RASA trial with Asiair

xelasnave · #1 29-08-2022, 11:09 AM

Testing the RASA with the Asiair plus and trying various things.

I captured some Ha and O11 but a large number were showing oval stars..I cant work out why however it is a miserable day so I stacked the lot and fiddled in photoshop to get an idea of the potential. I did not do a cull so I could probably improve the star shapes.

As you can see the colour is perfect

I may perform a serious cull on the data but I want to get some other bands and try for a decent image...nevertheless I am happy so far notwithstanding the problems ...I find this is a very difficult object and so I was happy to get some detail..I hope it is detail and not artifacts..
Before I could close up the really heavy dew hit and the observatory is very wet so I am running a heater and mopping the floor as it was just so bad...it looked like a snow storm but lots of water unfortunately...I have given up worrying about the gear suffering ...Actually it would make me happy to see it fading faster than me.

I dont know if you can see in this image but the big one you could see a few small galaxies..I thought they were oval stars at first

alex

oska (John) · #2 29-08-2022, 12:56 PM

What's not to like about that as an experiment? I love the iris details - even if they are artefacts

What exposure time? How many of each?

Mickoid (Michael) · #3 29-08-2022, 01:24 PM

You've captured the radiant structure emanating from the central star well Alex. A promising test!

Anth10 (Anthony M) · #4 29-08-2022, 02:08 PM

Heaps to like in the detail Alex - nice capture.
Anthony

Dave882 (David) · #5 29-08-2022, 03:09 PM

Great image Alex- your persistence is paying off! Well done mate!!

xelasnave · #6 29-08-2022, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oska

What's not to like about that as an experiment? I love the iris details - even if they are artefacts

What exposure time? How many of each?

A couple of hours ..some 30 seconds some 60 seconds some 300 gain some less...I went to do a cull but as I put everything in only one file everything is mixed up and also there are JPG in there..why I do not know...
Alex

xelasnave · #7 29-08-2022, 04:37 PM

AND thank you gentlemen for your kind words.

Still a few things to sort out thats for sure.

Alex

xelasnave · #8 30-08-2022, 12:27 PM

Culled a lot of subs and this is mostly just O11 about 60 minutes captured at 60 seconds and 300gain (maybe a couple of Ha but DSS may have left them out as I gave it a lot of room to drop stuff (which seems to work) but I used 3x drizzle so I am not sure if the cull or the drizzle showed more detail

..at least I think it is more detail

..I process these things so hard I wonder if everything I see is real

..So if anyone can tell me I have been making artifacts please tell me as frankly I have no idea..yes it is a very ordinary day and the meds have hit my feet again so I cant walk

..so you goto do something

...still not a particularly good data set however I am surprised the number of tiny galaxies that the RASA is picking up

.
I love the colour of this one

.
I hope I can get some decent sky so I can have a real go at this object as there are hints of nebulosity around it that I would like to investigate.
alex

oska (John) · #9 30-08-2022, 02:07 PM

Nice one Alex. I love these experiments!
I'm still scrounging for a clue but this is what has helped me so far:

The HARD cull. I'm mean to them now (they seem to like it) rather than treasuring them. At 30 secs it so much easier

Change one thing at a time. No! Ah! Not that either, no. Just one

Have numerically controlled output/processing so you have an objective measuring system - as long as you get a useable image for comparison everything else doesn't matter. We're not making pretty pix we're calibrating you/your process, and you're the judge so that can be challenging when the answer is "unflattering".

A PI processes that could be "one clicked" or "numerically set" - so everything is the same
eg
background neutralisation
colour calibration
ezDenoise (don't need it really for this exercise)
ezSoft Stretch

then compare.

For me when I get artefacts they appear over the whole/most of the image, so not that I think.

Man that colour. You're tryin to tempt to the dark side - I can feel it.
I love the detail you are getting on the iris - love it.

There are definitely many more galaxies in the background than I see in mine, heaps! But don't worry - a quick star reduction will get rid of them

xelasnave · #10 31-08-2022, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oska

Nice one Alex. I love these experiments!
I'm still scrounging for a clue but this is what has helped me so far:

The HARD cull. I'm mean to them now (they seem to like it) rather than treasuring them. At 30 secs it so much easier

Change one thing at a time. No! Ah! Not that either, no. Just one

Have numerically controlled output/processing so you have an objective measuring system - as long as you get a useable image for comparison everything else doesn't matter. We're not making pretty pix we're calibrating you/your process, and you're the judge so that can be challenging when the answer is "unflattering".

A PI processes that could be "one clicked" or "numerically set" - so everything is the same
eg
background neutralisation
colour calibration
ezDenoise (don't need it really for this exercise)
ezSoft Stretch

then compare.

For me when I get artefacts they appear over the whole/most of the image, so not that I think.

Man that colour. You're tryin to tempt to the dark side - I can feel it.
I love the detail you are getting on the iris - love it.

There are definitely many more galaxies in the background than I see in mine, heaps! But don't worry - a quick star reduction will get rid of them

First I must thank you for your input particularly as it will not only help me but so often folk reading pick up handy information.

I love your approach to culling I have often said similar and really with the HA data they all have been culled ...not one survived my latest experiment..and frankly even the O11 needs to go which means nothing left...So I plan to start from scratch..I need to identify the problem with the mount and the problem I suspect requires me putting in a pier retrospectively....or move the EQ8 to the pier in the middle of the observatory which is a big job as I not only have to fabricate the bracket but instal a winch from the roof to move everything...

Yes yes yes...I agree one thing at a time..that is me but this object has me being slack ..probably the poor data has me not concentrating...or concern for the mount issues that should not be there...

The reason I process over and over is really fitting into the groove you suggest...and as much as I hate to admit it cause I do like to present as non nerdy... I keep notes of all settings ...well I have to ..it's not a nerdy thing its just that I cant remember things like I once could.

StarTools is great for the reason you could go thru and use the settings as you find them each and ever time...when my stars get rings it is because I tried to take the wheel...

Anyways nailing the mount problem is all I can think about but what your post has done for me is to bring me back from sheer panic and now reaching for a sheet of paper to list the steps.( I actually keep a book but dont tell anyone they will think I am nerdy or old).even though I sorted the cables and the balance etc I need to start from the begining...

OK back to work..thanks for your input.

Alex

oska (John) · #11 31-08-2022, 12:37 PM

Just reminding, not telling

First principles is the only way to learn anything IMHO and iteratively is the only sure way to refine (or discover) anything.

Not to get all intellectual but I think that guy Don said it back in the 80's "Is pier - is good!"

xelasnave · #12 31-08-2022, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oska

Just reminding, not telling

First principles is the only way to learn anything IMHO and iteratively is the only sure way to refine (or discover) anything.

Not to get all intellectual but I think that guy Don said it back in the 80's "Is pier - is good!"

I am happy to be told or reminded I just want to know stuff.

I was onto it months ago as I remember mentioning to Martin that I had to fix it but I think that new lump in my neck caused mecto loose focus...anyways its gone so back on track again.

Alex

Crater101 (Warren) · #13 31-08-2022, 01:02 PM

Alex, as someone who is just starting out in this area, I must offer my compliments, not only for the results - damn fine work - but also for your willingness to share the process you've undertaken, which as you mentioned is beneficial to those of us who are still coming to terms with a lot of it.

Well done.

xelasnave · #14 31-08-2022, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crater101

Alex, as someone who is just starting out in this area, I must offer my compliments, not only for the results - damn fine work - but also for your willingness to share the process you've undertaken, which as you mentioned is beneficial to those of us who are still coming to terms with a lot of it.

Well done.

Thank you Warren.

My attitude is that information, experience and mistakes should be shared..I am lucky as I started in law where you become very experienced at life cause all you do is look at the lives, experience, mistakes etc of others...not only of clients but guess what you read in all those case books..each case ( and there are thousands) is a story of mistakes in some fashion...ask me about some lifes problem and I bet I have read about it or even acted for a client and shared the drama...but really I have been priveledged to see more mistakes than most..and if there is one thing..they say you learn by your mistakes but I say you learn by the mistakes of others if you are smart.

I could not have got to first base if not for three sites two no longed with us Astronomy Daily and Raveshoe Observatory and this place ... I think if one abandons puff pride and asks help is always available here...the times that I have run into a problem, posted it here, and within hours recieve happy helpful advice could number in the hundreds...

AND so I try to help by showing I am just some mug having a go and that if I can do it then most everybody can...

Thank you again for your kind words... kindness keeps the world going.

Alex

Crater101 (Warren) · #15 01-09-2022, 08:51 AM

You're very welcome mate. My background is in education (although I'm aware of the large volumes of case law of which you speak...) and I'm a big believer that the best knowledge in the world is useless if it isn't communicated or shared.

Do keep posting this work of yours, it's inspirational to folks like myself. I look forward to seeing more of it.

Cheers!

xelasnave · #16 01-09-2022, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crater101

You're very welcome mate. My background is in education (although I'm aware of the large volumes of case law of which you speak...) and I'm a big believer that the best knowledge in the world is useless if it isn't communicated or shared.

Do keep posting this work of yours, it's inspirational to folks like myself. I look forward to seeing more of it.

Cheers!

You are so kind Warren I now have a reason to get up tomorrow.

OK having talked about learning from mistakes... my mount has been jumping and as a result I have organised to add some piers thru the floor as it just stood on a tripod on the floor..asking for trouble but I have a list of very good excuses...but we all know one only resorts to excuses after one has made an error.

Now on the positive I made a list of things to check ... cables as I had rerouted them...and balance..hey how could it go wrong?.. but checking the balance was what I call way off...hmmm...oh I know ..I balanced when the two guide scopes were at the other end of the scope...but to get close to the Asiair plus I moved them to the other end...oh and Now that I think of it I put on a better scope and a camera...oh and then there was the Asiair...also even if I had not changed much the fact that I was playing with shorter cables etc really made a fresh balance mandatory...So small changes and I just did not think to do what I learnt years ago..check your balance frequently it's on that check list you made remember...but I got caught up with this and that and missed the most fundamental step...

I expect the mount will probably now be ok now but the pier job is commissioned and that really is a good idea..

Alex

Doogs38 (Alex) · #17 01-09-2022, 08:42 PM

Alex, you're capturing an amazing amount of detail in your images. While I'm not as adventurous as you, I do appreciate all that you post and your experiments and creativity

I'm especially impressed by your Ha/OIII NB images as they make they detail 'pop' ... I might have to give this NB imaging thing a crack too. Alex