So.. this is a final render of an imaging session from the other night using a ZWO ASI224MC + a newly acquired F6.3 Focal Reducer on my 8"SCT.
Still learning my way round this camera & experimenting with exposure times, gain settings, etc... Final image came out in mono... which kinda surprised me a little but, that might be because of the setting I had in ASICAP (8 bit, FITS format. Still playing & figuring out what Startools does if I play with the settings too...
Anyways... 148 images, Exp: 739Ms, Gain: 479, stacked in DSS, rendered in Star Tools & very slight tweak in Affinity Photo.. No darks (I forgot), no flats (I'm working up to that) & no bias (coz I have no idea what they are or how to do them yet)
I have some other data to process using an F3.3 Focal Reducer plus some using a UHC Filter.. will post results when done..
Please feel free to comment, provide advice, etc... bit disappointed that they are in mono but, then again, more representative of what you see at the eyepiece I suppose...
Core is a bit blown out, I think the stars are a little less bloated than in my earlier attempts with the DSLR... (couldn't use that the other night, it was hitting on the base of my fork mount as M42 was close to zenith)
A big step up from the last one Carlton. Your stars are heaps sharper. As far as the mono is concerned, I've never used one of these cameras so I can't help you but I know plenty of people on here can. Keep going Carlton, you're heading in the right direction.
I have not looked at Startools but in Astro Pixel Processor (I am using the trial version to see if I can drive it) unless you select the debayer pattern and force it to use it you get greyscale frames. That is with an ASI294 camera.
I have some subs of cone neb too, not many though I think, I'll see what I can pull out of them. I can only see stars FM the Christmas tree in the subs so, might not have anything useful... guess we'll see.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanJones
A big step up from the last one Carlton. Your stars are heaps sharper. As far as the mono is concerned, I've never used one of these cameras so I can't help you but I know plenty of people on here can. Keep going Carlton, you're heading in the right direction.
Yeah, not sure, my subs all appear to be mono as well...although on screen during the capture there was definitely colour... im scratching my head a little on this one...
I'll check my settings in Startools on the next lot of subs I process & check my camera settings next time I image...
Gotta be something I didn't quite do right...
Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_bluester
I have not looked at Startools but in Astro Pixel Processor (I am using the trial version to see if I can drive it) unless you select the debayer pattern and force it to use it you get greyscale frames. That is with an ASI294 camera.
Nice going Carlton. But one thing is puzzling me - why is your FOV so small. It should be much bigger. You should be getting in a larger chunk of M42 with these reducers, especially the x0.33.
Do you have the reducer directly attached to the camera? You might need more spacing between the camera and reducer to get the focal reduction up to the advertised amount. From memory the 0.63 needs quite a lot - about 100-110mm, the 0.33 needs less. You can look it up for your specific reducers.
When I used these reducers on an SCT I had the reducer attached to the visual back, then an SCT-T adaptor, then a variety of T-spacers to connect to the ASI224MC (which has a T-thread). A bunch of different T-spacers came with my Meade reducer. You can just test it in the backyard against no reducer to check out what reduction you get, and then try astrometry.net to figure out your actual FOV.
Not sure why its black and white is it something to do with DSS settings? Wish I had some clear skies right now - plus there would be the bonus that I'd bug people less with my stupid comments on their threads
Yeah, I'm a little puzzled too, I've attached one of my Fits frames converted to JPEG & you will see the FOV is larger than the final product... DSS & Startools both seem to change the FOV slightly on processing & I'm not yet sure why that is.
You may well be right on the extension tube use, my F6.3 reducer is attached direct to the back of the SCT, I then have used a 1.25" visual back (wouldn't be 100 - 120mm long though) then camera.. didn't know much about using them so, will look into that. I have used the same method for the f3.3, haven't processed that data yet... DSLR will not come to focus with the f3.3 but, the ZWO does...
Might see about getting some extension tubes & using them with the f6.3 to see what happens.
PS: I don't find your comments to be bugging at all mate, this is how I go from position of no knowledge at all to gaining a little knowledge from folk who have been there, done that.. that is what makes this forum such a great place...
Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisV
Nice going Carlton. But one thing is puzzling me - why is your FOV so small. It should be much bigger. You should be getting in a larger chunk of M42 with these reducers, especially the x0.33.
Do you have the reducer directly attached to the camera? You might need more spacing between the camera and reducer to get the focal reduction up to the advertised amount. From memory the 0.63 needs quite a lot - about 100-110mm, the 0.33 needs less. You can look it up for your specific reducers.
When I used these reducers on an SCT I had the reducer attached to the visual back, then an SCT-T adaptor, then a variety of T-spacers to connect to the ASI224MC (which has a T-thread). A bunch of different T-spacers came with my Meade reducer. You can just test it in the backyard against no reducer to check out what reduction you get, and then try astrometry.net to figure out your actual FOV.
Not sure why its black and white is it something to do with DSS settings? Wish I had some clear skies right now - plus there would be the bonus that I'd bug people less with my stupid comments on their threads
Paul on the M42 test thread has the spacing sorted. Ask him. You can really push the focal reduction as you are using a small sensor. You could try a diagonal if you have one lying around that'll add a fair bit
thanks for that, I have either a 1.25" meade diagonal (not that flash TBH) & a 2" dielectric... might have a look at that...
I picked up the two reducers & an OIII filter for a song.. didn't get any extension tubes though.. I don't think they are particularly expensive from memory so no biggie..
I'll have a look at the M42 test thread, hadn't noticed that one before
Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisV
Paul on the M42 test thread has the spacing sorted. Ask him. You can really push the focal reduction as you are using a small sensor. You could try a diagonal if you have one lying around that'll add a fair bit
