Night Pleiades star cluster and interstellar dust (astrotracer)

Pleiades star cluster and interstellar dust (astrotracer) · **5 Likes**

Hi,

A long exposure time was necessary to make the very faint glow of interstellar dust visible.

142 frames of 30 sec each with astrotracer, together with 60 calibration frames (darks, biases, flats)

regards,

Dan

-JW- · 01-01-2020, 06:12 AM

How long does that take you in total?
Capture and processing?

bladerunner6 · 01-01-2020, 07:22 AM

Great shot, I really appreciate astrophotography.

**pichaser** · 01-01-2020, 10:05 AM

Subaru

jmacias · 01-01-2020, 12:43 PM

This is an amazing photo! Thanks for sharing.

Dan Paris · 01-02-2020, 10:00 AM - **1 Like**

thanks everyone for your kind messages

Originally posted by -JW-

How long does that take you in total?
Capture and processing?

Setup : 5 minutes (going outside to the parking lot, pointing and focusing)
Capture : 71 minutes of total exposure
Dark frames : 15 minutes of total exposure
flats and biases : 5 minutes
Processing : the preprocessing script runs for 20 minutes but I've nothing to do. After that, processing is as any photograph

Vmax911 · 01-02-2020, 11:00 AM

Great shot, I'm beginning to appreciate the effort put into these photos. Thanks for sharing!

**Tonytee** · 01-02-2020, 05:05 PM

The Final Frontier and you have done a stellar job in capturing and processing it. Many thanks for the treat.

TT

Dan Paris · 01-03-2020, 05:03 AM

Thanks a lot Vmax911 and Tonytee,

Dan

**StiffLegged** · 01-03-2020, 03:23 PM

It still amazes me how many stars are visible in theses images, stars I've never seen with the naked eye. How many stars in the Pleiades, would you say now?

**TedH42** · 01-03-2020, 08:29 PM

Nice Pleiades image. It shows the dust cloud that they are traveling through quite well. Definitely worth the time and effort. Well done. Thanks.
That Samyang 135 is quite an astro lens, with zilcho coma, eh? Love mine.

**BigDave** · 01-03-2020, 08:34 PM

I know this type of photography is a niche market, but Pentax/Ricoh has this down COLD! Exceptional image and the equipment I am sure made it easier (though with 142 images, 30 seconds each, plus calibration frames, that's like 2 hours of photography in the cold of the Alps is not easy).

Dan Paris · 01-04-2020, 02:33 PM

Thanks a lot StiffLegged, TedH42 and BigDave for your kind messages.

Originally posted by StiffLegged

It still amazes me how many stars are visible in theses images, stars I've never seen with the naked eye. How many stars in the Pleiades, would you say now?

I started to count them, I should have finished before the end of next week

Originally posted by TedH42

That Samyang 135 is quite an astro lens, with zilcho coma, eh? Love mine.

Yes, it is amazingly good for the price ! I was bothered by the strong vignetting but with properly done flat-field frames it completely disappears

Originally posted by BigDave

that's like 2 hours of photography in the cold of the Alps is not easy).

That's actually the best part of it ! Enjoying a silent night under a moonless dark sky, surrounded by beautiful mountains...

-JW- · 01-08-2020, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by Dan Paris

thanks everyone for your kind messages

Setup : 5 minutes (going outside to the parking lot, pointing and focusing)
Capture : 71 minutes of total exposure
Dark frames : 15 minutes of total exposure
flats and biases : 5 minutes
Processing : the preprocessing script runs for 20 minutes but I've nothing to do. After that, processing is as any photograph

So about two hours.
And at what point do you know if the image is going to be worthwhile?
Do your for instance first snap a photo at a very high ISO to get a basic idea?

**Archimedes the Dog** · 01-08-2020, 10:43 AM

Outstanding.

Dan Paris
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by Dan Paris
	Find threads started by Dan Paris
	Find threads in which Dan Paris has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Nature The Rosette Nebula and the star cluster NGC2244	Pete_XL	Post Your Photos!	11	03-07-2017 06:46 AM
Night Comet Lovejoy & Pleiades with K-3 and Bokina (Tokina AT-X 90mm f2.5 macro) ISO200	cheekygeek	Post Your Photos!	6	02-08-2015 06:02 PM
M45 - The Pleiades	jbinpg	Monthly Photo Contests	3	12-01-2013 10:13 PM
Winter pics on Les Pléiades (Switzerland)	tcom	Post Your Photos!	7	01-14-2008 12:23 AM

01-01-2020, 06:12 AM	#2
-JW- Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Eindhoven Posts: 139	How long does that take you in total? Capture and processing?

01-01-2020, 07:22 AM	#3
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080	Great shot, I really appreciate astrophotography.

01-01-2020, 10:05 AM	#4
pichaser Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,776	Subaru

01-01-2020, 12:43 PM	#5
jmacias Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 490	This is an amazing photo! Thanks for sharing.

01-02-2020, 10:00 AM - 1 Like	#6
Dan Paris Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 505 Original Poster	thanks everyone for your kind messages Originally posted by -JW- How long does that take you in total? Capture and processing? Setup : 5 minutes (going outside to the parking lot, pointing and focusing) Capture : 71 minutes of total exposure Dark frames : 15 minutes of total exposure flats and biases : 5 minutes Processing : the preprocessing script runs for 20 minutes but I've nothing to do. After that, processing is as any photograph

01-02-2020, 11:00 AM	#7
Vmax911 Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: ABQ Photos: Gallery Posts: 826	Great shot, I'm beginning to appreciate the effort put into these photos. Thanks for sharing!

01-02-2020, 05:05 PM	#8
Tonytee Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 21,452	The Final Frontier and you have done a stellar job in capturing and processing it. Many thanks for the treat. TT

01-03-2020, 05:03 AM	#9
Dan Paris Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 505 Original Poster	Thanks a lot Vmax911 and Tonytee, Dan

01-03-2020, 03:23 PM	#10
StiffLegged Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,616	It still amazes me how many stars are visible in theses images, stars I've never seen with the naked eye. How many stars in the Pleiades, would you say now?

01-03-2020, 08:29 PM	#11
TedH42 F/8 & Somewhere Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,412	Nice Pleiades image. It shows the dust cloud that they are traveling through quite well. Definitely worth the time and effort. Well done. Thanks. That Samyang 135 is quite an astro lens, with zilcho coma, eh? Love mine.

01-03-2020, 08:34 PM	#12
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	I know this type of photography is a niche market, but Pentax/Ricoh has this down COLD! Exceptional image and the equipment I am sure made it easier (though with 142 images, 30 seconds each, plus calibration frames, that's like 2 hours of photography in the cold of the Alps is not easy).

01-04-2020, 02:33 PM	#13
Dan Paris Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 505 Original Poster	Thanks a lot StiffLegged, TedH42 and BigDave for your kind messages. Originally posted by StiffLegged It still amazes me how many stars are visible in theses images, stars I've never seen with the naked eye. How many stars in the Pleiades, would you say now? I started to count them, I should have finished before the end of next week Originally posted by TedH42 That Samyang 135 is quite an astro lens, with zilcho coma, eh? Love mine. Yes, it is amazingly good for the price ! I was bothered by the strong vignetting but with properly done flat-field frames it completely disappears Originally posted by BigDave that's like 2 hours of photography in the cold of the Alps is not easy). That's actually the best part of it ! Enjoying a silent night under a moonless dark sky, surrounded by beautiful mountains...

01-08-2020, 10:07 AM	#14
-JW- Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Eindhoven Posts: 139	Originally posted by Dan Paris thanks everyone for your kind messages Setup : 5 minutes (going outside to the parking lot, pointing and focusing) Capture : 71 minutes of total exposure Dark frames : 15 minutes of total exposure flats and biases : 5 minutes Processing : the preprocessing script runs for 20 minutes but I've nothing to do. After that, processing is as any photograph So about two hours. And at what point do you know if the image is going to be worthwhile? Do your for instance first snap a photo at a very high ISO to get a basic idea?

01-08-2020, 10:43 AM	#15
Archimedes the Dog Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,146	Outstanding.