Astro Photos

[wornish]

Re: Astro Photos

You have captured good detail at the left-hand side of the shot due to the angle the Sunlight hits the mountains. Getting more out of the right-hand side is not easy.

Stacking might make it better but there is no guarantee.

There is no simple single answer to doing stacking, it always depends on the actual pictures you have.

I would start with 3 - 5 images no more, having too many actually can make the end result worse IMHO.

if you have PS then the steps I would take are as follows :
(There are many different ways so this isn't definitive)

Load your shots as separate layers into a PS image as a stack of layers.
Open PS and there is a script that can do this for you.
- From the top menu select Files - Script - Load Files into Stack and select the images you want to load.

or

if your images are already in Lightroom - select all the images while in Library Mode then Right-click and select - Edit In - Open as Layers in Photoshop

This will do the same thing and open PS with all your images loaded as separate layers.
Make sure all the layers are selected by clicking on them to highlight them.

So now in PS from the top menu select - Edit - Auto Align Layers

When that has run

again from top menu select - Edit - Auto Blend Layers
When that's done you have the stacked best result.

Select all the layers by clicking on each one untill they are all highlighted.

The from top menu select: Layer - Flatten Image

This will give you a single layer.

Then you can export the result by selecting File - Export - Quick Export as jpg.

your done.

[MJ224]

[Phill D]

Re: Astro Photos

Thanks for the guidance guys. I've a bit of diy to do in the next few days but will definitely give it a go later in the week. One question Dave, in your sequence when is the best time to tweak the highlights, shadows, contrast, sharpness and crop the images? Should I process each image in Lightroom before loading jpgs into PS or should I load and stack the raw files and then process them in PS as one image after they have been stacked?

[wornish]

Re: Astro Photos

Thanks for the guidance guys. I've a bit of diy to do in the next few days but will definitely give it a go later in the week. One question Dave, in your sequence when is the best time to tweak the highlights, shadows, contrast, sharpness and crop the images? Should I process each image in Lightroom before loading jpgs into PS or should I load and stack the raw files and then process them in PS as one image after they have been stacked?

Good question.

I would certainly crop the images first to try and get the moon fairly central in the frame. If it's in too different a position then PS will not be able to do the alignment step. Make sure all the cropped frames are the same size.

As far as adjusting brightness etc I am not sure it's necessary and something I have not tried.

One thing I would suggest is when you have a set of cropped and centered images save each one as a .tif file not as a .jpg. That way you are keeping the maximum amount of detail. It's the .tif files that should then be loaded into PS.

If you want to do the cropping and centering automatically I think I may have mentioned before there is a free app called PIPP (Planetary Image Pre Processor) that will do it all for you. you can get it here.

https://sites.google.com/site/astropipp/home

It is another app to get to grips with but it does a great job.

[Phill D]

Re: Astro Photos

Great info Dave thanks. I'll post what i get when i get through this sanding and painting!

[birdboy]

Re: Astro Photos

After months of deliberation I decided to upgrade my mount and change to a mirror lens but still use my mirrorless OMD EM1 MKII camera.

I have gone for the iOptron CEM25EC with an iOptron RC6 telescope (Ritchey-Chretien 6" aperture 1370mm fl f9).

This is my first serious attempt following too many cloudy nights. Its 2 hours 18mins worth of 1 min and 2 min exposures with NR on and or dark frame subtraction. No guiding.

The Iris Nebula NGC 7023 its only 1300 light years from earth! The colour is not accurate but there was only a slight adjustment in Startools to please my eye.

[Bikie John]

Re: Astro Photos

To my amateur eyes that looks fantastic!

John

[wornish]

Re: Astro Photos

Very nice image.
Lovely round stars and little noise as well.

The iOptron CEM Mounts have a growing user base and a good reputation.

[pandora]

Re: Astro Photos

Astrophotography fascinates me, Dave. Unfortunately at 83 going on 84, I've left it a bit late to invest in kit to bring the galaxy within my reach.
Anyway, I guess it won't be all that long before I'll be there in person - if they have the internet out there I'll send you back some close ups ...

[wornish]

Re: Astro Photos

Our galaxy is a very very big place and yet it is but one tiny speck in the universe we live in. The scale is beyond what our brains (well mine at least) can cope with and the few glimpses we do get using amateur kit are just mesmerising.

Using a tool is what man has always done since we evolved. Today we have amazing telescopes and cameras that let us see much more. You don't need to invest in expensive kit, just enjoy going out in a dark place on a clear night, looking up and taking it all in.

[pandora]

Re: Astro Photos

Dave, I recently watched an absorbing episode of Prof. Brian Cox's, The quantum Universe - what a remarkable guy.
Well I do have an 8mm F1.8 fisheye pro, and the 40-150mm + TC x1.4 with which I'll give it a go as soon as we get some warmer nights.
When the time comes I'll be asking you for some tips. One of the advantages of living downunder, I believe, is that we get a good view of the Milky Way.

[birdboy]

Re: Astro Photos

Mark It was a visit to your country that got me into astrophotography. We had a silver service dinner at Uluru (Ayers Rock). The night sky was just so amazing I tried to take a picture and failed miserably. I only wish I could go back knowing what I know now and do it again.

Your fish eye is perfect for milky way pictures. Just use a tripod widest aperture ISO 1600 and shutter speed of about 15 - 30sec. Take at least 20 images and stack them in Sequator (Windows).

Use Stellarium with your location to what views are possible.

[pandora]

Re: Astro Photos

Mark It was a visit to your country that got me into astrophotography. We had a silver service dinner at Uluru (Ayers Rock). The night sky was just so amazing I tried to take a picture and failed miserably. I only wish I could go back knowing what I know now and do it again.
Your fish eye is perfect for milky way pictures. Just use a tripod widest aperture ISO 1600 and shutter speed of about 15 - 30sec. Take at least 20 images and stack them in Sequator (Windows).
Use Stellarium with your location to what views are possible.

Okay John and thank you. I'll save your post #267 to My Docs for reference when we get some clear warm nights.
I'll only need to drive a few kms out of Wang', and the stars will be hung in a pitch black sky.
I know exactly how you feel, wishing you could go back to Uluru knowing what you do now, and no doubt with the latest kit. I feel the same way about our 1990 trip to the UK!

[Phill D]

Re: Astro Photos

Lovely image John, looks like your new scope is working nicely.

[Bikie John]

Re: Astro Photos

Okay John and thank you. I'll save your post #267 to My Docs for reference when we get some clear warm nights.

I am no expert on this Mark, but I suspect that warm nights might not be so good due to atmospheric haze. I gather from an astro friend that clear cold nights are best - so get investing in those thermals!

John