First LIght - Atik 314 on M83

[darrellx (Darrell)]

Hi All

Well, this is my first light with the Atil 314L+. I am damn pleased with the camera. It performed better than I had expected. This shot was taken from the front yard on the Gold Coast. (I can almost read a newspaper out there at night.)

The processing is still an issue for me. I am use to the planetaries using Registax etc, but the deep sky stuff is still a bit of a mystery. This image was processed using CCDStack (trial time period) and for some reason it cropped the image. I have tried Nebulosity, DAWN (the new processing application by Atik), CS3, and DSS. CCDStack seemed to do the better job (other than the cropping part), and was probably easier to use.

You will also notice that it is mono. I haven't worked out the part to combine colour just yet. I cannot get the alignment right.

Anyway, I am very pleased with this as a first go. I used my Megrez90, tracking on an EQ6 (not guided). I got 30 exposures in before the clouded rolled in. I think I had the exposure time set to 30seconds, but I don't think that is right. The FITS header reports funny figures.

I have two questions: are the stars supposed to look like they do (seem to have a checked look or is that chequered) and what is the tip to get the colour channels aligned?

Thanks
Darrell

[TrevorW]

Stars should be more pinpoint, image shape possibly due to no tracking and focus

[Moon (James)]

and for some reason it cropped the image.

Perhaps one image did not register properly? After you do the alignment, blink all the images and watch the alignment numbers for each image. Look out for ones that seem excessive or report an error. You will need to remove these before you do the stack (select the image and press control-R)

what is the tip to get the colour channels aligned?

No trick really, just align all images in one shot to the same image (best to use one from the L filter as the 'base image') and don't forget to check for errors as mentioned above then click 'apply'.
I used the CCDIS plugin which works a treat.

Then stack all the L, R, G and B into 4 separate files. Then select color combine - it should work.
Still stuck? The program help is really good a worth the time to read.
James