Author Topic: Integrating Multiple Nights Images  (Read 3567 times)

Offline roodyj

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Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« on: 2016 November 08 11:49:24 »
I am still learning the intricacies of PI, but getting better each session. However, I am having a constant problem that I need help in processing: My camera (DSLR) occasionally gets rotated for framing the target object between each session and the integrated images from combined sessions stack very nicely. The overlap areas look great; but the non-overlapped background sky differences are very noticeable due to the rotation between images. Different imaging sessions have different sky illumination levels in part due to moonlight or local light pollution intensity.

I am using bias, darks, and flats to pre-process. Flats were not taken for every orientation of the camera. Using DBE with BkgrdNeut and ColCorrection does not seem to work to even out the combined image background.

Rotating all images to the same orientation causes a problem with incompatible dimensions when I attempt to pre-process the group.

Please suggest other possible ways to cure the problem.

Thank you,
Jim
 

Offline roodyj

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #1 on: 2016 November 08 12:06:11 »
Forgot to attach this image.

Offline jkmorse

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #2 on: 2016 November 08 12:14:11 »
I assume you are breaking your system down, then reassembling each night, otherwise you wouldn't be having this issue.  The expensive solution is a rotator, but that is overkill in this case.  The sky doesn't change enough from night to night to make a difference if your properly aligned from night to night (I routinely shoot 30+ hours of subs that can take weeks to complete depending on clouds and moon).  What you need to do is make sure you are disciplined in how you set up each night so that the image train is as close as possible to what you used the previous nights.  Even just adding bits of duct tape to mark how your scope and camera are aligned will make the task so much easier.  Also, try to set up your mount in roughly the same orientation.  Again, before moving to a permanent observatory, I would leave marks on my set up location to make sure I could get to approximately the same position.  Then your areas that don't overlap will be minimized and easily cropped.  What doesn't work well is having subs at all angles.  Then your stacks will show a mess and only the small center where everything overlaps is workable.

Hope that helps,

Jim
Really, are clear skies, low wind and no moon that much to ask for? 

New Mexico Skies Observatory
Apogee Aspen 16803
Planewave CDK17 - Paramount MEII
Planewave IFR90 - Astrodon LRGB & NB filters
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Offline roodyj

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #3 on: 2016 November 08 12:21:12 »
Thanks, Jim. I expect to do the "duct tape fix", since a rotator is way too $$$$. BTW, my setup is on a concrete mount, very well aligned. The rotation comes about when I forget the orientation from a previous session, or due to my Moonlight focuser being jogged a bit when I take off or replace the scope cover.

Just was trying to recover many hours of past shots that were misaligned.

Jim

Offline msmythers

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #4 on: 2016 November 08 13:29:09 »
Tape is a great way of keeping a close alignment if you have to breakdown your equipment. As far a 'duct tape', while I use it for many things astronomical equipment is not one of them, haha. I use a type of tape the is a thin polyester backing using a very low adhesive silicone glue. We used this in aerospace engineering for temporary uses before final assemblies of flight hardware. While the tape holds very well and is very weather proof it can be removed leaving no adhesive residue. I've had pieces outside for years on end on glass and when removed you wouldn't know there had been any tape attached. I don't think the tape I have is still in production, 3M 8951. I'm sure there are equivalents.


Mike   

Offline sreilly

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #5 on: 2016 November 08 13:41:48 »
Steve
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Offline jkmorse

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #6 on: 2016 November 10 07:35:58 »
See, that's the difference between an engineer and a lawyer.  You go all high tech and I go to Lowes. ;D   Never went out to observe without at least two full rolls of Gorilla Tape in my kit.  That stuff is amazing (invented, no doubt, by an aerospace engineer).
Really, are clear skies, low wind and no moon that much to ask for? 

New Mexico Skies Observatory
Apogee Aspen 16803
Planewave CDK17 - Paramount MEII
Planewave IFR90 - Astrodon LRGB & NB filters
SkyX - MaximDL - ACP

http://www.jimmorse-astronomy.com
http://www.astrobin.com/users/JimMorse

Offline Jameedon

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Re: Integrating Multiple Nights Images
« Reply #7 on: 2016 November 17 19:47:14 »
If you are using a computer to control your camera, then you can just use a previous sessions image to get your camera rotated correctly.  Before I had a permanent setup, I would slew to my target and snap a preview with BYEOS, and open the image I was trying to match rotation to using Windows Photo Viewer, which you can drag the corner of to resize the image to make it the same size as BYEOS' display, and then I'd flip back and forth between the two and manually rotate the camera and repeat until I was happy with rotation.  BYEOS has an overlay option but I prefered opening an image in a separate program because I could flip back and forth faster.

I guess using tape could get the camera rotation in the ballpark, but that won't help your scopes pointing accuracy.
-Jamee


Some of my equipment:

Mounts: CEM60 + CGEM   Scopes: 8" EdgeHD + ES 102ED + C80   Cameras: Atik 314L+/EFW2 FW + SX Lodestar X2 + ASI120MC + Canon 650D full spec