Official StarTools support forum

Hi, Using mostly 30s - 90s Subs, I'm taking 100 darks when dismantling the scope after the session, so the DSLR has got something to do:-) The sensor temperature is not so much of an issue. It takes 7K sensor temp difference to result in doubling the noise level, but usually the sensor temperature w...

Hi Alex, I think I often find that although SVDecon does an amazing job (better than any other software that I've tried), it just accentuates the difference between the now even more point-like star in the centre, and the big coloured hazy blur around it. Your recent he pic below seems tobe a bit be...

1) Identify the optimal amp setting of Your camera. (some modern "dual gain" sensors have an analog Amp before the A(D section which helps gain without sacrificing Dynamic or Noise). You can try finding more sensor detail on DXOmark.com For My Sony A7 III it's ISO 800, there's an (old) table in the ...

Hi Alex, think I often find that although SVDecon does an amazing job (better than any other software that I've tried), it just accentuates the difference between the now even more point-like star in the centre, and the big coloured hazy blur around it. That's why I don't let Decon go all the way, I...

I found, when developing an image, there is no silver bullet tool that magically brings up a Hubble-like image. Instead, for me it worked best not to use just few tools to extremes. (I am sure everyone here might have different personal approaches which work best for them) After Wipe, I just use a d...

Hi Alex no, I don't think it's You, but the data. OptiDev treats brightness levels equally throughot the image, it does not differantiate between a "star signal" or a "nebular signal" Consequently, it the image looks "as-is", without any human interpratation. There is no intelligence telling OptiDev...

Drawing the borderline between astrophotography and painting seems to be hard. I think, in photography, "creativity" should be limited to the techniques used by image processing, but not be "creativity" in terms of the subject rendered. This should always root in real data, else it would be "paintin...

I assume You used a color cam and split the channels. From one stack You'll get: R= Ha and G/B = O3. From second stack You'll get: R= S2 and G/B = O3 A better way might be to do a third stack with images from both filters to increase integration time for O3= G &B channels to reduce noise Then load S...

Hi Richard,
please have a look at Guy's excellent User Notes with description of all parameters, including best practice
viewforum.php?f=12
If You look for a document, these are also included in the Inofficial guide available on ST download site

Clear Skies!,
Jochen

Please don't talk weather, it's the same here in Germany.... :-( I try to get around the noise issue by doing Luminance shots using a Duoband filter which creates the highest signal / shot noise ratio (at least for faint Ha & O3 objects). It's not helpful for Stars / Galaxies, but as they are bright...