, but here is another Rasa shot with a different camera and the donuts are not so obvious so it could be a camera seating problem. ngc1365,14s x 13 imx432 and Ian...call me Paul
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iannz
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Posts: 71
home town/country: Tarurutangi, NZ
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Post by iannz on Apr 11, 2020 5:28:41 GMT
ok Paul nice shots, I like the etCarina, I think I may of over done mine, looking at yours. I read some where, maybe in a booklet that came with the C8 that one should final focus on the "out" focus as it seats the mirror in the guides better. To the extent of leaving it parked completely wound out to take the strain of the mechanism. Anyway,I'm still getting to grips with the C8 & camera combo. I leave a 6.3 reducer on to give better stars and am still learning my way. Focusing for instance, not an easy task.... Using a modified Bahtinov for stars and twiddling for the moon etc. With the seeing and wind bumps it's all a bit of a lucky event. cheers
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Post by howie1 on Apr 11, 2020 5:51:24 GMT
Watched your video Howie.Thanks. I use the histogram for both single exposure and for live stacking but have never reloaded an image into sharpcap for post processing. This may be a dumb question,but is there any advantage in post processing given that I have stretched to the best image I can do live.In other words ,can I improve my image any more by post processing in sharpcap? I have had the ASIair pro out in the last couple of days waiting for some decent weather. Next opportunity I will use the EQmod just as astrodad described. And Ian, you are doing remarkably well with your imaging. It has taken me a long time to get anything decent. Also,where are you guys across the Ditch getting all this good weather from. It has been terrible here. We havent heard from Carlos (Elpajare) for a while. I think he must be ok in Spain. He still posts a lot of images on Telescopius cheers Paul GDay Paul, If you don't post process at all, and just get the best possible image via the stacking histogram, then probably no advantage in trying to do anything by "folder monitor processing". If you do the occasional post process tweakage, then give it a go and see how it compares to your regular post process software. The main use for the Folder Monitor Camera is not to post process an image, but to enable Sharpcap to stack any frame from any camera. Ala AstroToaster which uses the exact same logic ... set "me" up to watch a folder of your choice into which your image capture system can save tif, tiff, fits, fit, png, raw, etc frames ... and "I'll" stack them with proper astro stacking algorithms as they come in at the same time as giving you the expand, colour adjustments, sharpness etc sliders you need to get a good image. Cannot wait until you get your PRO out and give us a report on the stacking. Your old AIR is wonderful Paul. Can't get out with it due corona and our local complex "spy" who dobs in people who stray outside. I would love to get out Sunday as the forecast is clear all day and night ... I am going to chance it and set the alarm clock for 11pm to try my batch script to pull the images off the SD card as they are shot under control of the AIR. Transfer as they come in will be via the AIR wifi back to laptop running sharpcap ... only tested during day and evening pointing out the window ... so can't wait for a proper night test. Just hope I don't get sprung by the complex Informer! cheers Howie
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Post by howie1 on Apr 11, 2020 6:04:59 GMT
Hi Howie and thanks heaps for the time and effort to make the tutorial. It certainly gives me a better understanding of the effects and increments to use. I had been doing mostly all of what you touched on but not to enough of a degree it seems. In particular, I haven't brought the white value slider/cut-off back to give more saturation. But mostly, not long enough exposures I guess. More to fiddle with..... The biggest problem I have in general is the wind kicking things about which is why I try for shorter exposures and hadn't been that enthused with the live stacking; it tending to accumulate a lot of easter egg stars..... Still, when it quietens down I'll get out and stack stars..... easier than hay bales for sure! Thanks again Buddy for your efforts on my behalf, very appreciated. Hope you're managing the crisis ok and your family and friends are keeping well. It's pretty ok in my area, there had been some overseas arrivals with issues but otherwise the general population is clear. Only two deaths nation-wide. Clear skies and calm nights. ian Hi Ian, No problems mate. Your comment "But mostly, not long enough exposures I guess" is not quite right. Your histogram which shows up when I loaded your posted Eta image, has the right sort of curve to stack. What was missing was that while you were stacking you did not stretch enough using the stacking histogram Use that to get the best possible image you can ... bright but with dark space between stars, lots of nebulousity and dust showing, good star color, good neb color, and when it is the best image you can get while using the stacking histogram, RGB and Saturation sliders .... that's when you stop stacking and save the image. You've certainly got great planetary going very quickly, so no doubt your next outing you'll be well on your way with nebs and other stuff. Stay safe over there, Cheers Howie
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