Night M42 with Astrotracer

M42 with Astrotracer · **15 Likes**

M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame.

alish74 · 11-09-2020, 12:02 AM - **1 Like**

Nice pic!

**kcjonez** · 11-09-2020, 05:10 AM - **1 Like**

Well captured! Great effort.

Thanks for sharing.

Originally posted by splurk

M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame.

kjfishman · 11-09-2020, 07:23 AM - **1 Like**

Well taken. Looks like a scene from a Star Trek movie.

**FozzFoster** · 11-09-2020, 07:38 AM - **1 Like**

I definitely need to try the Orion nebula next. I've done Andromeda, but the Orion I haven't yet

nice shot!

Photogoof · 11-09-2020, 09:44 AM - **1 Like**

I am blown away. And very envious.

bogdan255 · 11-09-2020, 10:34 AM - **1 Like**

Impressive work! I love the result!

GR Jim · 11-09-2020, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by splurk

M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame.

You manually moved the camera during the shots? That's amazing how sharp it still came out. Nicely done.

taktoon · 11-09-2020, 10:58 AM - **1 Like**

Just amazing.

Bertrand3000 · 11-09-2020, 02:48 PM - **1 Like**

It is really a wonderful shot. How did you manage those weird starbursts? They are wonderful. And you say moving your tripod on a regular basis to keep your subject on frame... with 630mm focal length? How exactly can you be sure to point to the exact same place on the sky? Unless of course you use one of those equatorial tripod mount... but since you mentioned astrotracer, maybe not.

**Gorgarath** · 11-09-2020, 05:58 PM - **1 Like**

Those shots turned out beautiful. Very well done. I really need to learn how to stack images and now I want that GPS unit that just popped up in the marketplace even more.

azrojan · 11-09-2020, 06:02 PM - **1 Like**

Fabulous and so unreal!

splurk · 11-09-2020, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by GR Jim

You manually moved the camera during the shots? That's amazing how sharp it still came out. Nicely done.

GR Jim - I only moved the camera after the five shots not during. Deep Sky Stacker takes care of lining all the images up. Star Tools also makes the stars round if any have spikes or have slight trails. I cant recomend Star Tools enough. It has made a massive difference to the quality of the final images I take.

---------- Post added 11-09-20 at 06:09 PM ----------

Originally posted by Bertrand3000

It is really a wonderful shot. How did you manage those weird starbursts? They are wonderful. And you say moving your tripod on a regular basis to keep your subject on frame... with 630mm focal length? How exactly can you be sure to point to the exact same place on the sky? Unless of course you use one of those equatorial tripod mount... but since you mentioned astrotracer, maybe not.

Bertrand 3000 - I line a star up in the frame and note where it is. After 5 or so shots the star has moved. I reframe by gently nudging the lens so the star is in approximately the same position. Deep Sky Stacker will line up all the images later on and I get it to crop out the outside areas that dont align with the other frames.
Star Tools is a great program, similar to Pixinsight but cheaper, and easier to use from looking at the online videos. It can create a star mask and add the telescope diffraction spikes to the brighter stars. It gives it that little bit of polish but some may say its unnecessary.

---------- Post added 11-09-20 at 06:13 PM ----------

I may give this another go in the future, try to see if I can get better definition and detail. Taking the calibration frames really helped with the noise, I just need about 2 hours worth of light frames instead of the 15 minutes in this one.

RobG · 11-09-2020, 07:12 PM

Originally posted by kjfishman

Well taken. Looks like a scene from a Star Trek movie.

I second that!

Reciprocity · 11-09-2020, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by splurk

M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame.

Impressive.

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11-09-2020, 12:02 AM - 1 Like	#2
alish74 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Astana Photos: Gallery Posts: 93	Nice pic!

11-09-2020, 05:10 AM - 1 Like	#3
kcjonez Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mount Desert, Maine, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 861	Well captured! Great effort. Thanks for sharing. Originally posted by splurk M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame.

11-09-2020, 07:23 AM - 1 Like	#4
kjfishman Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: St. Louis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 705	Well taken. Looks like a scene from a Star Trek movie.

11-09-2020, 07:38 AM - 1 Like	#5
FozzFoster Custom User Title Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Alberta Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	I definitely need to try the Orion nebula next. I've done Andromeda, but the Orion I haven't yet nice shot!

11-09-2020, 09:44 AM - 1 Like	#6
Photogoof Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Prague Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,422	I am blown away. And very envious.

11-09-2020, 10:34 AM - 1 Like	#7
bogdan255 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Suceava Photos: Gallery Posts: 276	Impressive work! I love the result!

11-09-2020, 10:56 AM	#8
GR Jim New Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 24	Originally posted by splurk M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame. You manually moved the camera during the shots? That's amazing how sharp it still came out. Nicely done.

11-09-2020, 10:58 AM - 1 Like	#9
taktoon Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 605	Just amazing.

11-09-2020, 02:48 PM - 1 Like	#10
Bertrand3000 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 2,009	It is really a wonderful shot. How did you manage those weird starbursts? They are wonderful. And you say moving your tripod on a regular basis to keep your subject on frame... with 630mm focal length? How exactly can you be sure to point to the exact same place on the sky? Unless of course you use one of those equatorial tripod mount... but since you mentioned astrotracer, maybe not.

11-09-2020, 05:58 PM - 1 Like	#11
Gorgarath Total n00b Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 735	Those shots turned out beautiful. Very well done. I really need to learn how to stack images and now I want that GPS unit that just popped up in the marketplace even more.

11-09-2020, 06:02 PM - 1 Like	#12
azrojan New Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 16	Fabulous and so unreal!

11-09-2020, 06:02 PM	#13
splurk New Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Sydney Posts: 9 Original Poster	Originally posted by GR Jim You manually moved the camera during the shots? That's amazing how sharp it still came out. Nicely done. GR Jim - I only moved the camera after the five shots not during. Deep Sky Stacker takes care of lining all the images up. Star Tools also makes the stars round if any have spikes or have slight trails. I cant recomend Star Tools enough. It has made a massive difference to the quality of the final images I take. ---------- Post added 11-09-20 at 06:09 PM ---------- Originally posted by Bertrand3000 It is really a wonderful shot. How did you manage those weird starbursts? They are wonderful. And you say moving your tripod on a regular basis to keep your subject on frame... with 630mm focal length? How exactly can you be sure to point to the exact same place on the sky? Unless of course you use one of those equatorial tripod mount... but since you mentioned astrotracer, maybe not. Bertrand 3000 - I line a star up in the frame and note where it is. After 5 or so shots the star has moved. I reframe by gently nudging the lens so the star is in approximately the same position. Deep Sky Stacker will line up all the images later on and I get it to crop out the outside areas that dont align with the other frames. Star Tools is a great program, similar to Pixinsight but cheaper, and easier to use from looking at the online videos. It can create a star mask and add the telescope diffraction spikes to the brighter stars. It gives it that little bit of polish but some may say its unnecessary. ---------- Post added 11-09-20 at 06:13 PM ---------- I may give this another go in the future, try to see if I can get better definition and detail. Taking the calibration frames really helped with the noise, I just need about 2 hours worth of light frames instead of the 15 minutes in this one.

11-09-2020, 07:12 PM	#14
RobG Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,888	Originally posted by kjfishman Well taken. Looks like a scene from a Star Trek movie. I second that!

11-09-2020, 09:10 PM	#15
Reciprocity Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 606	Originally posted by splurk M42 Orion nebula, a stack of 100 subs x 10 seconds @630mm (450mm + x1.4 tc) in crop mode on a 3LT tripod manually moved every 5 images to keep the subject in frame. Impressive.