Tag: Photography

A Mosaic in Cygnus

I accidentally stumbled on how to make mosaics while trying to combine some data in Astro Pixel Processor. I had been taking images in Cygnus around the star Sadr and was trying to pull out some more detail when I realized that what I had done was make a mosaic! Since I had done it with two images, I decided to take some more panels and see what I could come up with:

Mosaic around Sadr
Mosaic around Sadr – Starless

Since I hadn’t planned to do it from the start, my panel structure was off so I had to take one more panel then I would have needed to if I had planned it out ahead of time.

Propeller Nebula
Crescent & Tulip Nebulae
Region near the double star Farawis
Tulip Nebula
Sadr & Crescent Nebula

Total integration time is 21 hours and 20 minutes. This makes it my image with the longest integration time. Integration for each panel:

Propeller Nebula – 48 x 300s
Crescent & Tulip Nebulae – 48 x 300s
Region near Farawis – 48 x 300s
Tulip Nebula – 39 x 300s
Sadr & Crescent Nebula – 73 x 300s (two sessions, one from June of last year and one from June of this year.

I used Stellarium to help figure out my framing and center point for capturing the panels. I captured each panel on a different night and stacked them in DeepSkyStacker. Mosaic was combined using Astro Pixel Processor and I saved the combination as an unstretched linear image. I processed the linear image using Photoshop. Processing consisted of color balance, stretching by levels and curves, noise removal using NoiseXterminator and various Astrophotography Tools Actions. Since I shot from Bortle 8, I had some weird gradients (my neighbor also had their backyard light on for two of the nights). Also, since I hadn’t planned to do a mosaic from the start, my framing was very inefficient. For my next mosaic, I will actually plan it better and probably use Teloscopius to figure out my framing. I tried several different processing techniques, first using a stretched image from Astro Pixel Processor, as well as using Siril to stretch the individual stacks before combining them in APP. In the end, linear combination and processing was the best!

Visit the upload on Astrobin.com for full annotation and details

Equipment & Statistics

Radian Raptor 61
Canon EOS Ra
Optolong L-eNhanced Filter
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (guide)
ZWO asi224mc (guide)
.
27 x 300s (800 ISO)
Dark, flat, bias and dark flats calibration frames
Bortle 8 – Providence, RI

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Back to Imaging

It has been since November, 29, 2021 since the last time I was able to image, but finally on June 17, 2022 I was able to get back out there!

Sadr Region
Sadr Region – Starless

During my last imaging session of last year, my laptop died and it has been nerve wracking trying to get set up again. Finally, we got a new laptop that I was confident would work and I set about getting everything hooked up and working. My first night back out I was about to get 2 hours and 15 minutes of imaging done on the Sadr Region, one of my favorite areas of the night sky to shoot! I am working on more images of this area in Cygnus and hope to post them all soon!

Visit the upload on Astrobin.com for full annotation and details

Equipment & Statistics

Radian Raptor 61
Canon EOS Ra
Optolong L-eNhanced Filter
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (guide)
ZWO asi224mc (guide)
.
27 x 300s (800 ISO)
Dark, flat, bias and dark flats calibration frames
Bortle 8 – Providence, RI

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Crescent Nebula – A Collaboration

So, Bostronomy and I did a thing! After the recent APOD winner that featured the Crescent Nebula as a collaboration between three individuals, we decided to take our data on the same target and see if we could combine them. It began more as a test – we did not set out to do this when we first gathered data on the target – and only I had calibration files for my light frames, but I took our data, ran it through Astro Pixel Processor and behold, we were able to combine our data and process it!

Above, we have that data processed without simulating a luminance layer.

61 x 420s –
Meade Series 6000 80mm Triplet APO Refractor
Canon EOS Ra
Ho-Tech Field Flattener
Optolong L-eNhanced Filter

Full calibration frames – dark, flat, dark flat and bias frames. Data taken over 3 nights.

50 x 300s
Explore Scientific ED102
ZWO ASI 2600mc-Pro
Ho-Tech Field Flattener
Optolong L-eNhanced filter

No calibration frames…

I stacked the images in Astro Pixel Processor, letting it know that the images were shot at different focal lengths and with different optics. I used different LNC and Multi-band blending settings to see what ended up the best (in my opinion) – This image was done with a LNC setting of 2nd degree and 6 iterations. From there, I let APP do a stretch, normalize the background and I did a light pollution removal. From there I took it in to Photoshop. In Photoshop, GradientXTerminator was used on its lowest settings with no background calibration. Starnet was not used. Astronomy Tools Actions used to remove noise (Deep Space Noise Removal) and to make stars smaller. No sharpening. Most processing was done in Camera RAW filter to set Vibrance & Saturation. The black, white, shadow and highlight were also used, as well as some minor contrast and exposure changes. Color mixer (in RAW Filter) was used to lightly boost red and blue saturation. For the starless, I did put it in starnet. For the inverted, I simply used Photoshop

The only difference here is that I took the red channel from the starless image in the first group and added that as a slight luminance layer. I set it at 5% opacity and adjusted the curves a little bit to try and bring out a little more nebulosity. The downside with doing it this was is that it can make it appear a little more pinkish then intended.

As mentioned before, this wasn’t planned at all, so we are hoping with doing an actual plan we will be able to produce something a lot better! Stay tuned!

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The Rosette & Cone Nebulae

After doing a widefield session where I was able to get both M42 and the Horsehead Nebula in one frame, I decided to look at some other targets I could do with my set up and one, or rather two targets umped out right away: The Rosette Nebula and the Cone Nebula.

Both of these targets quickly became favorites of mine, especially the Rosette. I spent five days in January getting almost 12 total hours of data integration and loved every minute of it. The Cone Nebula, which includes the Christmas Tree Cluster started out a little rockier, but with another evening of data beyond my first, came out really well too. This time I was able to get both of the Nebulae in the same frame at the same time!

TPO UltraWide 180 f/4.5 Astrophotography Lens & Guide Scope
Canon EOS Ra
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Optolong L-eNhanced filter
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (guide)
ZWO ASI224mc (guide)

30 x 300s
20 dark frames
50 flat frames
50 dark flat frames
50 bias frames
800 ISO – Bortle 8

Captured in APT with guiding done with PHD2. Stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop

Rosette & Cone Nebulae – Annotated by astrobin.com

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The Orion & Horsehead Nebulae

Ever since I began doing astrophotography, both the Orion Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula were always high interest targets for me. Up until last October, once I got a mount that could track and a telescope with a focal length capable of taking images of these two targets, I had to settle for views through an eyepiece or trying to take a lot of short exposures at really wide focal lengths to try and get an image. Even once I got a mount and a good telescope, I was still restricted in getting one target at a time. I kept seeing people post pictures with both in the field of view, but due to the limitations of my set up, I was unable to do the same… until now!

Thanks to the TPO UltraWide 180 f/4.5 Astrophotography Lens & Guide Scope I was able to get both targets, and more, into the same frame!

TPO UltraWide 180 f/4.5 Astrophotography Lens & Guide Scope
Canon EOS Ra
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Optolong L-eNhanced filter
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (guide)
ZWO ASI224mc (guide)

Do to how my setup is currently with this scope, it is impossible for me to rotate the camera to frame the shot differently, but luckily the framing was good to go how it was! I will be writing a post soon going over how I have it set up with my current gear.

26 x 300s
20 dark frames
60 flat frames
50 dark flat frames
50 bias frames
800 ISO – Bortle 8

Captured in APT with guiding done with PHD2. Stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop

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Horsehead & Flame Nebula

  • Horsehead & Flame – 1-8-2021
  • Horsehead & Flame – Starless

My first attempt at doing 5 minute exposures, for the most part, did not go too well. I think mainly because of transparency issues. I had ran 4 minute long exposures the night before and they came out great. Those posts will be up as soon as I get the data totals on target that I want. However, my data on the Horsehead Nebula, in my mind, came out alright!

Equipment & Statistics

Meade Series 6000 80mm Triplet APO
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Canon EOS Ra
Astro-Tech 0.8 Reducer/Flattener
Optolong L-eNhanced
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (Guide)
ZWO ASI224mc (Guide)
PHD2 for guiding, APT for capturing, APP for stacking/processing, Photoshop/Topaz for final processing

31 x 300s
20 Dark Frames
50 Flat Frames
50 Dark Flat Frames
50 Bias Frames

The two images at the top are my final edit / process. The ones here above are my first. I am including them because in someways they may be better plus I really like how the negative image looks.

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California Nebula | NGC 1499

California Nebula – 1-02-2021 – Providence, RI

New Year, old target that I felt like I could never get right. Enter the L-eNhanced filter by OptoLong and I feel a lot better about my efforts on this target. I originally processed the data like I normally would – stack in DeepSkyStacker then go straight into processing with Photoshop. However, a friend on Instagram began experimenting with Astro Pixel Processor and separating out the Ha and Oiii channels (possible with a filter like the L-eNhanced) and so I decided to follow suit and I like the results A LOT on this California Nebula data.

The orange / yellow version uses more of a SHO type palette while the red / pink version uses a more typical RGB palette. I love them both, however the yellow image is probably my favorite. I did the same type of processing with Heart Nebula data as well. I plan on doing a post that goes over the idea of separating these channels when using a dual band filter as well as share some of videos that covered how to do it. I will of course include photos!

Equipment & Stats

Meade Series 6000 80mm Triplet APO
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Canon EOS Ra
Astro-Tech 0.8 Reducer/Flattener
Optolong L-eNhanced
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (Guide)
ZWO ASI224mc (Guide)
PHD2 for guiding, APT for capturing, APP for stacking/processing, Photoshop/Topaz for final processing

60 x 180s subs
20 dark frames
50 flat frames
50 dark flat frames
50 bias frames

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Heart Nebula | IC 1805

Heart Nebula – 12/26/2020 – Providence, RI

This month has been… a challenge. Between not having clear skies, Covid-19 running through the family (myself, my wife, my seven children and other family members) and then personally getting worse and ending up in the hospital right before Christmas with Covid/Pneumonia, it has simply been a month that in a lot of ways I’d like to forget. However, I was blessed to be able to recover enough to be home for Christmas and while I was in the hospital, several items that I had been waiting for came in (Optolong L-eNhanced filter for one) and then I saw I would have clear skies on 12/26. I did everything I could to help boost my strength – still weak, tired, etc, and I was able to set up and get a little time in on the Heart Nebula which is located in the constellation Cassiopeia. I had gathered data twice before on this target with mixed results – once with no filter and then once again with my reducer and Orion SkyGlow Broadband light pollution filter. This time though I was armed with the Optolong L-eNhanced and I love the results, even if I wasn’t able to get as much time on target as I wanted.

Statistics and Gear:

Meade Series 6000 80mm Triplet APO
Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro Mount
Canon EOS Ra
Astro-Tech 0.8 Reducer / Field Flattener
OptoLong L-eNhanced Filter (2″)
ZWO 30mm f4 MiniScope (guide)
ZWO ASI224MC (guide

28 x 180s light frames at 800 ISO
20 dark frames (180s at 800 ISO)
50 flat frames (10s at 800 ISO)
50 dark flat frames (10s at 800 ISO)
50 bias frames (1/8000 at 800 ISO)

Guiding with PHD2 and captured in APT. Stacked in DSS with processing in Photoshop, Topaz and StarNet++

Yes, you read that right, 10 second flats…. used AV mod on the Ra, filter was in and I had my light panel real low with a doubled up handkerchief for light diffusion and it seemed to work out okay. I also took some at 1.3″ just in case, but I did not end up using them. I might run the whole process through Siril for the heck of it just to see and if I do I will probably use the lower exposed flats.

Heart Nebula – Combined Data – 11/26 & 12/26 2020 – Providence, RI

Now, these two are a combination of my data from 12/26 and data I also took on 11/26. The difference is on 11/26 I took 59 exposures at 150s with the Orion SkyGlow Broadband Light Pollution filter. Combining all the data gave me just under 4 hours worth of data

28 x 180s (12/26) – L-eNhanced
59 x 150s (11/26) – Orion Skyglow Broadband LP
(231.5 min integration / 3.85 hours)
Darks (20 / 15)
Flats (50 / 50)
Dark Flats (50 / 50)
Biases (50 / 50)

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Moon – Selma, AL – 8/9/08

This past weekend, my brothers and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit some of our real good friends who live in Selma, Alabama. I took my telescope because I knew they lived in tghe country, and it would be dark. I was able to get some really good images. To keep with my Moon theme, here is a shot of the moon. More to come later!

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