Anatomy of White Light Sun Spot processing

[Dennis]

Hello,

I just thought that I’d describe the basic step-by-step process that I use for processing White Light Sun Spots with my current set up.

For processing the AVI’s I now use AutoStakkert! as it is really fast, saving me hours when processing several files, typically with 3000 frames and a file size of around 1.5 GB.

After AutoStakkert has produced its Output file (tif format) I open it in Photoshop CS6 where I also use the Topaz Labs Plug Ins on different Layers.

The names of the Plug Ins are provided in the bottom left of each Layer image in the process step images attached.

Cheers

Dennis

[RickS (Rick)]

Thanks for the description, Dennis. Very interesting to see how you do it.

[h0ughy (David)]

congrats Dennis on the Spaceweather gig

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by RickS

Thanks for the description, Dennis. Very interesting to see how you do it.

Thanks Rick, I love watching the images develop, through creating and applying different Layers. It reminds me watching the image develop on prints in the dev tray under the dim red light of a wet photographic dark room.

Cheers

Dennis

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

congrats Dennis on the Spaceweather gig

Thanks Dave, I did have a couple of peeks yesterday and didn’t see it. Must have been the time zone difference. Good to see you keep a watchful eye on the interests of the Southern Hemisphere astronomical community!

Cheers

Dennis

[SkyViking (Rolf)]

Your white light images are among the very best Dennis, great work. And thanks for the processing examples, that's very interesting.

[Paul Haese]

Certainly a different way of going about things Dennis. I am investigating getting a 102mm refractor to use with my Lunt Wedge that I bought last year in june and have yet to use. I would like to get into a bit of white light to compliment my Ha stuff. Thanks for the tips on processing. Still a superb image, even without all the processing. Good data is just like that though.

I have found though that Autostakkert has trouble with large format stuff for some reason. Maybe it is a setting I am using. I want to use the full sensor worth so I don't miss anything on the mosaics I do. I must investigate a bit more.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

top result Dennis - exceptional. regards Ray

[Dennis]

Thanks Rolf, Paul and Ray, I appreciate your generous comments.

@Paul: just checking, but with AutoStakkart! are you selecting the “Surface” Radio Button? I once accidentally did not set this and my image was cropped, albeit I am only using 1024x768.

Cheers

Dennis

[Derek Klepp]

Dennis you really have these HR WL shots down pat. I actually like the third pic the best in the above set.This was a great AR hopefully more to come this year.
Cheers Derek

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

Dennis you really have these HR WL shots down pat. I actually like the third pic the best in the above set.This was a great AR hopefully more to come this year.
Cheers Derek

Thanks Derek – it really all comes down to the seeing once you have your equipment, techniques and processing sorted out.

Thanks also for the feedback on your preferred image; it is helpful to gain some insight into what other solar imagers prefer in terms of the processing techniques and when to stop.

Cheers

Dennis

[John K]

Fantastic image Dennis, and thanks for sharing your processing.

Out of curiocity, what % of frames do you stack and what time of the day are you imaging the sun?


John K.

[iceman (Mike)]

Wow, very sharp. Great stuff Dennis.

[Dennis]

Thanks John and Mike.

John: I record 3000 frames with the DMK31AF04AS and then set the stack limit to 300 frames in AutoStakkert. Previously I had been imaging between 9:30am and 11:30am which tended to deliver the better seeing, although I have managed to record good data in the early afternoon too.

For this shot, the Sun cleared the trees at around 8:30am so I was able to start recoding a little earlier.

Maybe twice a year, excellent seeing coincides with suitable weather and free time where the Solar Granules are quite stable and plainly visible on-screen during the recording but on the other occasions, I usually eyeball the screen and pause the recording during moments of poorer seeing and then re-start when it settles down a bit more. I try not to go beyond 10 minutes with the pause technique as that is the approximate lifespan of a typical granule.

Cheers

Dennis