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[tomlee]

Class 4–June 21, 2011 8pm-11pm

Computer Programs II

• Planetariums, mount control / Cartes Du Ciel
  
• Camera control / Maxim DL
  
• Guiding control / PHD
  
• Remote control / Ultra VNC
  

Guiding

• Guide scopes
  
• Aligning the guide scope with the main scope
  
• Calibration
  

Hands On Lab – Setting Up the Guide Scope and
taking a short exposure

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This evening starts with an in-depth tour on how to use the Cartes Du Ceil sky software after initial setup with the EQMOD and the aligning and syncing the telescope and mount.

Then we find out the MaximDL cannot connect with the telescope but was able to do an introduction on a lot of neat features with choices of supported cameras. To me this software is, to astrophotography, like PhotoShop is to digital photography.

Guiding is done with PHD, a free software. What should be the toughest job is made a cinch. Nothing to talk about here. There's only a few buttons to press and they are in order. No alignment or calibration necessary unless you do a Meridian Flip. Even then it's just another button. PHD stand for press here dummy.

Ultra VNC is used to get onto the self completed AP setup in the lab by way of internet. Nothing new if you are familiar with pcAnywhere prior to the Windows 95.

So did I mention thunder storm. Well, two good week out of four ain't bad. There cannot be a hands on anyways because the equipments are not connect to each other.

No exposures, again!

Now I wonder if we gonna take a picture before the 8th week when the course is over.


Next week ...

Class 5–June 28, 2011 8pm-11pm
Exposure

• Sensitivity
  
• F Ratio
  
• Dynamic Range
  
• stacking
  

DSLR

• History
  
• Piggyback photography
  
• Settings for astrophotography
  
• DSLR limitations
  

Hands On Lab – DSLR Astrophotography

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Tom,

I have never properly learned to use Registax-like programs. All my astro images are pretty much what you see in the eyepiece.

I would like to hear what you learned about stacking and such when this is over.

[tomlee]

Joe,

Firstly, I will probably see you this evening by the Adler.

On with the stacking of frames, I am beginning to feel that I am not going to get a lot out of the course in this regard the way this class is going. We are so short on hands-on time and the trend by the industry also is getting us more grounds to cover within a single general AP class (than just manual DSLR AP). What a pleasant surprise! But either way, I will have that cover because I have already read quite a bit about it.

One interesting note is that stacking technique might not be the ideal way to achieve the highest astro photo quality anymore as we speaks. I will however, put together something for those of you who wants to know about.

I hope this isn't confusing!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Tom...

I hope you read this before heading out - but I cancelled the session for tonight - due to incredibly thick cloud cover.

[tomlee]

Jun 24, 2011 18:21:05 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

Tom...

I hope you read this before heading out - but I cancelled the session for tonight - due to incredibly thick cloud cover.

Joe, I did not read this before heading out. It was a good walk about in the nice breeze and see folks come out to the taste.

[patrickm]

Tom,
If not stacking, what is the method?

[tomlee]

Jun 25, 2011 16:12:29 GMT -6 patrickm said:

Tom,
If not stacking, what is the method?

Patrick,

I am sorry. Let me re-phrase it to "that stacking technique" for one of the two following methods.

Some people are doing single long exposure because guiding is so advance that precise tracking can lock in on the subject. This is one complete shot. Solid mount is important with this method and longer tracking time the better.

Then there are others who do video and than pick the best frames from it and stack them. There are no dark, flat or bias frames however. The nice things about this is you cover the whole time where the seeing can vary and you basically take one shot which is the clip.

All this are just theory for me right now. I will know more as the class go on. Hope this make sense.

[patrickm]

Interesting. Thanks for filling us in. Has been cool reading and feel a bit frustrated for you, too.