Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

this is the main message area for anything solar :)
Post Reply
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8162 times

Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Carbon60 »

I thought I'd give my 250mm RCT a run this morning. The seeing conditions were pretty good, although there were some contrails and a bit of high level variable haze to make it a bit more challenging, as if it isn't challenging enough at these image scales. I'm really pleased with the new etalon housing configuration which is working perfectly with everything aligned and with the etalon really easy to tune.

My focus was the two main ARs 12866 and 12868 which were captured using a 2.5x Powermate and Basler acA1920-155um camera. I used my usual Genika Astro for image capture, AS!3 for stacking, ImPPG for deconvolution/sharpening and PixInsight to refine the final images. My RCT is fitted with a full size Aries ERF (triband) and an internal barlow lens to make the output light cone parallel for the Lunt 35 etalon and refocusing lens. Thanks to Valery for tips on processing. Still a work in progress, but Improving, I think. So much also depends on the conditions, as we know....

Anyhow here are the images.
First up is a mosaic of the two ARs in question:

Image20210908_Ha_AR2866_2868_RCT by Stuart Green, on Flickr

...and the individual images of the two ARs:

Image20210908_Ha_AR2866_RCT by Stuart Green, on Flickr

Image20210908_Ha_AR2868 by Stuart Green, on Flickr

That was it for today and for a little while now we've got some weather coming through with an Amber Warning for thunder storms.

Thanks for looking.

Stu.


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
User avatar
eroel
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 9408
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:45 pm
Location: México D.F.
Been thanked: 4904 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by eroel »

Stu:
Super images.
Best wishes.
Eric.


RodAstro
Im an EXPERT!
Im an EXPERT!
Posts: 385
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:51 pm
Has thanked: 286 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by RodAstro »

Very nice images Stu
The two regions have been very active all afternoon with some nice bright flares moving through them.
The sun is interesting at last.

Rod


User avatar
MAURITS
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 8507
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:37 pm
Location: Belgium
Has thanked: 2412 times
Been thanked: 4786 times
Contact:

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by MAURITS »

Wow, what a details Stu.


Regards,
Maurits

Vista del Cielo Observatory

www.vistadelcielo.be
User avatar
rigel123
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 7258
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:26 pm
Location: Mason, OH
Has thanked: 8314 times
Been thanked: 8540 times
Contact:

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by rigel123 »

Beautiful details in the AR's Stu! I think Valery's tips worked well for you in these images!


Warren

Lunt LS60T DS
Orion ED80T CF
Meade ETX LS6
Lunt CaK BF1200
Lunt WL Wedge
Baader Photographic Film
ASI174MM
Skyris 236M
Player One Saturn-M SQR

https://www.astrobin.com/users/rigel123/
User avatar
DeepSolar64
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 18823
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:19 am
Location: Lowndesville S.C.
Has thanked: 17572 times
Been thanked: 16694 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by DeepSolar64 »

WoW, Stuart. Wonderfully detailed RCT images!!


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

Image Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
User avatar
marktownley
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 42272
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Brierley Hills, UK
Has thanked: 20438 times
Been thanked: 10245 times
Contact:

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by marktownley »

They're very nice Stu!


Image
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8162 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Carbon60 »

Many thanks, everyone.

Stu.


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
EGRAY_OBSERVATORY
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6871
Joined: Mon May 18, 2020 4:45 pm
Location: Essex, S.E.England
Been thanked: 4900 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Wow Stu, such excellent images to behold. The RCT is certainly very able and these are just great.

And yes thunder-storms are very likely too.

Thanks for sharing
Terry


User avatar
dhkaiser
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 1702
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:57 pm
Location: Indiana, USA
Has thanked: 1407 times
Been thanked: 899 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by dhkaiser »

Wonderful details Stu!


Dan
South central Indiana
USA
User avatar
Valery
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 4059
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:13 pm
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 893 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Valery »

Hi Stue,

Some real improvements in your RCT images.

Do you use SS or DS etalon? I believe the DS is the way to go (even with some gain increasing to keep the exposure shorter).


Valery


"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.

Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8162 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Carbon60 »

Many thanks, Terry, Dan and Valery.

Much appreciated.

Stu.


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8162 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Carbon60 »

Valery wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:29 pm Hi Stue,

Some real improvements in your RCT images.

Do you use SS or DS etalon? I believe the DS is the way to go (even with some gain increasing to keep the exposure shorter).


Valery
Thanks, Valery. I might get around to making this a DS setup sometime, probably by fitting one of my Lunt 60 modules in front of the Lunt 35 with suitable machined adapters.

Anyhow, I've been playing around with the settings in PixInsight (Linear Transform Function which is smart sharpening, and deconvolution). By experimenting with the parameters and the order of the applied enhancement processes I've ended up with a much better result (I believe). The risk, of course, is overplaying it and making the final image look overworked. I think I'm getting there with this hi-res stuff.

Here's the original stacked image from AS!3

Image20210908_AS3_Stacked Image (RCT) by Stuart Green, on Flickr

and here it is processed in PixInsight using combinations of sharpening and deconvolution on the finest scales.

Image20210908_Sharpened_Deconvoluted_ PixInsight by Stuart Green, on Flickr

Compare this with my previous effort on the same image and the difference is clear.

Image20210908_ImPPG_Sharpened_Deconvoluted_ PixInsight Refined by Stuart Green, on Flickr

I'd appreciate your opinion and comments.

Stu.


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
User avatar
marios i.
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:38 am
Location: Cyprus-Nicosia-Mammari
Has thanked: 1707 times
Been thanked: 1125 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by marios i. »

SUPERB!


Marios S.Ioannou
My Gallery https://www.flickr.com/photos/195609307@N07/albums

Sketcher/Visual Observer

Image
User avatar
marktownley
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 42272
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Brierley Hills, UK
Has thanked: 20438 times
Been thanked: 10245 times
Contact:

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by marktownley »

Looks like you're getting the processing sussed Stu.


Image
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8162 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by Carbon60 »

marktownley wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 7:38 pm Looks like you're getting the processing sussed Stu.
Thanks, Mark….little by little :)

Stu


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
User avatar
AJamesB
Im an EXPERT!
Im an EXPERT!
Posts: 372
Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:21 pm
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Has thanked: 1150 times
Been thanked: 630 times

Re: Sun September 8th 2021_RCT Images

Post by AJamesB »

Carbon60 wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 12:16 pm I've been playing around with the settings in PixInsight (Linear Transform Function which is smart sharpening, and deconvolution).
Deconvolution in Pixinsight is my primary sharpening method, but I'd never thought to try linear transform function. I'll have to play around with that. Looking good!


Lunt ls100tha single stacked + hinode solar guider on ioptron cem26 mount
asi178mm
asi294mm
2x, 3x, and 4x telecentrics
0.6x and 0.4x telecompressors
Post Reply