Thank you so much for that tutorial. For my first experience of imaging our Sun, I didn't expected a so great result (I thought before viewing your video that I would have to compose two different images of the Sun to obtain such a result; one of the surface, normally exposed and one of the prominences, overexposed). It's amazing to have both (surface details and prominences) in one picture. Thank's again it was a great help for me.
I want to thank you for this video. It realy opened my eyes and was a great help. Several times when I have posted my HA solar images and people have asked for a tutorial on how I process. I always send a link to this video. Thanks.
Thanks for a great thorough tutorial. I have a Coronado PST with a double stack and a monochrome camera. So, I need to get busy trying this this summer and follow your tutorial again.
Very good video. I especially like the focus routine. The button was right there and I didn't know enough about sharpcap to know what to do. Visually looking at an image on the screen focus could be way off without that trick.
Great work thank you, I just tried using IMPPG for the first time today using some data I already had after watching this, absolute game changer for hydrogen alpha stuff. I'll try with some flat frames next time. Thank you very much!
Excellent tutorial on solar imaging, one of the best if not The best one I ever saw.I'm wondering if there is other, more effective way to rid off that white border, it is only annoying feature remaining on otherwise great, fast and relatively simple procession. Many thanks for sharing it with us.
Excellent! I just processed some images yesterday "my way" (which is similar but not as detailed as yours) so now will try "your way"... I bet they will look a lot better! :) Thank you very much for this tutorial!
nice! super helpful! just got myself a quark too and ordered a 174mm from you guys to get rid of newton rings hopefully once and for all. hope to get it soon
Great tutorial that I have used numerous times. But I do think its funny how the thumbnail is just a random image on the nasa website with the URL showing 😂
Very interesting Simon but still trying to work out how to do Flats on a Coronado PST as it shows whole disk I don't think defocussing will be enough . Also using a 174MM non mini
Fine Tutorial. Thank you. Question: what kind of mount are you using? I have a Lunt 502/350 mounted on a Skywatcher SolarQuest mount and the solar alignment gets off every time I try to focus. Wonder if I shouldn't just use a more rigid mount to solve that issue...
Great tutorial. However I do not understand using "high contrast" to focus. What did you adjust after defocussing to get the high contrast image? Thanks in advance.
Look at the lower righthand side of the screen to the histogram in SharpCap, Simon was tweaking the luminance curve on that. Its non-destructive so you just reset it to go back to the standard contrast view.
Greetings...thx for that video - TWO questions: 1) Looks simple doing/making flats - but how can they fit? You said yourself due to backlash you have to use your handcontroller to hold the sun or the part of the sun you want to image in your frame. 2) If I take those flat-images - using the SER-video player as you, into PS CS6, I can open them, make them all into layers, turn them into a smartobject, BUT THEN - I can't use a specific layer method as it is still GRAYED out in PS, can't access it. ???
Great video. But what do you mean in the notes referring to Level 3 Members can get access to the avi data? Membership of what? I've gone on to your website and can't see anything. Are you on Patreon?
Excellent tutorial ! Thank you ! Just had my first look at the sun yesterday, cant wait to try your workflow.. I do have one question, did you use any filters (other than the wedge or white filter to prevent destroying your eyes) ? I have an H alpha filter, but used for deep sky and wondered if that would be of benefit.
I've come across a problem. I filmed a part of the Sun in H-Alpha, I tracked the video in PIPP, and my next step was to stack the video in AutoStakkert. I hit Analyse, and wait for that to finish. Then, I hit "Place AP Grid," but the squares would not appear on the Sun. I tried every option to make them appear, the only thing that would work was to put the Min Bright to 0, but that would put all the squares on the entire image, and not only the Sun. I've been at this for about 2 hours, and I don't know what to do
That sounds strange . I've never seen that. You could try adding the APs manually, just by clicking on the image. In my experience you do not need to add hundreds of APs, just cover the main areas of interest. Hope that helps
Thanks for this video it is very helpful. I just picked up a 174mm . I have a solarmax ii 60mm and like your work flow. I have the same question Robb asked. How do you get the Dark contrast for focus? Is it a function of 100mm scope or are there other settings you take forgranted from repetition and did not pônt out? Thank for any help.
Hi, where did you adjust the high contrast. You stretched the image and then your mouse stayed on quick pics while you said you were adjusting the high contrast to focus.
8:27 he says and uses the (histogram) 'curves' to adjust 'to the highest contrast possible'. And then at 9:30 he does and 'auto-stretch' (histogram button) on the defocused live capture.
Awesome Video! Learned a lot from this! Do you think a quark would work on an Esprit 120 without using a ERF infront? Would that aperture be to large and wouldn't be safe for the scopes internals? Or maybe just a cardboard with a hole making the aperture smaller is good enough?
You can use a 2" UV/IR filter. I highly suggest the ones from Daystar Filters as they do not have an IR leak. telescopes.net/store/daystar-filters-2-uv-ir-filter.html
Awesome tutorial A go to video for me. I didn't realize that flats can remove Newton rings
Thank you so much for that tutorial. For my first experience of imaging our Sun, I didn't expected a so great result (I thought before viewing your video that I would have to compose two different images of the Sun to obtain such a result; one of the surface, normally exposed and one of the prominences, overexposed). It's amazing to have both (surface details and prominences) in one picture. Thank's again it was a great help for me.
Simon was always great, will miss him at the store.
I want to thank you for this video. It realy opened my eyes and was a great help. Several times when I have posted my HA solar images and people have asked for a tutorial on how I process. I always send a link to this video. Thanks.
Fantastic tutorial! I tried for the first time today and I wouldn't have been this happy if it wasn't for your help! Thank you a mil!
Thanks for a great thorough tutorial. I have a Coronado PST with a double stack and a monochrome camera. So, I need to get busy trying this this summer and follow your tutorial again.
Thanks Simon just getting into this with the Daystar Quark and this was extremely useful.
Enjoyed your tutorial, taught me a great deal about creating my ultimate solar images! Thank you!!!
Very good video. I especially like the focus routine. The button was right there and I didn't know enough about sharpcap to know what to do. Visually looking at an image on the screen focus could be way off without that trick.
Excellent !!! And wonderful picture on the end...
Great work thank you, I just tried using IMPPG for the first time today using some data I already had after watching this, absolute game changer for hydrogen alpha stuff. I'll try with some flat frames next time. Thank you very much!
Thanks for this - it enabled me to get better details from my solar images!
Simon, you are a great instructor!
What a fantastic tutorial - my solar filter is on its way thanks to this video! Subbed.
Excellent tutorial on solar imaging, one of the best if not The best one I ever saw.I'm wondering if there is other, more effective way to rid off that white border, it is only annoying feature remaining on otherwise great, fast and relatively simple procession. Many thanks for sharing it with us.
Outstanding tutorial!!! Some of the steps for masking in PS, is way over my head, but you have provided a great tutorial for this type of imaging.
Really looking forward to this. Just got a Lunt 100MT Double Stack and the Solar views are insane. However my image capturing is horrendous. Lol.
Excellent! I just processed some images yesterday "my way" (which is similar but not as detailed as yours) so now will try "your way"... I bet they will look a lot better! :) Thank you very much for this tutorial!
What a fantastic tutorial man. So many information and useful data. Nice job and thanks for the tutorial.
nice! super helpful! just got myself a quark too and ordered a 174mm from you guys to get rid of newton rings hopefully once and for all. hope to get it soon
Fantastic tutorial. Many thanks for posting this.
Great tutorial that I have used numerous times. But I do think its funny how the thumbnail is just a random image on the nasa website with the URL showing 😂
Excellent presentation !!
Very nice and informative tutorial. Thank you.
This is a terrific tutorial ....you made my images a lot better ....thank you😊❤️
Awesome tutorial! Gonna go try it out now.
great tutorial, thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Brilliant tutorial. Thanks so much!
Very good tutorial. Thanks
OMG thanks a lot for this tutorial ! :D
Very interesting Simon but still trying to work out how to do Flats on a Coronado PST as it shows whole disk I don't think defocussing will be enough . Also using a 174MM non mini
Worth trying the 'white teeshirt method' as Trevor Jones shows in his video :- ruclips.net/video/g3zDn-8s-_k/видео.html
Simon: how do you align your scope? One star alignment?
Truly helpful! Well done!
Amazing thank you 🙂
many thx very useful 😀
Fine Tutorial. Thank you. Question: what kind of mount are you using? I have a Lunt 502/350 mounted on a Skywatcher SolarQuest mount and the solar alignment gets off every time I try to focus. Wonder if I shouldn't just use a more rigid mount to solve that issue...
How do you calculate the sigma to use in the Lucy-Richardson deconvolution from your pixel size?
Great tutorial. However I do not understand using "high contrast" to focus. What did you adjust after defocussing to get the high contrast image? Thanks in advance.
Look at the lower righthand side of the screen to the histogram in SharpCap, Simon was tweaking the luminance curve on that. Its non-destructive so you just reset it to go back to the standard contrast view.
Greetings...thx for that video - TWO questions:
1) Looks simple doing/making flats - but how can they fit? You said yourself due to backlash you have to use your handcontroller to hold the sun or the part of the sun you want to image
in your frame.
2) If I take those flat-images - using the SER-video player as you, into PS CS6, I can open them, make them all into layers, turn them into a smartobject, BUT THEN - I can't use a specific layer method as it is still GRAYED out in PS, can't access it.
???
DUDE, I love you
I have the solar max iii 70mm. I want to start capturing. I will be using the zwo174mm. Which scope were you using?
Great video. But what do you mean in the notes referring to Level 3 Members can get access to the avi data? Membership of what? I've gone on to your website and can't see anything. Are you on Patreon?
The best tutorial!!
That was great, thank you.
Hey :) Great Vid! Is it possible to get flat calibration frames when I have the whole sun at my sensor and not only a part?
Excellent tutorial ! Thank you ! Just had my first look at the sun yesterday, cant wait to try your workflow.. I do have one question, did you use any filters (other than the wedge or white filter to prevent destroying your eyes) ? I have an H alpha filter, but used for deep sky and wondered if that would be of benefit.
I've come across a problem. I filmed a part of the Sun in H-Alpha, I tracked the video in PIPP, and my next step was to stack the video in AutoStakkert. I hit Analyse, and wait for that to finish. Then, I hit "Place AP Grid," but the squares would not appear on the Sun. I tried every option to make them appear, the only thing that would work was to put the Min Bright to 0, but that would put all the squares on the entire image, and not only the Sun. I've been at this for about 2 hours, and I don't know what to do
That sounds strange . I've never seen that. You could try adding the APs manually, just by clicking on the image. In my experience you do not need to add hundreds of APs, just cover the main areas of interest. Hope that helps
Thanks! This is great. I may have missed it but what camera are you using? I saw someone selling the wedge and debating about buying it.
ASI 174MM.
A herschel wedge is really only for white light viewing/imaging, not for h-alpha
AWESOME THANK YOU!!
very useful, many thanks
Thanks for this video it is very helpful. I just picked up a 174mm . I have a solarmax ii 60mm and like your work flow. I have the same question Robb asked. How do you get the Dark contrast for focus? Is it a function of 100mm scope or are there other settings you take forgranted from repetition and did not pônt out? Thank for any help.
On the sharpcap histogram there is a lightning bolt button. You hit that button and it makes the extreme dark and light areas for focusing.
Hi, where did you adjust the high contrast. You stretched the image and then your mouse stayed on quick pics while you said you were adjusting the high contrast to focus.
8:27 he says and uses the (histogram) 'curves' to adjust 'to the highest contrast possible'. And then at 9:30 he does and 'auto-stretch' (histogram button) on the defocused live capture.
Awesome Video!
Learned a lot from this!
Do you think a quark would work on an Esprit 120 without using a ERF infront?
Would that aperture be to large and wouldn't be safe for the scopes internals?
Or maybe just a cardboard with a hole making the aperture smaller is good enough?
You can use a 2" UV/IR filter. I highly suggest the ones from Daystar Filters as they do not have an IR leak.
telescopes.net/store/daystar-filters-2-uv-ir-filter.html
Thank You!
What is the advantage of using PS over AS3 for making the master flat frame?
AS3 has nothing to track off and ends up creating a misaligned frame that does not match the original file that its calibrating against.
Thank you I was wondering the same.
I'm not sure I understood the answer though! I've always used AS3 and results seem fine
what is a level three member
Is this data still available?