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Captured by
Lawrence Parchman

Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253)

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Posts Made By: Mike Wirths

April 3, 2004 01:14 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Processing question

Posted By Mike Wirths

Hi Vincent,

Thats a fine Jupiter image! Personally though I've never had much success using Registax's wavelets for processing planets, I tend to get exaggerated artifacts like the ringing. I'd try whats already been suggested to you ie turn up the gain a bit turn down the brightness and maybe add 10% gamma, although the night you shot that might have been lousy transparency so those settings could have been just fine in normal to good transparency. Software wise try out a trail version of Images Plus, I use their "wavelets" version which is the multires smooth/sharpen option, works great for planets, its a lot cheaper than phtoshop plus it has superb customer support.
hers a link: http://www.mlunsold.com/

best regards

Mike Wirths

April 3, 2004 03:17 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Plato 03/31/04

Posted By Mike Wirths

Hi Wes,

Don't kid yourself thats a superb Plato! I counted around 20 craterlets, plus theres lots of cool striations on the crater floor..very nice!
When I shot my Plato by mistake with the 5X's powermate, I also tied one right after with the 3X's and the resolution was not nearly as good. So one thing my "mistake" taught me that when the seeings good enough oversampling (in my case .10 arcseconds per pixel) seems to give great resolution, but its a chore keeping your subject in the FOV! I'm sure you've seen this pic of Plato by Bruno Daversin, its a jaw dropper, 60 craterlets!!!!
http://www.lpod.org/LPOD-2004-01-24.htm

thats the one to beat for sure, course he has a 24" Cass not exactly a "backyard" scope ;>)

cheers

Mike Wirths

April 10, 2004 09:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter 04/08/04

Posted By Mike Wirths

Wes,

Thats a very detailed, smooth image! Have you though of trying that RAW modification to the Toucam? Supposedly it gives a substantialy less noisey image and stops the onboard sharpening algorithm of the camera. I know Damian Peach and also Eric Ng is starting to speak to its benefits. I think I may try it out next time it clears.
Heres the links if the Raw thing is new to you (I'm sure you've heard of it though)
http://www.astrosurf.com/astrobond/ebrawe.htm
and also some software you need to convert the avis for use in K3ccd or Reg2
http://arnholm.org/astro/software/aviraw/

cheers

Mike Wirths

April 11, 2004 01:14 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Like a needle in the sky

Posted By Mike Wirths

Very nice dark lane detail Brian!! Thats my very favorite edge on, in a very dark sky like at TSP visually that galaxy in a large dob looks just like the picture you took, almost enough to make you fall off your ladder ;>)

cheers

Mike W

April 19, 2004 12:16 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

m51 2hr Lum inage

Posted By Mike Wirths

Thats a FABULOUS shot Larry!!!


--Mike Wirths

April 29, 2004 01:46 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

First image (Archimedes) DMK21F04 Firewire camera

Posted By Mike Wirths

Wes,

Thats pretty darn good for a single frame and bad seeing, it bodes very well for when you get some good conditions. Wow 30fps with no compression, thats always been the bottleneck in terms of how many useable frames you can get with USB Toucam so this may very well be the next quantum leap forward in for a better S/N ratio! Where did you pick up the camera, was it pricey? I've been giving consideration to the Atik instruments one shot colour cam, its the one Damian Peach uses for his astounding images, essentially its a QCUIAG deepsky moded camera which is cooled (by fan) and gives more sensitivity (less noise), it only available in Europe and its around $600-700.
heres their website:
http://www.atik-instruments.com/

cheers

Mike Wirths

April 30, 2004 01:25 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

SBIG STL driver mod works! (a solar H-a image)

Posted By Mike Wirths

Fabulous Paul!! Incredibly 3-D to my eyes anyway! You really are THE solar master!

keep em comin!

Mike Wirths

May 1, 2004 01:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Rimi Hyginus DMK21F04 Firewire camera

Posted By Mike Wirths

Wow, Wes thats a pretty darn high res pic of the moon!
I found a couple Lunar orbiter shots stiched them together in Images Plus and put them next to your pic, pretty darn close resolution wise!! I think when you get a night of good seeing with that new camera you will be in brand new territory! One other thing I thought about, with a 30FPS image on the monitor it must be easier to get a good focus as well. About the LRGB imaging, is there a filter slider or wheel assembly that could be made to work? Manually screwing in filters would be just too cumbersome and time consuming (seeing as often there is only a 2 min window to shot the avi in)plus you would have to refocus for each filter.

great stuff!!

Mike W

May 28, 2004 02:46 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Shadow rays to Tycho

Posted By Mike Wirths

Hi Wes,

Thats a very dramatic shot with those 2 long shadow spires! I can empathize with you about crappy weather, we've had naught but rain rain and more rain here in Ontario.
Well done shot, should send it to LPOD, its unusual enough.

-Mike Wirths

May 30, 2004 01:25 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Clavius Large DKM 21F04 Firewire

Posted By Mike Wirths

Hi wes,

Fabulous image!! How did you maintain such detail even in the very bright areas of the crater floor? I did a shot of Clavious too last night but could not find a balance of settings to satify me, so some areas are overexposed. Was that the reason for 1/1024 exp and fairly high gain? I'll post my Clavious too but its not as nice as yours! Did you shot any other objects last night? Love to see em!

--Mike Wirths