M42. First attempt at stacking and processing

[Kerry C.]

Okay, I know this is not up to the caliber of many of the photos I see on this forum, but I am having so much fun looking, learning and fiddling, I just wanted to share.
So this is my first attempt at prolonged exposures, stacking, and processing. I know I still have much to learn. The equipment used for this is; Celestron 8SE with a 6.3 focal reducer and my Canon T3i.
I took 55 photos of M42 with a exposure duration of 24 seconds at ISO 1600. I ended up using 37 of them in the processing. I also used 18 blacks, 18 flats using the same iso and duration, and 18 bias at 1/4000. I then used Deep Sky Stacker and did the processing using Gimp. DSS is somewhat straight forward for me but using Gimp was a head scratching learning experience.
I know there are some focusing and star trailing issues. As to the focusing problems, I am getting the Celestron focus motor for my birthday so that should help a lot. Star trailing will just take time in setting my alignment better and experimenting with ISO and exposure time.
I have rambled on long enough. Any tips and suggestions are appreciated. What I want to learn is getting more red colors like I see in other photos which will come with time and experimentation in the processing part.
Anyway here is my photo of M42.
Kerry

[Hankmeister3]

Suggestions? Just keep plugging away on the learning curve. Techniques will get honed and your knowledge base will increase and that means images will get better.

You actually captured Triangulum, btw.

[Juno16]

Quite nice Kerry!

Very nice M42 capture. Like Henry said, the more you image, the more things you pick up, the more efficient you get, and the better the images get. This hobby is so much fun!

[Dragonsfire]

Nicely Done
Once you get lots of practice its nice to go back to older pictures and redoo them.

[10538]

Very nice M42 Kerry! You’ll get plenty of good advise here at TSS!

[Graeme1858]

That's a great first image Kerry. The colour is about right for M42. You might be able to bring it out a bit using the Gimp Saturation tool. What software did you use to capture the images?

I've got a Celestron motorised focuser. It makes things very much easier. I control it with the Celestron CPWI software.

Regards

Graeme

[korbitz]

Very nice image, puts mine to shame.

Noticed you took it at 1600ISO, need to retry M42 again at that setting in between all the storms we are getting at the moment

[Valen]

Very nice

[Jockinireland]

Thats a nice image. I think that there is probably much more data in there that you will be able to coax out as your processing skills develop.

[UlteriorModem]

That's pretty good for a first effort. With some practice you will get better with the contrast and levels. It's a lot better than my first attempts.

The star tailing is due in part to a slight mis-alignment, but more so due to the 8SE being an alt az mount. That you will not be able to overcome unless you go to a wedge.

[Gordon]

Congratulations Kerry, on having your image selected as todays TSS APOD!

app.php/article/2-21-2020-tss-astrophot ... of-the-day

[Kerry C.]

Thank you all for the words of encouragement. Lots to learn, but having fun doing it.
Gordon, I am a bit embarrassed that you put that photo up. It doesn’t compare to the many other spectacular phots I have seen.
In time I hope to be worthy of another “photo of the day”, but thank you.
Kerry

[Kerry C.]

That's a great first image Kerry. The colour is about right for M42. You might be able to bring it out a bit using the Gimp Saturation tool. What software did you use to capture the images?

I've got a Celestron motorised focuser. It makes things very much easier. I control it with the Celestron CPWI software.

Regards

Graeme

Thank you Graeme. I will give Gimp saturation tool a go and see what happens.
When you ask about the software used to capture images, I’m not sure what you mean.
I just hooked my camera to the back end of the scope using a “T” ring adapter. I then set up my intervalometer to capture the timed photos.
I need to look into the CPWI software you referred to.
Kerry

[UlteriorModem]

Intervelometer… I remember those days

As far as software you might want to look into BYEOS.

https://www.otelescope.com/

I personally use Sequence Generator Pro. But that's a pretty involved and expensive piece of software.

Anyhow...

Here is a suggestion for you I posted this on that other forum a few years ago.....




I use a Cannon Rebel SL1 its a great camera but has one fault. It chews through batterys fast! I mean like 1 hour of use for long exposures and bee boop disconnected

I had this complicated routine of keeping three batterys in rotation. I would use a battery to get frame and focus and take some previews. Once I got it down I would swap out for a fresh off the charger battery which would usually require rotating the focuser to get to the battery compartment which usually meant nudging the OTA off target. Not to mention loosing connection to BYEOS etc. So more frame and focus and previews. Rinse repeat... Frustrating right?

So I bought one of these... An AC power adaptor with a 'mock' battery insert. Specifically for my camera (I ordered a wrong one at first but it ended up with another forum member )

Power Supply by Tom Whit, on Flickr



Which is great but I loath power cords running across the yard, tripping hazard, wraps, etc.

So I also bought one of these...A DC to DC voltage converter in the shape of a ciggy lighter plug. You can of course splice on any connector you would like.

12 V adaptor by Tom Whit, on Flickr

Amazon.com : UpBright® NEW Car 12V to 7.4V DC Adapter For Canon ACK-DC50 PowerShot G10 G11 G12 SX30 ACKDC50 Power Shot Camera 7.4VDC Auto Vehicle Boat RV Cigarette Lighter Plug Power Supply Cord Cable Battery Charger PSU (Note: This is DC7.4V-7.5V ou

As you might note the DC to DC converter might work on its own save for a couple of problems. The plug is not the right style (needs a 90 degree plug) and the cord was too short. Also it does not come with the mock battery case.

So... I cut the plug off the AC adaptor and the DC adaptor, connected the one from the AC adaptor to the DC DC adaptor with as long a cord as I could get from the two. After carefully checking the voltage (8,0 volts no load) and the continuity I plugged in the false battery case, installed it in the camera, held my breath and turned it on!

It works! Perfectly!

[Makuser]

Hello Kerry. You did a fine job on your first stacking DSO image with M42 and your Celestron 8SE telescope. Lots of nice nebulosity in your capture. Thanks for sharing this work with us Kerry, and congratulations on winning the TSS APOD Award.

[helicon]

Congrats Kerry! I am just on the edge of getting into AP (well, a couple of lousy shots of the moon). I admire your effort and congrats on the fine work resulting in today's APOD!

[starfield]

Congrats. So fun when all the pieces start coming together. Always glad to see someone else heading down the rabbit hole.

[chartram]

Kerry,

A fine image and well deserving of today’s APOD! Matter of fact, this one puts many of our first images to shame. You’ve got really nice reflective and emission details, nice contrast in the Trapezium area and some of the dusty stuff too. Really like it!

Mike

[KingClinton]

Great first try Terry!

M42 has a large dynamic range and you need to take a few different exposure lengths.
Try a few 5 second exposures and some 10, 15 and 24. If you pay particular attention to your alignment then you can even stretch the exposures to 30 seconds.
The more you take the better when doing short exposure work. I try to get as many as 200 or more of each and combine them in DSS.
There appears to be plenty of colour in your data, it needs to be coaxed out a little more.

Well done on your first image and the TSS APOD!
Keep plugging away at it.

[Ed217]

Looks good to me! I am trying to capture a similar image with about the same gear setup now. My efforts so far have been mostly planetary and this would be my first DSO as well. Got started too late last night to get the image, as I have a small area in the SSW sky that's visible without excessive light pollution. Maybe tonight works out better...