Heres my pic of m36 taken the other night

  • Context: Stargazing 
  • Thread starter Thread starter twinsen
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around astrophotography, specifically focusing on the participant's experience capturing images of the M36 star cluster and Earth's shine. The conversation includes technical aspects of exposure, equipment used, and suggestions for improving image quality.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their first astrophotography attempt, noting issues with focus and alignment due to the unguided nature of the shot.
  • Another participant suggests stacking multiple shorter exposures to enhance image sharpness and brightness, indicating a method to improve the first image.
  • A different approach is proposed for capturing Earth's shine, recommending the use of varying exposure lengths and compositing techniques in Photoshop.
  • The original poster clarifies that their setup was on a motorized equatorial mount without guiding adjustments, which could affect exposure results.
  • There is a discussion about the potential for periodic error (PE) to affect images at 300mm focal length, with some participants questioning its significance at that level.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the impact of periodic error at 300mm focal length, indicating a lack of consensus on this technical aspect.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the original poster's acknowledgment of poor focus and alignment, as well as the potential effects of overexposure on the images captured.

Who May Find This Useful

Astronomy enthusiasts, amateur astrophotographers, and individuals interested in technical aspects of capturing celestial images may find this discussion relevant.

twinsen
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Heres my pic of m36 taken the other night its a 1 min unguided shot through my canon 300mm lens @ f4
the focus is horrible and it wasnt aligned but it is my first ever astrophoto shot.

The second shot is Earth'shine the flaring is due to the overexposure of the moon i think but this is unavoidable.

Alex
 

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Good start. Two suggestions:

For the first, since it is on a fixed-mount, you can try taking a half dozen to a dozen 15 second exposures and stacking them with a program like Registax. It'll be sharper and brighter.

For the second, you can take several exposures of different lengths and composite them in photoshop. I'm working on an Earth'shine pic as well.
 
When i say unguided i mean it was on a motorised EQ mount but without any kind of pec adjustment or guiding.
If it was on a stationary mount a 1min exposure would leave star trails half way across the fov lol

Alex
 
Oh. Hmm... at only 300mm, I wouldn't think that PE would show up. But yeah, you're right - even at 300mm, the Earth's rotation would be a lot more...
 

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