Some Lunar practice

[michaellxv (Michael)]

.. for a certain event next week.

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Like others clouds are looking to spoil the party but I am still trying to work out how I should approach this.

This time I had the 600D attached to my f/11 80mm refractor on a wobbly tracking mount.

#1 stack of 20 images. I had to reduce the size by 50% to get anything to process the files. ninox to crop and center then Registax6 to process.

#2 I played with movie mode and processed in Autostakkert

For reference the previous image was my 600D with Tamron 70-300mm @ 300mm mount on the same wobbly tracking mount. Stack of 10 frames. ninox to crop and center then processed in Avistack2

I could just put the camera on a tripod and keep moving it.
I haven't tried movie mode through the Tamron. Or looked at all the move mode options.

I think I left this too late, what is your weapon of choice?

[PeterEde (Peter)]

Looked at weather maps. Maybe partly cloudy but should still be able to get good shots.
I'll be heading down Port River for shots across to Adelaide hills

These look great. What you use to stack and why stack? I tried DSS and CS. Wouldn't align. I'll have to do manual. Bit of a PITA

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Thanks Peter,

I have played with Registax6 and Avistack2 for planet/lunar images and mastered neither. Just going through the process with defaults does seem to improve things. Where they realy work is for AVI's then you can stack hundred of frames and remove the effect of atmospheric turbulance.

[multiweb (Marc)]

PixInsight FFT will do a very good job on stills. Both ready for stacking or combine into a time lapse.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

AutoPano does a good job too - if you don't mind the price.
You could also try Hugin, and that's free.
Both can handle full size DSLR frames. AutoPano Giga can handle thousands of frames if you have enough memory for the computations.

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, but today and tomorrow my focus is on which equipment (that I already have) and which process to use to take the images.

Thursday I will look at all options to process them assuming I get something.

[PeterEde (Peter)]

So film via dslr then stack frames ? Hmmm

[Star Catcher (Ted Dobosz)]

Hi Michael
Use the refractor and take standard shots with bracketing.
Ted

[multiweb (Marc)]

I reckon if you take one exposure every 20s you'll have enough room to extend time during totality and also have a nice smooth animation 15 to 25 fps. Anything from 1000 to 1800mm fl makes for a nice framing.

[michaellxv (Michael)]

I have dinner at my parents tomorrow so I will have to take everything with me and their yard is not ideal for the start. I warned them I may go out for a bit to the local park then come back when the moon is higher but that means moving everything.

However, I do like the larger image scale this gives so I think I will go with the refractor even though it means taking more equipment with me.
We will proably leave before the end as well so if I can be bothered I would have to setup again at home.

Originally Posted by multiweb

I reckon if you take one exposure every 20s you'll have enough room to extend time during totality and also have a nice smooth animation 15 to 25 fps. Anything from 1000 to 1800mm fl makes for a nice framing.

I wasn't planning on an animation and circumstances will prevent me getting such regular frames from start to finish.

Originally Posted by Star Catcher

Hi Michael
Use the refractor and take standard shots with bracketing.
Ted

I like this idea I can have endless fun trying to blend them later. I do want to try this for the partial phase.

Originally Posted by PeterEde

So film via dslr then stack frames ? Hmmm

Not film as in movie mode, I will stick with still shots and depending what they look like stack them.