Kens 9 star trap video

davidpretorius · #1 12-01-2006, 07:42 AM

Ok all you image processors out there, here is a cropped and centred video of ken's prime focus with a toucam of the trap.

6 stars are easily viewed i nthe video, but the aim is to try and squeeze more out.

Ken was able to post an image of where you could see 9 and it all seemed to line up with a reference image of where they all should be.

So please have a rip.

It is 9mbytes!

http://precons.com/iis/gallery/Nontracking/Deep%20Space/ken's%20small%20trap.zip

atalas · #2 12-01-2006, 12:52 PM

Thanks Davo and Ken I enjoyed that !

davidpretorius · #3 12-01-2006, 02:56 PM

ok i have iven it a quick go, i think ken processing was better, but i see spots where stars are meant to be

asimov (John) · #4 12-01-2006, 02:59 PM

I'd like to give it a rip but I'm back home with my dial-up connection! = no way @ 9 megs!

asimov (John) · #5 12-01-2006, 03:02 PM

All I want to know is how he got it!! Using the mod on the toucam or what?? If not, I wanna know some toucam settings??

davidpretorius · #6 12-01-2006, 03:11 PM

toucam prime focus, drifting across the screen. i will airbag kens cd to you asimov!

no long exposure

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #7 12-01-2006, 03:52 PM

I used the Toucam in 'Normal' mode and I waited for the Trap to drift into view. As it drifted across the screen (coz I got no tracking) I recorded about 170 frames.

This was done before I knew how to use 'Desire' and is done in the ordinary Philips V-Record program.

The settings I used were:
IMAGE:
Frame rate - 5 fps
Brightness - 80%
Gamma - 30%
Saturation - 100%

CAMERA:
Auto setting
Shutter - 1/33rd
Gain - 80%

Using a GS 12" Dob and Toucam at Prime Focus. Dark sky helps.

Last weekend I watched Bert have a go at running my Avi through Registax and he picked up more stars than I did when I tried. So last night I gave it a go again trying to remember what Bert did and I got even more!

Here is an extreme close up of the finished pic. In PhotShop I magnified the image to 500% and played with Brightness/Contrast. That's all I've done so far. It's not a good quality shot.

I hope someone can make my Avi look even better and clearer coz there seems to be a lot of stars hiding in there.

asimov (John) · #8 12-01-2006, 04:00 PM

Thanks for the settings Ken....& thanks Dave for airbagging the CDrom (unless you were joking?)

I reckon I have a trap photo in here somewhere with quite a few stars also!

Back thru the archives I do goooo!

davidpretorius · #9 12-01-2006, 04:05 PM

being picked up in about 10 mintues hopefully and on its way to SA!!

asimov (John) · #10 12-01-2006, 04:16 PM

You don't muck about then!! Thanks!!

Geez, hope it gets here before starting work so I have energy to stack it!

Dennis · #11 12-01-2006, 07:19 PM

Hey Dave

I just dumped my C9.25 and ordered a dob when I saw your post Msg #3 above. Then, I realised that Ken's image was the right hand one.....not the left. Phew, I'd better get down to the wheelie bin and rescue the gear.

Cheers

Dennis

asimov (John) · #12 12-01-2006, 07:25 PM

Too late mate! I had a friend collect the rubbish at your place 30 mins ago!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #13 12-01-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis

Then, I realised that Ken's image was the right hand one.....not the left.

and what's wrong with my image . . huh? . . huh?

Actually Dennis it does look like the left one through the EP.
Imaging without tracking ain't good!

Dennis · #14 12-01-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

and what's wrong with my image . . huh? . . huh?

Actually Dennis it does look like the left one through the EP.
Imaging without tracking ain't good!

Absolutely nothing wrong Ken - just thought if you captured the LH version without tracking, who needed the complication of polar alignment, mains power, an expensive Eq mount etc etc compared to draggin' out the old dob.

Cheers

Dennis

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #15 12-01-2006, 07:41 PM

I have just placed the good pic next to my latest effort and the stars don't match!!!!

I have stars where there are none and stars missing where there should be some.

Then after sratching my head I realised I have re-processed the wrong Avi! I did an older bad one.

I will have to do the right one.

Anyone else had any luck with the Avi Davo put in here for me?
Here are the pics that show nothing matches in my old one. I think some of it is noise:

RAJAH235 · #16 15-01-2006, 01:07 AM

fwiw, info on why the Trapezium is... from 'Universe Today'.

L.

Wombat_In_Space (Darren) · #17 19-01-2006, 03:58 AM

Well I have had a go at it and this is my finished image croped to just show the ceter section of the image.

davidpretorius · #18 19-01-2006, 04:13 AM

good stuff wombat, have you tried brightening up so the real faint buggas start to show???

Wombat_In_Space (Darren) · #19 19-01-2006, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidpretorius

good stuff wombat, have you tried brightening up so the real faint buggas start to show???

That is my next thing to do is try to get the faint ones to pop out from thier hidding spots.

This attempt was a quick muck around last night to see if I could get the main stars to look good.

PS found a great little pices of freeware software for changing AVI files to BMP images one button click and your done.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #20 19-01-2006, 12:03 PM

Darren, I have re-done the image in Registax. It's over in the thread "Kens Trap Reprocessed". Give that one a try.

What is the advantage of BMP over JPG?