what is a "Flat"

[bartman]

Could someone please tell me what a 'flat' is.
Tried searching the forums but could not find a definitive answer.
I know what 'darks' are, and to be quite honest I probably don't / won't need to use them until I loose my trainer wheels!:rover1:
I understand what darks do, but what do the flats do?

cheers
bartman

[troypiggo]

This link explains it better than I can. And the link is from the Deep Sky Stacker website, which is probably the most popular, and free, stacking software recommended.

http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/faq.htm#lightdarkflatoffset

[kinetic]

Another link that may help too, with some pics.
Sometimes pics explain it better than anything.
http://www.aavso.org/observing/programs/ccd/manual/3.shtml

I keep this link for occassional reference because sometimes
I easily forget the fundamantals! :)

Steve

[bartman]

Thanx for both your replies!
Tis what i need...., I have read about it (flats)in many a post but couldnt figure out what they are!
Steve...TY....pix and txt just what i need
Troy - why is the rain YOUR fault?...
Troy - as a noob dss is a lot better then registax...
and by the way- awesome sig!!!!!!!

"Waxing gibbous? Sounds like an ape polishing a car."

[troypiggo]

You'll find that whenever someone buys some new astro gear, the clouds and rain come over so you can't test it out immediately. Kinda like whenever you wash the car it rains that day. I've been buying a fair bit since I took up this hobby, so I'll take the blame for all the rain since then :)

[Barrykgerdes]

A flat is a handy place to live, but if it is on your car it is something you don't want. Similarly unwanted if it refers to your finances.

Oh you mean for corrrecting errors on your DSLR chips for astro photography. It is a photo of a true white field used to compliment the response of the DSLR photo so that output is devoid of errors caused by uneven response of the CCD chip

Baz

[bartman]

HEHEHEHE funny Baz:rofl:
And Troy that's what happens to me as well!
bartman