I'm trying to select my comet with the comet selection tool in DSS, but the cursor only seems to want to let me select registered stars around the comet, but not the comet itself.
I've registered with a setting of 10% so there's something like 8000 stars registered per image, but even though the comets a fair bit brighter, it won't let me select it.
(I've selected 'comet stacking' in the appropriate tab).
Any ideas on what I've neglected to do? (I'm very new to DSS so have left most of the settings on recommended cos there's a lot that's over my head)
Did a bit more searching and found the 'hold down the shift key to select'. Seems to be working - giving it a whirl now.
Edit: Got it! Select comet with the shift key, then register the photos. then stack. Looks weird with the multiple exposures on the stars - particularly taking into account the dark frame subtraction the camera does (must try turning that off and doing some dark frames before and after and putting them into DSS) and the blurry frame that I binned.
Speaking of dark frame subtraction - if I did a dark frame at the start and finish of my image runs with the NR switched off in the camera, and then applied the dark frames in DSS - does that work as well as an 'in camera' NR?
Hi John, Im going through this now with not much success - i didnt even think about selecting the comet with the shift key, Lol
Thats a good comet photo there, but wondering why the stars have not stacked, ? is there more stacking to do on the stars and then DDS combine the two ? i honestly dont know
Hi Bob. Down the left hand side of DSS there's a 'settings' option. If you click that, then click 'stacking options' you'll get a multiple tab box open up. The second one is labeled 'comet' where you can either choose to stack based on the position of the comet, or the standard 'star' alignment. There's also an option to stack on both - don't know how that works - perhaps I'll go give it whirl and see what it does.
Selecting both stars and comet alignment seemed to work very nicely - except for the bright red 'blob' in the comet nucleus and taking a lot longer to process. Worth the extra time methinks...
Thats the result John, good stuff
Yes I used the Comet and Star stacking, but it still only stacking the stars - Can you elaberate on when to select the comet as you mention with the shift key ?
Are you loading the subs - selecting all - go to 'comet star stacking' in the options and selecting- then shift click the comet ?
And then just stack images from the main left panel ?
Cheers
mmm, do you stack normal on stars 1st, then, manual allign the comet ? ? how when do I select the comet - cant do it before stacking as no image untill it stacks, is it able to detect the comet selection after it stacks ? ?
Cheers
I've been selecting the comet before I've even registered the photos - I think you can do it either way. Then I register the photos and down the bottom there'll be a +C next to the star numbers and individual file info. (To select the comet, just click the individual file down the bottom and it pops up in the edit window - and don't forget to save it before doing the next one). A bit tedious checking the comet for each file - I think I read there's a short cut that you can do the first and last and get DSS to fill in the blanks but I can't remember where I read it. Once the comet, then the stars are registered, I check 'em and stack 'em. (I don't tick the box that says stack after registering - I do it separately...think I read that somewhere too!)
I'm sort of blundering my way through the software as I go!
Thanx John, I have a stack,- I found out that clicking on the file name that the image would show itself Crypeeze, ive been going blind fold since I downloaded DSS some years ago - i tell ya, that makes life easier
Crypeeze, ive been going blind fold since I downloaded DSS some years ago - i tell ya, that makes life easier 
