Posts Made By: Lee Zagar

January 29, 2004 08:39 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

question

Posted By Lee Zagar

Mauricio,

Here is M42 taken as follows:

Scope LX-90
Camera Sony F717 at full digital zoom, 1280 X 960
Exposure 30 Seconds

Lee

February 21, 2004 07:45 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter and Io - digicam

Posted By Lee Zagar

Jose,

Great image, considering it is only a stack of 40 or so images. I also tried the same thing with my LX-90 and Sony F717 with a Scopetronix Maxview II eyepiece. I was able to stack about 100 images, but my results don't look as good as yours. How did you process your image?

Lee

April 27, 2004 10:56 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

JUPITER PROCCESSING assistance

Posted By Lee Zagar

Ido,

I took a shot at reprocessing your image. I used unsharp mask and adjusted the color intensity in Photoshop.

Lee

July 19, 2004 04:58 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Digital pictures of Jupiter

Posted By Lee Zagar

Douglas,

To get decent photos of the planets, you need to stack many images, at least 50 or preferably 100 or more, with a program like Registax, a free program (http://aberrator.astronomy.net/registax/). Set your camera to manual focus at infinity with the lens wide open. The shutter speed should be the fastest you can use and still get a recognizable image. Start with about 1/30 second and go up or down from there. Underexposere is better than overexposure. Registax adds the images, so overexposure will result in completely washed out details.

With lots of practice you should be able to get decent photos. Here is a composit of a single Jupiter image, 25 images stacked and 100 images stacked.

Keep trying and good luck.

Lee

August 24, 2004 12:57 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn 8-22-04

Posted By Lee Zagar

Jim,

Nice image. I hope you don't mind, but here is what a little processing can do.

Lee

August 31, 2004 11:49 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

M64 and a little help needed....

Posted By Lee Zagar

Kegan,

Try a little unsharp mask in Photoshop. Here is a sample.

Lee

September 4, 2004 05:36 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

What is this

Posted By Lee Zagar

Dan,

It looks like vignetting. Here is your image processed in Photoshop to even the background.

Lee

October 21, 2004 05:16 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

C80ED Hardware

Posted By Lee Zagar

Oren,

I have not heard of anyone upgrading their focuser on the 80ED, but both Feathertouch and Moonlight make really nice units. If you do decide to upgrade, I would be interested in buying your old 80ED focuser.

Lee

November 18, 2004 05:10 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

help processing saturn

Posted By Lee Zagar

Mauricio,

Your image is essentially out of focus; however, with some processing (unsharp mask and adustment of levels) I was able to improve your image somewhat. Improving your focus will produce much better results.

Lee

November 18, 2004 09:24 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Stiletto focuser vs DSLR software

Posted By Lee Zagar

Ivan,

I am using a Stiletto focuser with my Canon 300D (Digital Rebel) and it achieves perfect focus every time in just a few seconds. It works exactly as it is described on the STI website. The other advantage is that it does not require a computer. I have tried every other method and, in my opinion,the Stiletto is the easiest and quickest way to get perfect focus.

Here is a sample of my first image (M13) using the Canon 300D and the Stiletto.

Lee