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Because I could, going l - o - n - g on The Lagoon Nebula.
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Jun 27, 2020 11:05:46   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
So here were the parameters I set for myself:
Short exposures, 10 seconds each, with the Atik Infinity, self stacking.
Pick a target, and let things run. Keep running as long as possible, or the Sun comes up.

Things that affected this run:
Meridian flip was not necessary. Happy Dance! (I'll explain later)
I settled on saving every 250 seconds, so 4 images Philes per 1,000 seconds. (But I did miss a few)
I had to push my mounts limit settings as I approached them.

My goal: To see the effect of massive data build up, over a very long time period, and pushing the envelope on guiding.
As things progressed, I also tested the RA extension to eliminate the need for a Meridian Flip.
And to see how long I could go with my mount, and my telescope.

Please feel free to download, examine, and Post Process for yourselves.
As shot, fixed settings (Auto adjust OFF), TIFF format, hand saved. One Shot Color, only my Baader Moon and Sky Glow filter used.
Pixel peeping reveals a bit soft focus. But for a Set-it and Forget-it run, I was pleased with this overall.
As things progressed, I grew fascinated with tiny stars appearing and building from the background.
All too often we see finished works of art, the final cut. Me, I like the process of getting the image, and perfecting things about the equipment.

Thanks for looking! Later on I'll upload my time lapse to my You Tube site.

>

Lagoon Nebula 25 10s (250s) First Image.
Lagoon Nebula 25 10s (250s) First Image....
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 100 10s (1000s) First 1000 seconds
Lagoon Nebula 100 10s (1000s) First 1000 seconds...
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 500 10s (5000s) My first goal met.
Lagoon Nebula 500 10s (5000s) My first goal met....
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 750 10s (7500s) Well beyond the Southern Meridian now. Just coasting along.
Lagoon Nebula 750 10s (7500s) Well beyond the Sout...

Lagoon Nebula 1000 10s (10000s) The details are getting noticeably richer and deeper. The stacking of many shorter files is showing its worth.
Lagoon Nebula 1000 10s (10000s) The details are ge...
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 1100 10s (11000s) Deeper....
Lagoon Nebula 1100 10s (11000s) Deeper.......
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 1200 10s (12000s) Deeper......
Lagoon Nebula 1200 10s (12000s) Deeper.........
(Download)

Lagoon Nebula 1300 10s (13000s) Deepest. And run terminated as crashing of the scope on the mount was eminent.
Lagoon Nebula 1300 10s (13000s) Deepest. And run t...
(Download)

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Jun 27, 2020 11:35:58   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Yes the faint stars are brighter. I forget what scope and mount you have. I'm surprised the last image isn't showing more faint nebulosity. I'll give it a try stretching a bit and see if we can bring it out more.

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Jun 27, 2020 14:33:25   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
alberio wrote:
Yes the faint stars are brighter. I forget what scope and mount you have. I'm surprised the last image isn't showing more faint nebulosity. I'll give it a try stretching a bit and see if we can bring it out more.


Oh, Orion ED80T CF telescope, Atik Infinity OSC camera, Losmandy GM811G HD mount, customized to my whim and fancy. A Portable Pier configuration. And built for an old fart to move out and in easily. 5 "chunks".
4 in the mount, and my computer.
Telescope
Mount

Yup. They were popping out as the night wore on.
I could twiddle with my settings in the camera's program and change the appearance. But I didn't.
Normally, I would as things progressed. And usually I leave the color balance on "Auto" so the program can tweak on the run with each image.
It actually does work pretty good on Auto.
But this was a test, so set the perimeters and just observe. These above are virtually un-processed.
So Yes, do have fun with them. I know the data is thick. Super multi-layered.

And like I said, I was also seeing how far I could go with the mount and no meridian flip.
3.6111 hours, 13,000 seconds, 1300 images, and one fascinated Sonny that stayed awake.
Now that right there are some records here at The Sleepy Dog. Especially keeping me awake!

But please do have some fun with any or all.

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Jun 27, 2020 14:51:53   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Nice scope and mount. I used to have a Losmandy GM100 and sometimes wish I still had it. I'm down to a CPC1100, but might be downgrading to a more user friendly 8" Fastar OTA.
I am interested in what your images will stretch out to, thanks for letting me try.

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Jun 27, 2020 15:05:13   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
alberio wrote:
Nice scope and mount. I used to have a Losmandy GM100 and sometimes wish I still had it. I'm down to a CPC1100, but might be downgrading to a more user friendly 8" Fastar OTA.
I am interested in what your images will stretch out to, thanks for letting me try.


Any time, glad to.
Gives you some different data to try. And gives me input as to what or if my friends can work with the images.

When I started, I had an Orion G3 OSC camera. It was terrible! 5 different Friends here on UHH tried to work with the FITS images. We all walked away shaking our heads.
And a friend loaned me the Atik Infinity, just to see....
I told him, what if I want to keep it? So gracious was he, He told me then we can work something out.
He, and the Infinity, literally changed my life for the better.
Here's the first night, to the first month with it. And the best image I've ever gotten of the Lagoon Nebula.

The Atik Infinity

Don't get lost though. I tend to get lost in You Tube.

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Jun 27, 2020 15:21:53   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
SonnyE wrote:
Any time, glad to.
Gives you some different data to try. And gives me input as to what or if my friends can work with the images.

When I started, I had an Orion G3 OSC camera. It was terrible! 5 different Friends here on UHH tried to work with the FITS images. We all walked away shaking our heads.
And a friend loaned me the Atik Infinity, just to see....
I told him, what if I want to keep it? So gracious was he, He told me then we can work something out.
He, and the Infinity, literally changed my life for the better.
Here's the first night, to the first month with it. And the best image I've ever gotten of the Lagoon Nebula.

The Atik Infinity

Don't get lost though. I tend to get lost in You Tube.
Any time, glad to. br Gives you some different dat... (show quote)


I suspected there was much more to your images. I just did a quick process, using Nebulosity and Topaz and this is what the result was. Your efforts weren't in vain. Nice job, Charlie


(Download)

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Jun 28, 2020 12:41:39   #
Europa Loc: West Hills, CA
 
Nice Sonny, good way to illustrate what the add’l time will do to an astrophoto.

Alberio, nice job bringing the image out.

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Jun 28, 2020 13:49:40   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
alberio wrote:
I suspected there was much more to your images. I just did a quick process, using Nebulosity and Topaz and this is what the result was. Your efforts weren't in vain. Nice job, Charlie


WOW!
WOW! WOW! WOW!

Thanks for taking the time to process that!

I just bumble along and try things.
But what helped bring me to this "No Flip" point is the mounts capabilities to image through.

I was on the Eagle Nebula last night and got 12,000 seconds of 30 second images (400 images) but haven't looked at them yet today.
Hopefully they aren't too coyote ugly...

But this is something I'm trying to explore more of. Meridian Flips always was a mess for me. Now, it seems to be the imaginary line in the sky that doesn't matter anymore.

I'll put up the Eagle later today. Same invitation, feel free to play.
In think it might have a little "thicker" Data, beings it is 30 second exposures.

Sonny, a small mind running in small circles.

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Jun 28, 2020 13:54:59   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
Europa wrote:
Nice Sonny, good way to illustrate what the add’l time will do to an astrophoto.

Alberio, nice job bringing the image out.


I was forced to learn the hard way.
Bad equipment pushed me to kick down doors and tear up floors.

But being able to bypass the meridian flip keeps everything on track.

I'm having fun now!

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Jun 28, 2020 14:01:37   #
Europa Loc: West Hills, CA
 
Yes, that previous mount was a little troublesome, but not anywhere close to that camera you had...I do miss the sprinkles tho.

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Jun 28, 2020 14:26:41   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
OK, Alberio.
I took and copied the result you posted and saved it.
Then opened it in my Adobe Elements 12, and used my noise filter to denoise it, and cropped away the "what-ever-the-hell" that stuff is along two edges.

Whatcha think?

>


(Download)

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Jun 28, 2020 14:32:23   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
Europa wrote:
Yes, that previous mount was a little troublesome, but not anywhere close to that camera you had...I do miss the sprinkles tho.


LOL!
Not me! That G3 was a bad egg from the very beginning. Not to mention the horrors of my AVX. But I sure learned!

Another big thing is I've learned how to transform the sprinkles into white specks with the noise filters.

Brian and Tanya from Losmandy were discussing with Simon of Woodland Hills Camera. He asked if they were thinking about adding color options to Losmandy.

I replied that if I wanted color options, I'd go get a bag of Skittles.

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Jun 28, 2020 15:00:06   #
stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast
 
HA HA HA Sonny that's what it's all about having fun and getting things done. My NEAF avx is working better than that old Meade mount , at least I just PA and go. 300s is as far as I'm pushing it to keep the stars round. awesome work Sonny.

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Jun 28, 2020 15:09:53   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
SonnyE wrote:
OK, Alberio.
I took and copied the result you posted and saved it.
Then opened it in my Adobe Elements 12, and used my noise filter to denoise it, and cropped away the "what-ever-the-hell" that stuff is along two edges.

Whatcha think?

>


I think its spectacular. Keep the data flowing.

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Jun 28, 2020 15:15:08   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
SonnyE wrote:
OK, Alberio.
I took and copied the result you posted and saved it.
Then opened it in my Adobe Elements 12, and used my noise filter to denoise it, and cropped away the "what-ever-the-hell" that stuff is along two edges.

Whatcha think?

>


That looks great. More time really brings the image out nicely. (Kudo's also to Alberio for stretching the image).

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