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Posts Made By: Larry Durst

December 13, 2006 10:22 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Horsehead and Flame

Posted By Larry Durst
I wasn't sure about posting this as it really lacks any detail. I shot through increasing clouds--Orion was strangely the one fairly clear area at times. I figured I'd shoot until my guider lost the guide star...but guiding kept on going even with the clouds! Still had trouble bringing much out of it. I was most anxious, though, to give my guiding a good test.
ZS66SD with Meade 6.3 FR
MC716
Guiding DSI Pro on LX90
5 x 600 seconds Ha

http://www.freewebs.com/drivewayastronomy/latestimages.htm

Thanks for looking,
Larry

May 9, 2007 01:47 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Way too long--recent M81/M82

Posted By Larry Durst
WWF (that's work, weather, family) have kept me from my scopes for way too long. Which has made me very jealous of all the great posts I've been seeing lately. Here is, finally, a recent image. After so long, I seem to have forgotten much! I also think my camera connection to the telescope was askew; that plus some dust I just couldn't flatten out made processing a chore.
44x60seconds, SX MX716, William-Optics ZS66SD
Acquired, aligned and sigma combined in AA3
Postprocessing in PixInsight LE and AA3 (Robert Vanderbei's decon plug-in for final sharpening)
I've got to get out more!
Thanks for looking,
Larry

May 20, 2007 08:03 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M3 LRGB

Posted By Larry Durst
Shot this a couple of weekends ago. I was all set for a long night on the Sunflower when, with the galaxy just about framed I looked up and saw...clouds! I switched to something close by that I could get usable LRGB quickly. It was actually the first time I've shot through the LX90 since getting my ZenithStar 66 two Christmases ago! I've been fighting with the gradients and color balance for weeks now, so finally am putting it to rest. Any suggestions are very, very welcome!
LRGB 22/10/10/10
8" LX90 at 6.3
MX716
Astronomik Type II filters
Acquired in AstroArt3, processed in AA3 and Pixinsight.
Image attached, or at
http://www.freewebs.com/drivewayastronomy/latestimages.htm
Thanks for looking,
Larry

May 26, 2007 03:37 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M3 Reworked

Posted By Larry Durst
At the suggestion of many, I've reworked a recent M3 to do a better job of removing the gradients from each channel. Both images are here:
http://www.freewebs.com/drivewayastronomy/latestimages.htm
New one is attached.
Thanks for any comments,
Larry

June 12, 2007 01:41 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Question on Atik16HR or Artemis

Posted By Larry Durst
Question for those of you (Jim? Nico? et al) using the Atik 16HR and I believe the Artemis 285 is the same camera (?). I certainly am intrigued by the cost-saving over a Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 which I believe has the same chip. I have read, however, that there is some very long download time for a full size image due to USB 1 versus 2. Are you finding that to be true? Other impressions of the camera (of course, I wish it came with your guys skills, as well!). Just weighing the pros and cons versus SX (currently very happy with an MX716) since there is a $1000 difference.
Thanks for any opinions,
Larry

June 24, 2007 04:04 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Nice going Tom Davis on the APOD

Posted By Larry Durst
A very worthy and very amazing image!
Larry

June 24, 2007 01:57 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Ditto for Jason Boyce!

Posted By Larry Durst
Great to see that wonderful Pelican get the APOD nod!
Larry

June 26, 2007 12:15 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Three new images...Propeller

Posted By Larry Durst
Fnally strung two nights together in a row. Warning: if we're ever driving together don't trust me with navigation; I wound up at the Propeller Nebula while actually aiming for the Crescent...and that's with goto! So I did an hour of the first, 90 minutes on the second. The next night 100 minutes of the Veil. My guiding was a bit more erratic that night. Also my LX90 loses all sense of tracking and guiding after reaching about 80 degrees, limiting my time on these.
All were 10 minute subs with a Schuler Ha
Scope: ZS 66 SD
Camera: MX716
Guiding: DSI Pro with PHD on LX90
Acquired, sigma combined in AA3
Processing in PixInsight Standard--Histogram and curves and noise reduction on backgrounds.
Vanderbei deconvolution plug-in in AA3 on Crescent, automated wavelets in PixInsight on the Veil.
All comments and suggestions very, very welcome.
Thanks,
Larry
Attached or
http://www.freewebs.com/drivewayastronomy/latestimages.htm

PS: I wound up identifying this one through Jim Thommes' excellent gallery.

June 29, 2007 04:04 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Crescent reworked

Posted By Larry Durst
Thanks to Eric's suggestion, I redid my recent Crescent a bit to "unsoften" the nebula. I protected the background with a mask, then did an unsharp mask in Pixinsight. I do think it's better. Thanks, Eric.
Larry
Here's the new image

July 2, 2007 04:21 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Advice on IDAS LPS (or Lumicon)

Posted By Larry Durst
Hello All,
I really struggle with color, particularly the backgrounds. I am thinking that an IDAS LPS or Lumicon filter should be my next purchase(other than bigger camera, new mount...okay, affordable purchase). I have an MX716, shoot through both a WO ZS 66 SD and LX90 with Astronomik Type II LRGB filters. Do the IDAS or Lumicon help on all images, or would they mostly benefit nebula (as opposed to galaxies)?
Also, since my LRGB filters are already IR block, is it okay to use both filters together? I'm in quite light polluted skies and usually shoot right into the NYC light dome about 25 miles east. Thanks for any advice,
Larry

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