Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Hankmeister3
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Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#1

Post by Hankmeister3 »


This is an 18-frame stack out of 28 frames I originally captured on 4/30/20 at about 9:30 CST with my Meade 10-inch f/10 SCT without dew shield! I forgot that sucker at home. Fortunately the front corrector plate was clear for the first hour of the session. Unfortunately these images were grabbed just as the corrector plate was dewing up ever so slightly.

I also was able to sort out my Quattro 8 and its Baader coma corrector, too, later in the evening. I was really happy and relieved about that positive development. There was too much spacing between the coma corrector and the CCD. About two to three millimeters too much.

It was a fairly hazy night sky but with good, relatively calm air, a Pickering 6 or so. Exposures were 1/40th second at ISO100. The two other photos are crops of the first image I posted below.

I'm still in the tinkering stage of lunar photography. I find imaging the Moon worthwhile when it's really the only celestial object that I can image since I usually don't use narrow-band filters or LP filters for DSO AP. I'm waiting for Jupiter and Mars to rise in the last Spring early to mid-summer sky to see if I've learned anything useful about planetary AP over the last two years.
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LUNA Meade 10-inch f10  18-frames_NEW.jpg
LUNA Meade 10-inch f10  18-frames_NEW_NEW_0001.jpg
LUNA Meade 10-inch f10  18-frames_NEW_NEW.jpg
Telescopes: Meade LX90 10-inch f/10 UHC Coma-free SCT; Explore Scientific 127mm f/7.5 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 102mm f/7 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 APO ED triplet refractor; Skywatcher 72mm f/6 ED Schott doublet refractor; Meade 70mm f/5 APO quadruplet astrograph refractor; Skywatcher Quattro 8-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Skywatcher SkyMax 180mm f/15 Maksutov; iOptron 150mm f/12 Maksutov; Orion f/9 Ritchey-Chretien RC astrograph
Eyepieces: Set of 7 Baader Hyperion eyepieces, 3 Meade 5000 glass handgrenades; 1970s era Japanese manufactured Meade 12.5mm Orthoscopic, and too many other eclectic eyepieces to list
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro mount; Orion Atlas EQ-G mount
Post-production Software: Not good enough … oh, okay ... Canon's proprietary CanoScan ArcSoft 9000F photoshop suite
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#2

Post by Juno16 »


Incredibly sharp images Henry!

I have only taken a few single exposures of the moon it nothing like yours. lot of frames for you!

Thanks for sharing Henry!
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
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Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#3

Post by Ylem »


Real nice 👌
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#4

Post by Greenman »


Great work Henry, love the sharp focus.
Cheers,

Tony.

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Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#5

Post by Hankmeister3 »


Thanks, Jim. That is a "lot of frames" for me. Heh! You nailed that, sir!

One of these days, when conditions are spot-on, I'm going to get some single-frame lunar images that I hope would rival these. I know that's a tall order, but knowing my equipment and my ArcSoft Photostudio, it should be possible. I just need some super-steady air with Luna near the meridian. Some of the single-frames in the series I stacked for this image are pretty decent but I'm going to wait for better frame grabs to come along before I post them on the forum.

That's actually the current challenge for me at the moment though a 50-frame stack is certainly a possibility. I'd like to execute that scenario under a really nice Pickering 8 or 9 sky with zero wind, but good luck with that here in central Illinois at 750 feet above sea level.
Telescopes: Meade LX90 10-inch f/10 UHC Coma-free SCT; Explore Scientific 127mm f/7.5 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 102mm f/7 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 APO ED triplet refractor; Skywatcher 72mm f/6 ED Schott doublet refractor; Meade 70mm f/5 APO quadruplet astrograph refractor; Skywatcher Quattro 8-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Skywatcher SkyMax 180mm f/15 Maksutov; iOptron 150mm f/12 Maksutov; Orion f/9 Ritchey-Chretien RC astrograph
Eyepieces: Set of 7 Baader Hyperion eyepieces, 3 Meade 5000 glass handgrenades; 1970s era Japanese manufactured Meade 12.5mm Orthoscopic, and too many other eclectic eyepieces to list
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro mount; Orion Atlas EQ-G mount
Post-production Software: Not good enough … oh, okay ... Canon's proprietary CanoScan ArcSoft 9000F photoshop suite
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#6

Post by Gordon »


Congratulations Henry on having your image selected as todays TSS APOD!

app.php/article/5-3-2020-tss-astrophoto ... of-the-day
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by Ruud »


Lovely images with beautiful tones and a wealth of detail. Congratulations on the accolade!
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by Graeme1858 »


Congratulations on the APOD Henry

Regards

Graeme
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by TheButcher »


Great images Henry! ANd congrats on the APOD!
Telescopes:Apertura AD12 Dob + Rings for EQ mode Mounts: iOptron CEM70 w/ Tri-Pier Barlows:GSO 2x Shorty Focuser: Rigel nStep Cameras: ZWO174mm

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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by Makuser »


Hello Henry. A beautiful lunar image from you. Tack sharp details, and the cropped images hold up nicely too. These are excellent captures and the processing was on target. Thanks for sharing these with us Henry, and congratulations on winning the TSS APOD Award today.
Marshall
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by helicon »


Great job Henry - super nice images with great crispness! Congrats on winning the award for today!
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by Hankmeister3 »


Gordon wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 5:31 pm Congratulations Henry on having your image selected as todays TSS APOD!

app.php/article/5-3-2020-tss-astrophoto ... of-the-day
Thank you Gordon. This APOD really is unexpected. It was a night and a series of images that I was just committed to doing some experimentation with in hopes of pushing my envelope a bit more in the discipline of lunar photography. I was pleased with what I had captured when I viewed the single-frames the next day and wondered to myself how they would stack up (pun intended!). I never thought the outcome was APOD worthy but thank you for this recognitiion since I really don't consider myself an accomplished lunar photographer. To be totally honest, I'm blown away by some of the lunar images others have posted here, some of which look like they were taken from lunar orbit. Now that's a trip!

I guess the important thing for any APer or visual astronomer is that they're enjoying an entertaining craft and not being intimidated by the challenges or obstacles one generally has to overcome when working outside ones comfort zone. It's a fun kind of "work", especially when one spends hours on end during a given night trying to wring out that last arc/second of detail.

I also appreciate everyone else's compliments on this thread. Thanks everyone!

Now back to our regular programming ...
Telescopes: Meade LX90 10-inch f/10 UHC Coma-free SCT; Explore Scientific 127mm f/7.5 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 102mm f/7 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 APO ED triplet refractor; Skywatcher 72mm f/6 ED Schott doublet refractor; Meade 70mm f/5 APO quadruplet astrograph refractor; Skywatcher Quattro 8-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Skywatcher SkyMax 180mm f/15 Maksutov; iOptron 150mm f/12 Maksutov; Orion f/9 Ritchey-Chretien RC astrograph
Eyepieces: Set of 7 Baader Hyperion eyepieces, 3 Meade 5000 glass handgrenades; 1970s era Japanese manufactured Meade 12.5mm Orthoscopic, and too many other eclectic eyepieces to list
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro mount; Orion Atlas EQ-G mount
Post-production Software: Not good enough … oh, okay ... Canon's proprietary CanoScan ArcSoft 9000F photoshop suite
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

#13

Post by mariosi »


Beautiful images.
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Re: Just Refining Lunar Post-Production Tech 4/30/2020

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Post by Hankmeister3 »


Thank you, mariosi. I'm still learning a lot about lunar photography and post-processing lunar images. I'm hoping for some very nice, calm skies so that I can explore some single-frame lunar photography, Any kind of air turbulence really plays havoc with single-frame. I've yet to catch that "lucky shot" when the air is perfectly still for that fraction of a second. I see now why everyone stacks lunar and planetary images as well as DSO images, of course.
Telescopes: Meade LX90 10-inch f/10 UHC Coma-free SCT; Explore Scientific 127mm f/7.5 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 102mm f/7 APO ED triplet refractor; Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 APO ED triplet refractor; Skywatcher 72mm f/6 ED Schott doublet refractor; Meade 70mm f/5 APO quadruplet astrograph refractor; Skywatcher Quattro 8-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Orion 6-inch f/4 Newtonian astrograph; Skywatcher SkyMax 180mm f/15 Maksutov; iOptron 150mm f/12 Maksutov; Orion f/9 Ritchey-Chretien RC astrograph
Eyepieces: Set of 7 Baader Hyperion eyepieces, 3 Meade 5000 glass handgrenades; 1970s era Japanese manufactured Meade 12.5mm Orthoscopic, and too many other eclectic eyepieces to list
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro mount; Orion Atlas EQ-G mount
Post-production Software: Not good enough … oh, okay ... Canon's proprietary CanoScan ArcSoft 9000F photoshop suite
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