Rough Wide Fields From Coonabarabran

[Ross G]

Originally Posted by midnight

Your images Ross inspire me to get my gear out there when I get the next opportunity (work & weatherwise).

Very well deserved credit for your nice collection there.

Cheers,
Darrin...

Hi Darrin,

Thank you, I'm glad you like the photos.

Yes, between work, family and the weather the imaging opportunities are few so grab them when you can.

Good luck.

Ross.

[Ross G]

Originally Posted by desler

Ross,

I have had very limited goes at widefield imaging and haven't come close to your results here! I think they are a great set of images and would be more than pleased to have them as mine!

Your progession in processing is obvious, and I look forward to seeing more of your work!

Darren

Hi Darren,

Thanks, It's great that you like the photos.

I have been studying Photoshop techniques over the last 6 months, reading books and watching the numerous video tutorials available and getting valuable advice from a few very helpful people. It has been a slow and often confusing process. However, I have kept plugging away trying everything and seeing what works for my photos. I think finally now I am starting to see through the fog although I know I still have a long way to go.

I am getting drawn to widefields more and more. On Tuesday night it was clear and I successfuly tested an adapter that allows me to connect my SLR lenses to my QHY8L ccd.
This I hope is going to result in much better quality photos.

Thank you.

Ross.

[hotspur (Chris)]

Originally Posted by Ross G

Hi Chris,

Ha, ha...I don't think so.

I'm glad you like the photos, the praise however, is undeserved.

It is only in the last 3 to 6 months that I have started doing anything more in Photoshop then just levels and the Saturation slider.

If you want to learn Photoshop for astrophotography quickly and efficiently, do yourself a favour and go to WWW.ATALAS.NET. It belongs to an IIS member, Atalas (Louie). He has about 9 of the most amazing 4 minute Photoshop tutorials. Unlike many books I have read and other video tutorials I have seen, his cut through the "crap" and just present the essentials in a clear, precise and simplified manner.

As to the mount, it is a Vixen SXW Sphinx. Unguided it's not too flash, but it autoguides very well with PHD.

The camera I used for these photos is a modded Canon 1000d. When the weather is cold, its noise levels are quite low. I have also noticed that it does not show any amp glow, even without darks. I was also shooting with an older Canon 350d on the same mount and it exhibited a lot of amp glow in all the shots. I thinl I read somewhere that in their newer cameras, Canon has the amp switched off during long exposures.

Also, I think having to compress photos to 200kb for IIS helps hide a lot of defects.

Anyway Chris, good luck with your imaging. If I can be of any specific help, feel free to pm me.

Thank you.

Ross.

Thanks Ross

[CoolhandJo (Paul)]

Arhh the dark sky benefits! Great shots

[Ross G]

Originally Posted by CoolhandJo

Arhh the dark sky benefits! Great shots

Hi Paul,

Glad you like the photos.

Yes, nothing like a clear, dark sky to hide deficiencies in talent, skill and equipment.
Wish I lived in Coonabarabran!


Thanks.

Ross.