Close up and how to do

[Alchemy (Clive)]

The large crater is PICCOLOMINI

Type: Crater
Geological period: Upper Imbrian (From -3.8 billions years to -3.2 billions years)

Size:
Dimension: 90x90Km / 53x53Mi
Height: 4500m / 13600ft
Height/Wide ratio: 0.0511

Description:
Isolated circular formation.
Steep slopes riddled with craters and supporting Piccolomini M and C to the North and Piccolomini S to the South.
Very high walls with terraces.
Flat floor. Imposing central mountain with 4 summits. Craterlets.

Observation:
Interest : Exceptional formation
Observation period: 5 days after New Moon or 4 days after Full Moon
Minimal Instrument: 50 mm refractor

Position:
Longitude: 32.0° East
Latitude: 29.7° South
Quadrant: South-East
Area: Mare Nectaris South edge


HOW IT WAS DONE

12 inch newt
2.5 x powermate
DMK Camera
2000 frames

Seeing only average 5-6/10

I like to do the moon by the following , it may not be the way you do it but it works for me

Shoot 2000 frames at a quick a shutter speed as possible... in this case about 108th of a second...no filters other than uv/ir as much as seeing will allow, its important the details are not smudged, you can allways cull out the bad ones and those few crisp ones will give the detail youre after.

Stack in registax using a small box ....64 pixels and create master frame from best 500 frames, i use 500 to gve me a good density. For this particular image i used Gassian Linear at 66 for level 1 and 10 for level 2......note you could sharpen more but slightly undersharpen as i use unsharp at the end.

Selectively restack for separate features using EXACTLY same wavelet settings and No of frames BUT choose the very best feature( the crater you are trying to patch in) from the 2000 frames. Save each as complete finished frame

As each frame is done open in photoshop or similar and onto your master frame ...Patch...each individual feature that was the chosen for that frame (hope that makes sense) using a feather of about 4- 6 pixels and transparency of 50% line up and then select transparency to 0 and flatten /merge. only use the sharp bit you selected for that run... if you look closly once you get a bit from your point quality drops.

Continue to peice together all the bits until its done ... this may take 30 or more goes in registax......

Finally unsharp mask at 1 pixel 50-75 % and 1 level

i have found for me BETTER results than using the MAP function.

there are many other techniques but this is the one i use.

NOTE ALL PLANETARY IMAGING IS DEPENDANT ON SEEING AND QUALITY OF PICTURE WILL BE LIMITED BY THAT FACTOR

Clive.

[Dennis]

A very nice image, good work and great write up Clive.

Cheers

Dennis

[leon]

Nice one Clive, that is so close and personal, if only I could do that, well done.

Leon

[Garyh]

Looks quiet sharp Clive.
A nice closeup!
Havn`t seen any clear sky for close to 2 weeks now
And my pc in the obs died yesterday

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Thanks dennis for comment.

leon, i reckon its doable for most people to some degree( big scope helps), thats why i gave a brief tutorial so hopefully those who havent had a go might give it a try. Have a try you might be suprised. If you are using a smaller scope... pick your night when seeing is really good.

Gary h ..... out of the game for a while, i know what you mean weve had open skies but smoke smoke and more smoke. last weekend it rained, this weekend its going to rain, theres a conspiracy going on. i was having withdrawl symptoms so started shooting the moon.... forgot how much fun it can be. Want to get back to the deep sky thing though thats where i belong.

[Ric]

A lovely sharp image Alchemy, a fine effort.

I enjoyed your write up and description. In regards to the geologic period it is interesting to think that when this crater formed basic ocean plants like Crinoids and Fenestella were only just starting to form.

Cheers

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Thanks ric..... i have to fess up the geology stuff came from Vmap pro moon program, ..... but i did take the pic and process it

its just as well the solar system has settled down , the poor old moon copped a battering way back when.... even if the plants couldnt appreciate the view, risky place to be back then even at the bottom of the ocean.

[John K]

Very nice Clive, great detail and defenition. Thanks for sharing.