Mars with Neximage

[matt]

Hi Guys

Just thought I'd post a Mars capture from last night, taken around 9pm.

No tracking ... no mirror cooling ... crappy seeing and chronic case of what-the-hell-am-I-doing

It's also lost a small amount of detail in the compression for the web.

Bird was kind enough to have perfrom a quick once-over. Thanks Antho!!!!

Definitely not Bird, Mike, Asi or DP quality... but m'Gawd ... what fun!

Any advice very welcome

[mick pinner]

l would not dare offer advise but as a starting point very nice, non of us starts at the top, should encourage you to get the photo bug.

[matt]

Thanks Mick

I guess it's all about one step at a time. How much fun would it be without the challenges and overcoming obstacles? There's something great about each little advance you make along the way. Even taking a few steps backwards can sometimes reap rewards.

I'm good at going backwards, by the way

I guess one of the really great aspects of forums such as this is that other people can be more objective about your progress, assuming you've made any.

It's sometimes hard to be your own best critic. Others can often see the small improvements where we are unable?

Thanks mate and don't hold back with any comments you think might push me along the path

[asimov (John)]

Hey there Matt! That's Great stuff!!

It makes it twice as much fun by not knowing what the hell your doing! The excitement you get from NOT knowing what the final is going to be like is great!

That's excellent stuff with no tracking.

[bird (Anthony Wesley)]

Like I said in the email, that's a very respectable image. I've been working at this for a few years now, and so far I haven't found any magic formula - image processing still seems more of an art than a science, the best way to improve is just to keep trying different things.

Bird

[matt]

Asi... you're right. I love how you race to the laptop screen to see the image as you capture ... and then can't wait to open the avis and get aligning and stacking...

and then there's the processing which Bird is right as describing as more an art than a science. There's such a lot to learn ... so many sliders and buttons

But what else you gonna do with your time... watch idol???

Sorry Mike

[davidpretorius]

as i said to tidalphase about his first saturn pic, these pictures make me very happy and very proud. I remembered when you joined and statring asking questions.

It is so silly, but a little jump for joy is in order!!!

That link we had talked about that included registax http://precons.com/iis/Articles/imag...otracking.aspx is a summary of Bird / Rumples / Icemans' tips.

I would love you to comment now that you are getting into it. Also i would like you to help contribute to it. It is going to go on in the articles section as a recipe for imagers with toucams or nextimage and good old registax.

And yes, it is so much fun!!!!

[matt]

DP ... can't help but join you in an oh-what-a-feeling jump

Your enthusiasm's very much appreciated Dave, and contagious.

I've been very interested to follow your threads re:imaging, as well as your experiments and voyages into "temperture" cooling. That's great stuff from a beginner's point of view. Your descriptions of what you're up to are very thorough and easy to follow. Well done. I'll be heading down the same path very soon so it's really handy to have such a layman's do-it-yourself guide to refer to, with all that great feedback from Bird etc

Mate, as I get better at the NexImage thing and keep notes of what I've actually done I'll send you details for addition to that great thread you've got going on imaging and processing.

I'll try and include "what not to do" ... alongside what works. Coz brother let me tell you... I could fill a book with those little gems

So here's to the great work you and everyone else is doing .. and bring on Saturn and Jupiter

[davidpretorius]

thanks,

all those "not to do's" are important too, A prescriptive how to can be boring, but a "by the way, don't forget to charge up your laptop battery" is a great way to help the noobies along the way.

[Dennis]

Excellent work there Matt, especially given the conditions you described!.

Cheers

Dennis

[Robert_T]

nice one Matt, something to look back on and say "I remember the great mars apparition of 2005 .. and I got the pictures to prove it"

[matt]

Thanks Rob

I'll have to chat with you more often seeing as how you're also working with a NexImage.

I really want to push this little black plastic bag of tricks to see what I can get from it.

Cheers mate