Astrophotography Primer

CCD vs Film? Lots of time vs no patience? Alright, this is your place to discuss all the astrophotography what's and what's not. You can discuss about techniques, accessories, cameras, whatever....just make sure you also post some nice photos here too!
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kingkong
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Post by kingkong »

i use
canon eos remote capture for acquisition
deepskystacker to stack
cs2 to process

how can imageplus improve my workflow and/or final image?
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Meng Lee
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Post by Meng Lee »

No, then you don't need ImagesPlus. As long as you have a software for capture, a software for stacking, a software for processing, that will do. ImagesPlus is for capture and stacking and some processing. But you have 3 software that can do the same job, so that will do.
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mch3898
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Post by mch3898 »

Meng Lee wrote:Personally I think the EQDIR serves to integrate the system as a whole, with EQDIR, the Synscan controller cannot be used. GOTO is not really important in astrophotography, as long as the mount can track, has autoguider port, and can adjust autoguider speeds, that should be enough.
My problem is really having a good tracking. I use PHD with DSI Pro but I loose the tracking star after a short while. I believe my problem is not being able to point the mount in the north-south line accurately. I use a compass but can only very roughly line up my scope as there is no reference line on the mount to align with. I get a lot of star trails especially when I try to image with the C8.

Hopefully with 3-star alignment, I can point the scope more accrately and then PHD can do the job better.

Am I moving in the correct direction?

:? :?
christopher
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Meng Lee
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Post by Meng Lee »

mch3898 wrote:
Meng Lee wrote:Personally I think the EQDIR serves to integrate the system as a whole, with EQDIR, the Synscan controller cannot be used. GOTO is not really important in astrophotography, as long as the mount can track, has autoguider port, and can adjust autoguider speeds, that should be enough.
My problem is really having a good tracking. I use PHD with DSI Pro but I loose the tracking star after a short while. I believe my problem is not being able to point the mount in the north-south line accurately. I use a compass but can only very roughly line up my scope as there is no reference line on the mount to align with. I get a lot of star trails especially when I try to image with the C8.

Hopefully with 3-star alignment, I can point the scope more accrately and then PHD can do the job better.

Am I moving in the correct direction?

:? :?
Hi,

First note that, you can do autoguiding with polar alignment at all and number of star alignments does not affect the autoguiding.

Make sure the RA and DEC are really balanced properly. Then set to 00000 for RA and DEC backlash settings in the controller. Make sure choose a star that is not too bright nor too dim. Make sure the guidescope does not flex with respect to the main tube. Make sure use the SCT focal reducer. If you are using ST 80 as guidescope, use a 2x barlow to increase the guiding focal length to 800+mm.

Then check the calibration stage, is the mount moving in all the 4 directions properly? Does it take PhD guiding more than 20 steps or less than 5 steps to finish 1 direction of motion?

The problem essentially boils down to:
1) balancing
2) calibration settings
3) mount gears.
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Meng Lee
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Post by Meng Lee »

Just added the section on planetary imaging, hope you find useful information there.
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mrngbss
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Post by mrngbss »

Meng Lee, maybe you can put your information in the SingastroWiki too!
Wee Nghee the Pooh
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chrisyeo
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Post by chrisyeo »

Yup, are you ok with putting it on the Wiki?
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Meng Lee
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Post by Meng Lee »

Hi, yah you can put it on Wiki, but we need Ng Wee Nghee to fill up the solar part though. hehe.
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mrngbss
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Post by mrngbss »

Meng Lee wrote:Hi, yah you can put it on Wiki, but we need Ng Wee Nghee to fill up the solar part though. hehe.
Why drag me in.... :(
Wee Nghee the Pooh
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