My aim at Kelling was to spend 2 nights with the Atik383L and 2 nights with the DSLR:
a) To Compare results
b) Didn't want to spend the entire time using the Atik as it's new to me and didn't want to waste good skies dabbling.
c) If I got results with both to try to combine them.
Clouds conspired to allow me only 1 sub on the last night which was when I was using the Atik to capture the Heart Nebula, I did not realise what a huge object it was.
So here goes:
This is the sum total of 1 sub at 15mins - I am really amazed at what this camera can capture.
It had a reasonable amount of noise being only 1 sub and funnily enough I seemed to get a better result without calibration files, so this is light frame only
1 x 15mins (cooled to -10 degrees) Atik 383L Ha filter 7nm - ED80 NEQ6 captured in Artemis
(http://www.caroleastronomy.webspace.virginmedia.com/_wp_generated/wp06b77283_0f.jpg)
The previous night:
DSLR 27 x 5mins 800 ISO (same kit as before captured in APT with dithering).
Note the Atik and DSLR are flipped over horizontally
(http://www.caroleastronomy.webspace.virginmedia.com/_wp_generated/wpa39ff900_0f.jpg)
I then aligned in Maxim, and combined in Photoshop CS3 to get a combi of HaRGB
Slight crop as I haven't quite worked out the rotational orientation of the 2 cameras yet.
(http://www.caroleastronomy.webspace.virginmedia.com/_wp_generated/wpc41728a7_0f.jpg)
Very interesting result but expected. The dedicated camera does an amazing job with the Ha. Much cleaner than the Canon which has 9 times the total exposure. The narrowband filter certainly helps the dedicated camera by cutting out all the light pollution - this will certainly have a big effect. When imaging the Soul Nebula I found it was hardly brighter than the background light pollution.
The combination of your 2 images has worked quite well. Although it is still noisy there is more detail in the combination than in either original.
You asked me about the Soul Nebula. I think it is approx as bright as the Heart Nebula. So you can see why I decided to take 10 hours of data - even at F2.8 !!
Thanks Mark, yes I agree it is still noisy, but if you recall this is only 1 Ha sub without calibration so I didn't expect too much from this, just pleased to get what I did.
My other two images hopefully will be less noisy as I got about 2 hours worth of Ha on each of them, but am still processing them (California neb and Flaming Star).
Carole
Looks good Carole must be well haps with that. The new camera is looking really good. Looking forward to your other images.
John.
Well the jpeg has killed the definition but as Mark has mentioned, the mono camera has caught so much more Ha data. I think you're going to have to persevere with the 383 Carole, not only to get some decent imaging in but also to get used to the processing side too.
Robert
Thanks John, yes am feeling very pleased with the results this camera is producing so far.
Thanks also Robert, yes I know I have a lot to learn with the processing - completely different ball game, but hopefully onwards and up. I think using LRGB will be better than the DSLR for colour but having just shelled out for the Atik, the filterwheel and the narrowband filters (which I thought were more important because of my location), I will have to manage with DSLR for colour until either I can save up for the 2" LRGB filters (can't believe how expensive they are), or a 2nd hand set comes up, plus I will have to buy another filter wheel as I only got a manual one which holds 4 filters.
Yes Jpeg's a bugger for messing up definition. I should try to post PNG - note to self.
Carole
Looking good but you still have those pink stars so the colour balance is off slightly.
Thanks Mike. Yes not entirely happy with the colour, but I think combining Ha and DSLR is probably not the best way of doing it, but will have to do for now until I can save up for LRGB filters.
Carole