NGC1365 and comet C/2020 M3

[Jackstar]

Hi all,


I had a good run of clear weather a couple of weeks back, managed to image 4 different targets i'll get them all processed and show them here but only just had the chance to get processing this last week.


This first one is:


NGC1365 and the comet C/2020 M3.


The seeing wasn't brilliant as a fair bit of mist descended.
I live pretty close to the Huon river, this develops a lot of fog/mist over winter with the cold nights.
I took 40 frames at 300s but after processing, of course, the comet was represented as a streak.


I processed in APP so instead i took a consecutive run of 5 that had the best score for quality.

Orion Eon 115mm
Asi2600
5 x 300s
gain 100 offset 50
-10
darks
flats
dark flats


thanks for looking


Jack

[Startrek (Martin)]

Jack
Good effort on a difficult object/s
Well done !!
By the way , are you running your 2600MC by Ascom ? ZWO recommend to run the 2600MC via Ascom and not the ZWO native driver
Under clear dark skies ( Bortle 1 to 3 ) ZWO recommend to use Highest Dynamic Range setting ( Gain 0 offset 10 ) So far I’m getting great results with HDR
I noticed your Gain is high at 100, which reduces read noise which is good but also limits your well depth which is not so good and limits your cameras ability to achieve the fine detail of objects
I’m interested to know your reasons behind such a high gain setting on this camera , maybe I’m missing something or you have better more accurate information on Gain with the 2600MC
Thanks
Martin

[Jackstar]

Thanks Martin.


I am using the ASCOM driver and image through NINA.


When i was researching the camera before buying and after there was limited info on people who were actually using them. I latched onto a couple of conversations on CN. They were talking gain 0 and gain 100 and still are.


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/7...gain-0-vs-100/


and this one 3rd reply down John Rista


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/7...g-sense/page-3


I do not have the technical knowledge to understand all of what is being said,and they can't seem to decide anyway, but i see that i should try gain 0 and gain 100.



The first thing i did on receiving the camera was a set of darks for both 0 gain and 100 gain.


I started off on gain 100, the plan being to use that for a while and then use the gain 0 setting and start to decide myself on what i thought was giving me the results that i wanted.



That is as far as i have got, still on gain 100. I am happy with my images so far, however i do see plenty detail in those galaxies of yours, is that down to the gain setting 0 i wonder or better seeing conditions?


I aren't due clear nights anytime soon but next session i will image at gain 0 and start to compare.


Similarly i have also only stuck to -10 sensor temp and planned on dropping that cooler too to see if i got an improvement.


I am sure you will have read these posts but i have to now ask the question why you have not been trying the gain 100 at least to compare? In particular because you have 2 different skies to image under you may find 1 works better than the other in one of those locations.


thanks Martin



Jack