I've collected a number of images over a few nights for this nebula. I'm still trying various things to get the best image I can from it all. Most of this data is just incidental collection as I sort out getting things working at the scope - aligning, guiding, etc.
Details:
Taken from the backyard, streetlight blazing away...
Stacked with DSS 3.2.2, post processed in PS.
Mix and ISO 800 (60 sec) and ISO 1600 (30 sec) images. Around 70 in total I think after weeding out *many* crappy images. Darks taken on each night total about 40.
I'd like to drop to lower ISO in the future to reduce some of the star "bloat", but I'd obviously need longer exposures - something I'm not quite capable of achieving just yet.
Questions:
1. I notice that DSS makes a master dark to use for each ISO (and I assume if I had varying times within an ISO, there would be another master). I assume it uses the masters across the lights (again on a per ISO/time basis). My camera records the temperature with each picture, so I can see a large range of temperatures, so I assume the darks will vary greatly. Does DSS take note of the temperature data if it's there? Would applying darks to lights at specific temperatures give better results than using a master dark?
2. I found that saving the image from DSS - 16bit TIFF was the only thing PS liked - the image tended to have gradient bands or noise. Is it better to do minimal adjustments in DSS, save an image and post process in PS, or get as close as possible in DSS, then save, etc?
3. What alternatives have I got to using DSS? I've read a bit about PixInsight which looks interesting, but I've been wanting to get some good data (and a lot of it) before giving it a go - also I'm going through some large learning curves elsewhere that taking on PixInsight might be tough at this time.
Feel free to give any feedback or suggestions.
Google+ Post with a larger picture