M42 re-stacked and processed from 31.1.2010

[Carole]

Before I close this imaging session, I thought I would give it one more go at stacking and have combined both the 3min subs and the 5 min subs done on the same evening giving a total of 2 hours imaging, just to see:

a) Would it stack OK with 2 different length subs.
b) Whether there would be much improvement in the image.

This is the whole image.  Needs some adjustment to the gradient which I will do another day.



I know the focus is not right on this but just doing this as an exercise.
I think this is an improvement on the previous ones.  

Have ordered a Bahtinov mask as on reflection I think focus was wrong simply because I thought it looked focussed when I did it and I need to find a more sure fire way of getting it more accurate.


Carole

[MarkS]

Wow!  That's a massive improvement - the colours are looking good and the Running Man is also beginning to appear.

If you have subs of different length then stack the short ones into one image and stack the long ones into another.  You can then combine the two in Photoshop - this will reuce the size of the "burnt out" area.

Well done.

Mark

[Carole]

combine the two in Photoshop - this will reuce the size of the "burnt out" area.

Thanks Mark, I was wondering how to reduce the burnt out area.

In photoshop do I just combine the two as two layers with the layers transparent?  It's a while since I did something like this and can't quite remember the technique?

I was wondering how DSS would react to subs of different lengths, each with different length darks, but it seemed to take it OK, but will give the photoshop method a try.

Thanks
Carole

[Mike]

Your making good progress Carole. In a year from now, especially with all the new toys on the way and with some determination, youw ill be producing great images.

[MarkS]

Carole,

Yes it's a layering approach with masking to control where one image merges into the other.

One approach is described in the Jerry Lodrigus tutorial here:
http://www.astropix.com/HTML/J_DIGIT/LAYMASK.HTM

Mark

[Mac]

Good image.

Looks like there might be still some more detail to tease out.
But save that for a rainy day.

We're going to have loads of them for a while

Mac.

[RobertM]

You're getting on really well now Carole, it takes quite a while to master it all but you're well on the way.  The pier and observatory will save you a lot of setup time and also allow you to capture during those occasional breaks between clouds that you'd otherwise miss. 

I'm looking forward to your next image ... that is, if the next bout of spending induced clouds ever clear up

Robert

[Carole]

Many thanks, Mike, Mac and Robert, and thanks for the link Mark, I'll give that a study.

Looks like there might be still some more detail to tease out.

, yes I am sure there is -  maybe another reprocess in the future when I've learnt a bit more.

I wouldn't have got this far without all your help, so thanks every-one, and YES Mike I have got the determination, just wish my understanding of electronics and adding hardware skills were a bit better. 

Carole

[Carole]

I thought I had put this post to bed....however, I recently joined UKAI, and they asked me to post a recent image and I posted this one.

One of the members asked me to send my stacked file to him to see if he could re-process it as he felt there was a lot of noise considering the length subs (which I agree with).  He then asked me to send him the actual subs which I did (all downloaded directly into his webspace).

He replied that there was very little data to play with and after some E mail discussion we came to the conclusion that as it was -2 degrees and my guide scope was iced up and I didn't have dew heaters that I was probably imaging through ice!!!

I therefore bought myself dewheaters this week.

Learning all the time.

So I guess I was really lucky to have got what I did in the circumstances.

Carole