How to stack images of a moving comet using "sum"?

[rogerg]

G'day all,

Anyone able to suggest a program to use for stacking a series of .FIT files (containing a comet) where the comet is moving through the FOV?

I have tried this with RegiStax and while its easily locks on to the comet and stacks the imagaes, it's doing so using an "average" algorithm, I can't find out how to get it to use an "add".

Trying with CCDSoft or RegiStar (and presumably Deep Sky Stacker, but haven't tried) the images are aligned and stacked according to the star field, so hence the comet is trailed.

Could anyone suggest the best way to do this?

An option is manually in photoshop, but I have a lot of frames :whistle:

Thanks,
Roger.

[turbo_pascale]

DeepSkyStacker has a comet stacking feature built in.
There is a short tutorial on the main website.

http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/technical.htm#cometstacking

Note particularly, the cool option to not have star trails or the comet trails. Very clever and neat.

Turbo

[Garyh]

I would like to know too! :)
I usually just do it all in PS.
Tried it in Deepskystacker with about 10 different images but it did a terrible job on all except for one of schwassmann C.
cheers

[Peter Ward]

MaxIm has multiple alignment modes, and handles files extremely well.

It's probably the gold standard at present.

Not animals were hurt in endorsing this product :)

[Terry B]

Iris has a good system and it's free.
See http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/iris/tutorial2/doc10_us.htm
and http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/iris/tutorial2/doc121_us.htm
You just align on the comet head and add however you want.

[higginsdj]

Astrometrica is the answer. It will even provide precision astrometry and basic photometry on the resultant image automatically as well.

www.astrometrica.at

[bird]

G'day Roger.

I'd like to know if my software (ninox) could handle this... it's designed for aligning and stacking planetary images but it seems likely that it will work for comets as well...

Can you send me a set of sample frames to test? Or you can try it for yourself - www.acquerra.com.au/astro/software/ninox

If you'd like to send me some frames, PM me for my email address.

cheers, Bird

[rogerg]

I hadn't thought of using astrometrica for stacking - I have a license for it and have used it a bit, but not for that :) I'll see if I can work it out.

Also, I'll try Deep Sky Stacker.

Thanks,
Roger.

[higginsdj]

Most of us ONLY use the stacking function. Its the only way to nab mag 20+ NEO's for astrometric followup. (The stackign is automatic base on plate solve and target motion)

[rogerg]

I have a solution working quite nicely for this now, using CCDSoft. I did try astrometrica with some success but not complete success. I also tried Deep Sky Stacker but it's harder than using CCDSoft (once you know how).

Thanks to those who provided input.

Roger.