Few Dob DSO's for ya

[Stu Ward]

All 5 x 20 secs ISO 1600
Cent A is a bit messy due to it not being central
Eta Car is a bit over exposed, but I like the fact it looks angry


Still fine tuning this Dob Imaging, I reckon with the right setup, and right skies you could get some beauties


Stu

[renormalised]

Try taking a lot more of those 20 sec subs, Stu. Try 20-40 subs, or even more. The more subs, the more data you'll have to play with and the better the S/N ratio you'll have. Try ISO 800 as well....less noisy. Just means you'll have to take more subs:)

Good start:)

[Stu Ward]

Is there a program you can you to automatically fire the camera ?
I'm using the eos utility software atm which is manual.

[graham.hobart]

try AstrophotographersTool. Controls most Eos cameras via mini USB.

[Stu Ward]

Thanks

I found the timer settings on EOS.
I want to make sure I have this right though.
My camera takes a 20 second Exp, but then it takes another 20 secs to process. Therefore I need to set the timer interval to around 45 seconds ?

Stu

[jjjnettie]

yep, that sounds right.
just fill your card Stu. I was the Queens of the 20 sec sub for a while there. It's amazing what you can capture in that short a time.
Extreme imaging !!!!

[Liz]

You are doing well Stu, those images look good. :thumbsup:

[irwjager]

Looking good! Your colors are spot on as far as I can tell. :thumbsup:

[RobF]

Sounds like you have "in camera noise correction" on too Stu - so its always going to take a matching dark frame for the length of your exposure. Alternative is to turn that off and use library darks, which gives you more imaging time, but requires you take darks at some conditions (temp mainly). I used to use the EOS software for focusing (liveview) and all my image capture. Very nice to get the PC and camera doing the hard work while you put your feet up and enjoy the sky! :)

[jjjnettie]

The timer interval will be 25 seconds. :)

[mswhin63]

Hi Stu, I have tried deep-sky with a 12" DOB - http://www.waelect.com.au/mswhin63/Deepsky/index.html#M42_3 2010_11_17_30PC.jpg is an example.

Unfortunately it is the only one I could do and is very tricky. In my opinion to get any further than you have done you will need either - Equatorial Platform (which is what I used) or a Field De-Rotator which maybe the best bet to get long exposures needed for deep sky.

To get mine required 1 minute exposures all 67 of them and only 20 were good enough to make the grade.

On the other point it does sound like you have ICNR on.

[Stu Ward]

So should I leave the noise reduction on or turn it off ?

[Ross G]

Hi Stu,

Nice shots.

I would leave the In Camera Noise Reduction on. Although you are halving your shooting time, the quality of your shots should be better.

Having said that, if the outside temperature is cold (1 to about 4 c), experiment with it on and off. You might find very little difference in the amount of noise in your shots.


Thanks.

Ross.

[RobF]

When you get to the point that the delay time is a signficicant proportion of your shooting time, that's when its time to start thinking about shooting a library of master darks at various temperatures. For 30sec exposures its probably not worth the effort IMHO.

As to what gives the best pics, that's like arguing over Mac versus PC.....:)

[Stu Ward]

My latest efforts

Omega Centauri
Centaurus A
Triffid with very interesting processing !

[Alchemy]

The new centaurus A is much better tracked, the omega also shows nice stars, I haven't had much to do with the goto dobs ( ok i never had one in my hands:lol: ) you certainly have scope for lots of targets, and as others have said, the more frames you take the better the picture will be.

Keep up the good work

[Stu Ward]

I've added my Trifid Nebula shot in there too now.
This was taken around an almost full moon and in a pretty badly light polluted part of the sky.
So I'm really looking forward to trying this stuff out more at the clubs dark sky location.

[graham.hobart]

That is quite something my man, i love the colours! Trifid-tastic!

[stephenb]

I enjoyed those shots Stu. I'm probably the odd one out, but that first Cent A being off-centre? I kind of like it that way :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Coming along nicely now Stu!!

[Stu Ward]

I now have Photoshop, so i've had a go at processing the Tif rather than Jpeg

What do you reckon to this now ?

Oh and Sombrero

[graham.hobart]

Hey Hombre! I lovs ze Sombrero man! you have, how we say- big cahones!
makin' me jealous! I want to do the same but Just some large clouds and a South American Volcanic ash cloud between me and greatness me thinks!! (oh, and an eq 6 that stopped working....)
Keep it up to inspire us new kids on the block...word!
highly impressed
grahamhttp://www.iceinspace.com.au/vbiis/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[irwjager]

Hey Stu,

I think you've transcended beginners status when it comes to capturing, so it's time for some tough love on the processing front :)

I'm not sure about your latest PhotoShop repros - the background seems clipped to black quite badly (space is never completely black!).
Your sombrero is a wee bit green (try the Photoshop HLVG plugin). You may also obtain some good results by using layers by blurring the color information using a Gaussian blur, but not the luminance information and then merging the result again. I don't use PhotoShop so I'm not sure what the correct naming is for the layer modes - maybe someone else can chime in?

The way you're going you'll be posting in the Deep Space section in no time! :thumbsup:

[Stu Ward]

I will try your suggestions, but atm they have gone right over my head !!!

As for the black space, yeah i "blacked it"

[irwjager]

Just found a PS tutorial for you on the technique I (tried to :P ) describe:

http://www.digitalphotopro.com/technique/revolution/blur-color-noise-in-photoshop.html

[Stu Ward]

A kind member of my Astronomy club has taken my data a gave it a bit more respect than my rough processing of Sombrero.
I think he's done pretty well considering its only about 30 mins of light.

Now im gonna try an get more photons and have a go myself

[midnight]

Looking good Stu!

Keep up the good work.

Darrin...

[Stu Ward]

Heres another couple for ya !

Stu