It has been a long time......too long and was glad to get out for some "sky play time."
Feb 4, 2017 14:50:21 #
I can't remember having to wait 7 weeks for decent skies.....and decent is being generous.
For "Up Lookers, Night Sky Freaks, Interstellar Travelers, Dark Sky imagers, and the Sky Curious" this is Messier 81 and 82.
The image was taken this past week over a two night period - I used two short sessions due to clouds but I did get enough data render an image -- albeit a marginal one. The images were taken with an ZWO Optical - ASI1600 Mono camera using Both L, R,G, and B filters. 30, 6 minute L frames were combined with 10 Red, 10, Green, and 10, Blue, all 6 minutes long. Darks, Flats, and Bias frames were used to subtract optical train imperfections (crud) along with vignetting and sensor noise. The camera was cooled to -20 degrees celsius. As soon as clear nights return (possibly tonight) I will be adding some Ha and OIII (bicolor) don't think I will fiddle with SII narrowband frames - 10 frames each for 10 minute exposures. The OTA was an 8 inch Newtonian. Filters were Optilong 7mn.
I haven't used the AVX mount since it was repaired almost a year ago, other than checking it out inside, .....it did pretty well - I have loads of slop in the gears and tried moving the counter weights to keep constant torque on the gears - sorta helped. 6 minute subs may be close to this mount's limit. I have the Atlas Pro Eq/Az setup now - for the 10 minute exposures.
All processing was done in PixInsight. Capture software was Sequence Generator Pro.
For "Up Lookers, Night Sky Freaks, Interstellar Travelers, Dark Sky imagers, and the Sky Curious" this is Messier 81 and 82.
The image was taken this past week over a two night period - I used two short sessions due to clouds but I did get enough data render an image -- albeit a marginal one. The images were taken with an ZWO Optical - ASI1600 Mono camera using Both L, R,G, and B filters. 30, 6 minute L frames were combined with 10 Red, 10, Green, and 10, Blue, all 6 minutes long. Darks, Flats, and Bias frames were used to subtract optical train imperfections (crud) along with vignetting and sensor noise. The camera was cooled to -20 degrees celsius. As soon as clear nights return (possibly tonight) I will be adding some Ha and OIII (bicolor) don't think I will fiddle with SII narrowband frames - 10 frames each for 10 minute exposures. The OTA was an 8 inch Newtonian. Filters were Optilong 7mn.
I haven't used the AVX mount since it was repaired almost a year ago, other than checking it out inside, .....it did pretty well - I have loads of slop in the gears and tried moving the counter weights to keep constant torque on the gears - sorta helped. 6 minute subs may be close to this mount's limit. I have the Atlas Pro Eq/Az setup now - for the 10 minute exposures.
All processing was done in PixInsight. Capture software was Sequence Generator Pro.
Feb 4, 2017 15:54:18 #
Feb 4, 2017 16:47:33 #
Great shootin Ed.
Welcome back to the night shift.
We have been having ridiculous weather for here. Even setting new records for rainfall.
Anybody saying 'drought' to me gets mud thrown at them.
Of course, our water bill has stayed high, even though our smart system has been not watering.
Funny how that works.
The wife asked about Arizona the other day.
Welcome back to the night shift.
We have been having ridiculous weather for here. Even setting new records for rainfall.
Anybody saying 'drought' to me gets mud thrown at them.
Of course, our water bill has stayed high, even though our smart system has been not watering.
Funny how that works.
The wife asked about Arizona the other day.
Feb 4, 2017 17:38:55 #
Very nice Ed,
Definately love the color you captured in M82, I have noticed that I get decent results quicker, by shooting my color frames binned 2x2@. Since all the resolution/detail data is held within the Lum channel I have not seemed to notice any loss of detail. Since the exposure duration is all dependent on the target as an example I will shoot 20) 10m subs of Lum and 5) 5m subs of each color, with green being my last, in case for some reason I can't get the green frames I am able to create a synthetic frame from the others. Another trick I use is to mix images from two different cameras with the same exact FOV, shooting my Lum and narrowband images with my mono sensor and then switching to a OSC camera for my RGB channels. As they say 101 ways.
Keep up the great work,
Matthew
Definately love the color you captured in M82, I have noticed that I get decent results quicker, by shooting my color frames binned 2x2@. Since all the resolution/detail data is held within the Lum channel I have not seemed to notice any loss of detail. Since the exposure duration is all dependent on the target as an example I will shoot 20) 10m subs of Lum and 5) 5m subs of each color, with green being my last, in case for some reason I can't get the green frames I am able to create a synthetic frame from the others. Another trick I use is to mix images from two different cameras with the same exact FOV, shooting my Lum and narrowband images with my mono sensor and then switching to a OSC camera for my RGB channels. As they say 101 ways.
Keep up the great work,
Matthew
Feb 4, 2017 19:36:41 #
Welcome back, nice shot...I've also read about the 2x2 that Mathew mentions.
Feb 5, 2017 05:46:52 #
Feb 5, 2017 11:03:19 #
Oknoder wrote:
Very nice Ed, br br Definately love the color you... (show quote)
Yes sir, understand the role of L images. ...but I am lazy and keeping all at the same bin saves me one step in PixInsight.
Feb 5, 2017 14:58:50 #
Feb 6, 2017 07:33:56 #
nikonshooter wrote:
I can't remember having to wait 7 weeks for decent... (show quote)
Wonderful!!!
Another wet night here. Rained all night. Can't even tell there is a moon up there this time of the month.
Feb 6, 2017 09:30:04 #
JimH123 wrote:
Wonderful!!!
Another wet night here. Rained all night. Can't even tell there is a moon up there this time of the month.
Another wet night here. Rained all night. Can't even tell there is a moon up there this time of the month.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Feb 6, 2017 11:31:17 #
Feb 6, 2017 11:35:32 #
skylane5sp wrote:
8 inches of global warming on my car this AM.
Makes for a nice day to stay home and work on PS skills.
Feb 7, 2017 12:18:20 #
nikonshooter wrote:
I can't remember having to wait 7 weeks for decent... (show quote)
Looks like the AVX is working pretty well for you even if only for 6 min subs.
Nicely shot, stacked and processed.
Well done.
Feb 7, 2017 13:26:50 #
nikonshooter wrote:
I can't remember having to wait 7 weeks for decent... (show quote)
Beautiful shot Ed as usual from you. I love the attention to detail.
Craig
PS: You can easily get to the worm gears and remove some of the backlash and do another PEC.
Feb 7, 2017 18:41:40 #
Craig - I am not that comfortable taking anything apart - to be sure I would be successful in the "take down" but putting "humpty dumpty" back together again. I best leave well enough alone. I have zero mechanical, electrical, carpenter, ability.
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