Moonshine

[Colorado CJ]

Another clear night means more astrophotography for me!

Unfortunately, there was a near full moon, so targets were limited, since the moons brightness washes out many of the dim deep space objects I image.

There are a few bright objects that the moon doesn't hurt though, namely star clusters, and the moon itself

I don't really have a setup for lunar and planetary imaging (to get close enough), but this is what I got last night using "lucky imaging" (shooting many super short exposures and filtering out the bad ones). This was taken using 1000 separate images then stacking the 500 best ones.

 

[Colorado CJ]

Click here for the larger version to get the full effect:

https://www.astrobin.com/full/p6x8be/0/?nc=user

 

[AlanLichty]

Follow the link for the full resolution image - it's well worth the clicks. I thought the image above was impressive until I followed the link to the larger version which looked incredible. Then I found the button to show it full size. Wow.

 

[Ben Egbert]

What Alan said. I have a few long lens moon images but this is a whole different leveled

 

[Mike Lewis]

Andrew,

That is seriously one of the best moon images I have seen of the moon illuminated to that extent. You REALLY have done a great job on managing the dynamic range challenges of this target. You even got some color to come out. But it is the detail you are holding scross the moon and not just at the terminator that makes this a truly superb image to me.

ML

 

[JimFox]

So that's what Lucky Imaging means! I have seen that but didn't know what it meant.

So much awesome detail!

Dumb question, but why 500 images? Why not just 1? or 5? You are stacking them it would seem, what do you stack them with?

 

[Colorado CJ]

Thanks everyone! I am thinking of getting more into lunar and planetary imaging, but that means more equipment. I can use what I have now, but my largest scope is 1000mm. Most use 2000mm+ for a planetary rig.

So that's what Lucky Imaging means! I have seen that but didn't know what it meant.

So much awesome detail!

Dumb question, but why 500 images? Why not just 1? or 5? You are stacking them it would seem, what do you stack them with?

The more images you stack, even on a bright object like this, the more detail gets pulled out.

I used a program called "Sharpcap" to capture the images, which the program does automatically. I just selected a shutter speed that was bright enough to capture the image, set the frames to 1000 and Sharpcap did the rest. It took 2-3 minutes total to capture the 1000 images.

The stacking program I used is freeware that is made just for "lucky imaging" called Autostakkert. It automatically goes through every image and picks the best ones. I set the rejection filter to 50%, so it kept the 500 best images and automatically aligned and stacked them. It is a pretty powerful freeware that many use for lunar and planetary imagery.

It is a little different way to image compared to what we do with galaxies and nebula.

 

[JimFox]

Thanks everyone! I am thinking of getting more into lunar and planetary imaging, but that means more equipment. I can use what I have now, but my largest scope is 1000mm. Most use 2000mm+ for a planetary rig.



The more images you stack, even on a bright object like this, the more detail gets pulled out.

I used a program called "Sharpcap" to capture the images, which the program does automatically. I just selected a shutter speed that was bright enough to capture the image, set the frames to 1000 and Sharpcap did the rest. It took 2-3 minutes total to capture the 1000 images.

The stacking program I used is freeware that is made just for "lucky imaging" called Autostakkert. It automatically goes through every image and picks the best ones. I set the rejection filter to 50%, so it kept the 500 best images and automatically aligned and stacked them. It is a pretty powerful freeware that many use for lunar and planetary imagery.

It is a little different way to image compared to what we do with galaxies and nebula.

Thanks for the explanation. That helps to fill in some of the blanks I have picked up so far about capturing the moon. I will check out that stacking program for sure. And yeah, shooting the moon with my Tamron 150-600mm at 600mm makes we wish for more reach too!

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Another clear night means more astrophotography for me!

Unfortunately, there was a near full moon, so targets were limited, since the moons brightness washes out many of the dim deep space objects I image.

There are a few bright objects that the moon doesn't hurt though, namely star clusters, and the moon itself

I don't really have a setup for lunar and planetary imaging (to get close enough), but this is what I got last night using "lucky imaging" (shooting many super short exposures and filtering out the bad ones). This was taken using 1000 separate images then stacking the 500 best ones.

Impressive imaging, Andrew.

 

[Dean]

Pretty stunning !

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very impressive. Should try that out sometime. Although I am severely focal length limited. Is this also tracked since the over 2-3 minutes the moon would have moved considerably and with long focal length, get out of the field of view fairly quickly.

 

[Terry Farrow]

Another clear night means more astrophotography for me!

Unfortunately, there was a near full moon, so targets were limited, since the moons brightness washes out many of the dim deep space objects I image.

There are a few bright objects that the moon doesn't hurt though, namely star clusters, and the moon itself

I don't really have a setup for lunar and planetary imaging (to get close enough), but this is what I got last night using "lucky imaging" (shooting many super short exposures and filtering out the bad ones). This was taken using 1000 separate images then stacking the 500 best ones.

Incredible detail in this image. Superb.

 

[Amy Earl]

Holy moly. That's probably the most amazing picture of the moon I have ever seen.

 

[Jim Dockery]

Fantastic, like everyone says, one of the best moon shots I've seen.