Opps Forgot About....

[OhNo]

Last night was a bit of a first in my AP adventure. For the first time I was able to image to the West of my Pier. In the afternoon I said to myself, "don't forget to go and shut off the Sodium yard light off". Easily sidetracked (ended up installing the Zenith Table on my SkyShed Observatory) Guess what, I forgot.

This yard light isn't in line-of-site of the imaging station but it will cast light everywhere due to the fact it is on the White Metal end wall of my shop and up ~22'. The added issue was the humidity which is terrible here at the moment.

So I test the limits of viewing from the plastic bubble. First target was low to the West But it was too early and the sky too bright ~2300 hrs. Up to the Splinter Galaxy, nope too high at that time. Did catch M5 (5 120 second images), M5 (10 120 second images), M94 (10 300 second images). and NGC5845 (3 600 second images). All gathered at Unity gain which is Gain 100 Offset 70, so I'm told.

I stacked all images with APP and it punted a few due to satellites. But here is the kicker, I noticed while taking the images the APT preview was showing a lot greener hue than normal, the stacked images have a brown tinge to them that I can not figure out how to fix. My best guess is the Sodium light has caused this effect, all aided in the fact that I had a real bright moonbeam in the background.

Anyone have suggestions how I might approach this issue. Guiding numbers were real nice, images are displaying nice focus and detail, especially M94. Losing the data sucks, but I shut off the light power this morning!

[STEVE333]

Hi OhNo - which processing software do you use?

Steve

[OhNo]

PixInSight

[STEVE333]

With PixInsight, the AutomaticBackgroundExtractor or DynamicBackgroundExtraction will remove most if not all of it. Then, when you do ColorCalibration (or PCC) any traces of it should be gone.

You might want to add the Signature to your posts. You could include your imaging equipment as well as the processing software(s) you use. Just a thought.

Steve

[OhNo]

Started off with DBE, gave ABE a try, no effect on the beige tint.

ColorCal was also ineffective.

Just bad data maybe!

M94_I_DBE B.jpg

Major crop

Hmmm, maybe upper atmosphere smoke?

[OhNo]

M3 andM5 turned out Ok for the time-on-target.

M3.jpg

M5.jpg

[STEVE333]

I see what you mean about the brownish color of the galaxy. Very strange that ABE or DBE didn't help. Maybe it was the outside light. Thanks fro giving it a try. I did run SCNR on it and it helped a little.

The clusters turned out better.

Cheers.

[OhNo]

LOL SCNR has three color selections, and Beige ain't one of 'em. Man, now I wish I'd of been payin' more attention in art class way back when dinosaurs wore licenseplates!!! Sounds like I can re-visit M94 again tonight, IF the weather forecast is correct!

[STEVE333]

LOL SCNR has three color selections, and Beige ain't one of 'em. Man, now I wish I'd of been payin' more attention in art class way back when dinosaurs wore licenseplates!!! Sounds like I can re-visit M94 again tonight, IF the weather forecast is correct!

I hear you. I actually tried the Green setting and it helped a little with all three especially the two clusters.

"... when dinosaurs wore licenseplates!!!" I'll have to remember that one.

Good luck with your attempts tonight. Remember the switch!! I'll be trying to get some Oiii data on the Western Veil if my weather holds. If the fog stays away I won't get to bed till about 3:30 am. Sigh ...............

Steve

[OhNo]

Well son-of-a-gun Astropheric got it partially correct, but it was an hour out of whack. The clouds moved in last night, early! Playing poke-and-hope I did manage a few images of Arcturus before I packed it in. I picked a single image and threw it into PI.

I debayered it, ABE, SNRC (reduce green), Histogram Transformation, Curves Transformation. Back to SNRC (Blue and Green again) and here is what I ended up with. Still a Brown Tinge to it. So what is causing it! I can think of a few things right off hand. Environmental, smoke in the upper atmosphere. OR I have crude on my Primary, Secondary or the CC/Camera chip! Might be time to yank the camera off and check for condensation!!!! I know it wasn't the Sodium yard light!

Arcturus.jpg

[STEVE333]

Hi OhNo - Your problem is a real puzzler.

Can you make a single calibrated DeBayered frame available (calibrated with any Bias, Flats, and/or Darks that you normally use)? It might give us a clue. Maybe use DropBox or something like that?

Just a thought.

Steve

[OhNo]

That may well be the issue, I haven't taken any Darks, Flats or Bias frames with this camera! Dither every other frame.

[STEVE333]

Hang in there. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but, you will get there. Lots of smart people here on the forum and they love to help. Let us know if there is anything we can do.

By the way, it is great that you are already using dithering. Well done.

Steve

[OhNo]

A peek in Astropheric explained the Beige. Big forest fire in Western Montana with smoke heading up my way!!!!! Have to remember to check the incidentals before my next session IF it ever quits raining.