WBPP and Flat Darks

[andythilo]

Hi

What’s the process for using flat darks in WBPP? Do I add them with the flats or put them in as bias? Or can I not process them in WBPP?

Thanks

Andy

[robyx]

Hi Andy,

you can simply add them as darks, WBPP should recognize their duration and group them to generate a masterDark with the same duration as your flats. At that point, that masterDark (which we call it masterFlatDark) will be automatically chosen to calibrate your flats because if the matching duration.

Regards,
Roberto

[andythilo]

Hi Andy,

you can simply add them as darks, WBPP should recognize their duration and group them to generate a masterDark with the same duration as your flats. At that point, that masterDark (which we call it masterFlatDark) will be automatically chosen to calibrate your flats because if the matching duration.

Regards,
Roberto

Thanks Roberto, I’ll give it a go 😊

[brew]

I am also confused regarding flat darks in WBPP.

I use ACP's AutoFlat script to create my flat subs for the various filters off an LED flat panel. ACP adjusts the exposure times to ensure the proper target ADU level is reached. For most of my filters the exposure time is 2.5-3.5 seconds. However, each flat sub may have slightly different exposure times (3.26 sec, 3.27 sec, etc) to maintain the constant target ADU.

For example, the Red filter subs may have exposures like 3.26, 3.27, 3.26, 3.27. 3.28... sec.
The Blue filter might be 3.54, 3.56, 3.57, 3.57, 3.58... sec.

I have master darks in a dark library with a variety of exposures. I created 3 second master darks, hoping WBPP would use them for the flats.

After AutoFlat collects the Flats, I run WBPP to create the Flat masters. I load:
- the master Bias files (bin 1 and 2)
- the master darks (3 sec, 60 sec, 300 sec, 900 seconds at bin 1 and 2)
- the flat subs for each filter (7 filters, each at bin1 and 2)
I have dark optimization enabled.

When this runs I get the warning that no matching darks are found for the flats, only the bias masters will be used. I had hoped that the 3 second darks would be used, scaled to match each flat sub's exposure. It does not sound like this happens.

Am I doing something wrong? Can WBPP do this?