Deep Sky B33 single Ha frame

[Tracy]

Could not find this in the catalog for KStars using any combo of B33 but finally figured out how to get to it.
Single Ha capture that I just started from this session.

Horsehead Nebula

• Tracy
• October 27, 2022

Single Ha frame of B33 (Horsehead Nebula)

 

[OhNo]

Looking good. I can't help noticing your stars, they seem bloated. Assuming you are using the auto focus in SM you may want to double check with you Bahtinov mask.

 

[Tracy]

I'll check again (got out of the habit of it after each time I have they looked fine through the mask).
I've been using the Linear 1 focusing choice.. but read where some people have issues with the accuracy of it.

EDIT:
Double checked... and they were pretty close. There was about 50 steps difference... don't know if it's the focuser still having issues in the new version of StellarMate or not. Guess I'll have to see if there is an off-set that can be set to "make up" for that difference, as it was pretty steady across all filtesrs.

 

[Tracy]

Processed in Stellarmate after stacking in APP. No color yet, and yep, the stars are blown out due to an apparently focusing bug in StellarMate OS (latest version). It's easily 50-75 steps off when using the Bhatinov mask and to top it off, I have to close out the FITS viewer to get an "updated" image if I want to see if my changes have taken effect. This was processed in StarTools as an experiment. Stacked in APP.

Barnard_33 mono

• Tracy
• October 28, 2022

Just playing around with StarTools and trying to learn it also.
This is a mono image processed...

 

[OhNo]

See how many more stars pop out, and their now crisp.

Open that up in Pix and play with Curves Transformation. Remember you can use compound points to tune the background to the foreground.

 

[Stan]

Processed in Stellarmate after stacking in APP. No color yet, and yep, the stars are blown out due to an apparently focusing bug in StellarMate OS (latest version). It's easily 50-75 steps off when using the Bhatinov mask and to top it off, I have to close out the FITS viewer to get an "updated" image if I want to see if my changes have taken effect. This was processed in StarTools as an experiment. Stacked in APP.

Barnard_33 mono

• Tracy
• October 28, 2022

Just playing around with StarTools and trying to learn it also.
This is a mono image processed...

That looks much better. What does SM use for AF for star size HFR or FWHM?

 

[OhNo]

HFR

 

[OhNo]

When you use APP to put together your images you can see the FWHM when you get to the registration phase. Here is where you can see if your images are consistent or not (ie a change in sky conditions, temperature....). If you have a "stinker" in the bunch simply un-check it at the left and carry on with the "Normalization" and "Integration".

 

[Tracy]

Think those little round areas are from the flats..... going to reprocess with the flats not in the mix and see what turns out.

 

[OhNo]

What yo talkin' 'bout Willis? For the most part circles are usually either "Dust Bunnies" or "Halos" around bright stars...

 

[Tracy]

What yo talkin' 'bout Willis? For the most part circles are usually either "Dust Bunnies" or "Halos" around bright stars...

yeah, but if you look on the right hand side of the image, there are at least two perfectly circular areas that have no center point... and the flats (40 taken with each filter) should have gotten them out during stacking. I think I remember seeing those "blobs" when doing the flats, and it may have been because I didn't have both layers of the t-shirt in place as it was a heavier t-shirt than a standard white undershirt.

 

[OhNo]

I'd say dust.

 

[Tracy]

I'd say dust.

it would have to be on the camera itself as I made sure that the lens was cleaned using some camera lens cleaning supplies I have here. The train hasn't been apart, and none of the others showed those that I did the next day. Will have to grab a new set of flats tomorrow if weather permits and I'm up early.

 

[OhNo]

It may be on the inside of that inner glass. Some people have had issues with gassed off stuff contaminating that on. Is easy to take out and clean.....