Posts for: nikonshooter
May 23, 2019 09:39:31 #
Since this is the "Galaxy season" I have tried to get some good images using my Celestron Edge 800. But I am failing. This image has 476, 3 minute exposures - enough data to get a detailed image but as you can see.....flat and without detail. Yes, I realize it is 37,000,000 miles away.
I am using a ASI1600MM-C pro camera and can rule out the camera and filters as this combination does well on a Vixen ED81s refractor, 8 inch Newt, and my wide field Stellarvue and AT refractors.
I can add sharpening in PS using the High Pass option but the artifacts can't justify it. I have an OK understanding of what PixInsight can do...and that gets me by on widefield and most Newt shots.....but the Edge has beaten me down.
When I get some time I am going to try to google some help on "how to get sharp images using the Edge" and see what I can find. I have even thought about buying an QHY183 camera.....as it has the best resolution (ie detail) for my budget.
Any ideas or PI suggestions are welcomed. I will gladly share the Light Frames, calibrated and registered and ready for post processing if anyone wants to try their hand at it.
When all is said and done....I might just use the edge for planetary and lunar.
I am using a ASI1600MM-C pro camera and can rule out the camera and filters as this combination does well on a Vixen ED81s refractor, 8 inch Newt, and my wide field Stellarvue and AT refractors.
I can add sharpening in PS using the High Pass option but the artifacts can't justify it. I have an OK understanding of what PixInsight can do...and that gets me by on widefield and most Newt shots.....but the Edge has beaten me down.
When I get some time I am going to try to google some help on "how to get sharp images using the Edge" and see what I can find. I have even thought about buying an QHY183 camera.....as it has the best resolution (ie detail) for my budget.
Any ideas or PI suggestions are welcomed. I will gladly share the Light Frames, calibrated and registered and ready for post processing if anyone wants to try their hand at it.
When all is said and done....I might just use the edge for planetary and lunar.
May 19, 2019 10:32:15 #
JimH123 wrote:
I haven't found much that like in using extreme wide angle lenses for astrophotography. They tend to distort in the corners. And they don't gather much light. For example, a 10mm lens at f2.8 would only be an aperture size of 3.6mm which is rather small, and not collect much light.
They also pickup every tree and rooftop, and light source, all around them.
They also pickup every tree and rooftop, and light source, all around them.
My fisheyes have no problem gathering light....but you are correct on the fisheye distortion that is present in all fisheyes ...I personally wouldn't waste a clear night of imaging dickering around with them.
They are good for pics like this - taken before ACC BB tournament....and weddings. During a reception I will use two cameras both with fisheyes walking around firing both randomly at people and things without looking through the view finder........you get a lot of crazy photos...most are worthless but a few are wicked good. They end up being some of the brides favorites. But that is when we were doing weddings - nada mas!
May 17, 2019 18:21:53 #
I have two nikon Fisheye lens...the 16mm for FX cameras and the 10.5 mm for DX. I have done Time Lapse night videos with both..... but these lens cover so much real estate you are going to be including (absent a crop) trees, roof tops, and stuff that will not be wanted.
But, rent one! Give it a whirl before you jump. I am assuming you are primarily interested in the entire Milky Way.
But, rent one! Give it a whirl before you jump. I am assuming you are primarily interested in the entire Milky Way.
May 12, 2019 09:11:36 #
Europa wrote:
This is a stack of 136x300 sec or ~11.5 hours. Shot from my backyard with QHY12 OSC on an AT10" RC. Shot during Full-3/4 Full Moon.
This is estimated to be 22-25 million light years from earth. (for those that prefer miles, its between 129,329,758,800,000,000,000 and 146,965,635,000,000,000,000 miles)
This is estimated to be 22-25 million light years from earth. (for those that prefer miles, its between 129,329,758,800,000,000,000 and 146,965,635,000,000,000,000 miles)
This is how I like to quantify it......if you could travel at the speed of light - it would take you 20 plus million years to get there. Great work on you imaging!
May 12, 2019 09:09:38 #
May 10, 2019 08:29:22 #
Good work Jim! I am now inspired to put my 3200mm vixen on M87 and try for some 10 minute exposures. I love these kind of challenges and...the fun is in the trying!
If I get a close up....do you think there may be a chance I might get past in the event horizon and get swept in!
If I get a close up....do you think there may be a chance I might get past in the event horizon and get swept in!
May 7, 2019 08:19:31 #
You are on the right trail - research - by doing this you will be getting a lot of opinions - confusing at first - but in the end you will probably reach some solid conclusions. Just continue getting opinions, read the opinions of others on forums like "Astronomy Forum," "Cloudy Nights," and others. DO NOT JUMP IN and start buying gear that gets 4.5 stars. (no pun intended here)
There is a website called ASTROBIN - visit that often. You will see images taken and the gear that was used...and HOW they exposed the image. That was very helpful for me.
BTW and IMHO, the fun is in the learning!
Welcome to a great hobby - for me, it's the second best thing to do after the sun sets!
There is a website called ASTROBIN - visit that often. You will see images taken and the gear that was used...and HOW they exposed the image. That was very helpful for me.
BTW and IMHO, the fun is in the learning!
Welcome to a great hobby - for me, it's the second best thing to do after the sun sets!
May 5, 2019 14:27:35 #
jeep_daddy wrote:
For star trails I use this software: br StarStax i... (show quote)
Good to know about LR. Thanks for sharing!!!
May 5, 2019 07:56:56 #
I mentioned in another post that I am planning on use a reflector, SCT to do some deep space galaxy imaging along with planetary - lunar stuff over the remaining spring and summer.
I do not know what I am doing with the SCT and deep space galaxy capturing and post processing....mostly the later. The SCT is an 8 inch EdgeHD with an Edge .70 reducer. I have collected two nights of M51......8 hours of LRGB (I opted to leave Ha out) using 120 second exposures for all 4 filters. I am using an ASI1600MM-C pro camera and Astronomik filters (I know this combination is capable of producing some decent images as I have seen those on Astrobin). While I was imaging M51 I was using the other OTA to image the Hercules Cluster, M13. Those are 15 second exposures about 100 each filter and I also used an identical camera and filters on a Widefield refractor, Stellarvue 70T with a .80 reducer.
Both images were processed in PixInsight - nothing else. Hercules is sharp and detailed - Whirlpool is flat, stars are bloated and have halos and galaxy is without detail. I suppose the only thing that is ok is the color.
I am seriously ready to take the SCT off and put the AT65EDQ back on and do nothing but widefield on both OTA's.
Frustrating! ...and suggestions using PixInsight and settings are appreciated. You will not hurt my feelings I really want to get this Edge working for me!
I do not know what I am doing with the SCT and deep space galaxy capturing and post processing....mostly the later. The SCT is an 8 inch EdgeHD with an Edge .70 reducer. I have collected two nights of M51......8 hours of LRGB (I opted to leave Ha out) using 120 second exposures for all 4 filters. I am using an ASI1600MM-C pro camera and Astronomik filters (I know this combination is capable of producing some decent images as I have seen those on Astrobin). While I was imaging M51 I was using the other OTA to image the Hercules Cluster, M13. Those are 15 second exposures about 100 each filter and I also used an identical camera and filters on a Widefield refractor, Stellarvue 70T with a .80 reducer.
Both images were processed in PixInsight - nothing else. Hercules is sharp and detailed - Whirlpool is flat, stars are bloated and have halos and galaxy is without detail. I suppose the only thing that is ok is the color.
I am seriously ready to take the SCT off and put the AT65EDQ back on and do nothing but widefield on both OTA's.
Frustrating! ...and suggestions using PixInsight and settings are appreciated. You will not hurt my feelings I really want to get this Edge working for me!
May 5, 2019 07:38:45 #
I have two software programs to recommend.
It has a price but is absolutely without a doubt, out of this world, software. It is called LRTimelapse and it does require that you use Lightroom by adobe. With this software you can add the "Ken Burns" effect - eliminate flicker.....in short produce brilliant TL videos. Gunther Wegner developed this about 10 years ago when he was in his early 20's...a brilliant photographer. He updates it several times a year.
https://lrtimelapse.com/
The lowest cost decent software option I have used for quick TL vids is "QUICKTIME". The Pro version has an option under FILE to load a sequence of images into a TL ....the only control you have is framerate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiKtYyTAWAw
There is a free version of QT but it does not have the TL option, unless they have included it recently.
I know there are a lot of other TL programs - probably some free.....but these are the two I have used
Sound like a great place to image! Good luck and clear skies!!
It has a price but is absolutely without a doubt, out of this world, software. It is called LRTimelapse and it does require that you use Lightroom by adobe. With this software you can add the "Ken Burns" effect - eliminate flicker.....in short produce brilliant TL videos. Gunther Wegner developed this about 10 years ago when he was in his early 20's...a brilliant photographer. He updates it several times a year.
https://lrtimelapse.com/
The lowest cost decent software option I have used for quick TL vids is "QUICKTIME". The Pro version has an option under FILE to load a sequence of images into a TL ....the only control you have is framerate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiKtYyTAWAw
There is a free version of QT but it does not have the TL option, unless they have included it recently.
I know there are a lot of other TL programs - probably some free.....but these are the two I have used
Sound like a great place to image! Good luck and clear skies!!
May 1, 2019 09:56:43 #
A member of our Astronomy bought this.....then a couple more bought it after playing around with them at a star party. I haven't seen any of their images so I wouldn't begin to recommend. Just saying they seemed to be impressed. I observed the little gems and they seemed to be rock solid made.
My only experience with iOptron is the ZEQ25 EQ mount. I rarely use it but it was a real performer when I did and remains my travel mount when I travel - rare anymore since I moved to a clear sky 360 view home.
https://www.astronomics.com/star-adventurer-pro-pack.html
My only experience with iOptron is the ZEQ25 EQ mount. I rarely use it but it was a real performer when I did and remains my travel mount when I travel - rare anymore since I moved to a clear sky 360 view home.
https://www.astronomics.com/star-adventurer-pro-pack.html
Apr 29, 2019 09:55:42 #
Europa wrote:
Cool, have you picked up a ZWO Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector - ADC? I have one, but have not yet used it. From my internet searching, they seem to make a big improvement.
No I haven't! After you use it.....Let me know what you think about it!
Apr 28, 2019 13:06:02 #
northmaple wrote:
What model is the Vixen refractor? Thanks
Vixen ED81s.
Apr 28, 2019 13:05:35 #
Europa wrote:
Is the Celestron new?
Pretty new - I got it last year at this time to image Galaxies. I have gotten hooked on widefield imaging so rarely bring it out to play. I will have a lot of time this summer for a change so I hope to take the short nights and do some planetary, lunar, and galaxy imaging. I have never taken a decent picture of any of the planets. I use Autostakkert and Registax but my knowledge of that software is so basic I know I am missing a lot. I have been selling some of my deep space pictures and have gotten request for Jupiter, Moon, Sun, Mars, Saturn which I should be able to figure out. I have the ASI174MM-C planetary camera and that along with the EdgeHD should produce some good views without barlows. We will see!
Apr 27, 2019 17:53:10 #
Not a lemonade fan but sweet tea - every meal in the south. Yep, can rare back on pecan pie or blueberry or Chocolate Cream pie which is what we have.