Thanks exactly what I was looking for. Your experience and confidence in sky flats helps me feel better about moving to using them as I move to have my scopes hosted at a remote observatory.
We’re up to version 3.1 now. The binning is hidden in the filter settings. Make sure to open each filter’s settings to make sure the binning matches your images.
What do you do if you don't expect a good sky until after dark (and that the morning sky isn't expected to be good either)? Do you have a backup plan? One of the things that has always kept me from wanting to try sky flats is that you have basically one, limited shot at it and can't just do them when you want.
Best That was again very instructive because I always had problems with taking flats in N.I.N.A; also used sky flats and in multi-mode this rarely not worked but now I know why did not realize that you could make the desired setting for each filter that is good to know and then resort to SGP where it almost never went wrong; now I have a flat panel from Pegasus Astro and yes I will also have to learn to work with that.
I forgot to take flats last night and went home. Can I use this method to make a useful flat by re-assembling the gear tonight, or will it not work as the setup has been moved?
Shawn. I also like the feature of using the multiple setting so I can get all my flats done for each of the filters. I noticed that when the dark flats are being performed it does not tally the exposures on the bottom bar. I think I saw the same thing in your video.
Hi Shawn, thank you for the information. I'm thinking about going the Starizona route with my EdgeHD 8 and exploring how to take flats given the camera mount location. Excludes using a flat panel as I do today. Given the Starizona will bring my system in the f/1.9-2 range any thoughts or experience doing sky flats with a Starizona setup? Thanks ~ Bill
I’m going to assume that using a filter drawer will not work well because the position change when putting the next filter in. That was the other day when I used a L extreme then an L pro for m81 to get more red out of the cigar galaxy. I just bought all my narrowband equipment, asi294 mm pro , zwo 5 filter efw and badder 2” 3.4/4 no narrowband set. Now I can put all the filters in an good to go. I like the sky setup as why not I’m waiting for it to get dark anyway. Great video thanks.
Hey Shawn - I know it's a old(er) post from you, but I have a question about automating the Sky Flats within the sequence in NINA - I used Voyager in the past and we could add a skyflat routine as part of the script for the evening/morning. The script would calculate the time to start the dawn sky flats and then proceed. Does NINA have something similar where I can add a "wait" to a NINA sequence that will wait for the appropriate time to start the flats and then proceed? Or must I manually try and figure out the time relative to morning twilight to start it manually?
Yes you would want to be in focus. It could be slightly out but you'd want to be somewhat close. And of course the camera should remain in the same orientation. This could be tricky if you tear down your setup every time. For more permanent setups this isn't a problem though as nothing changes so taking the flats is easier.
Hey Craig - most of the time I just shoot blue sky. I rarely use a tshirt unless for some reason there are still a few clouds lurking around when I need to shoot the flats.
lol. I often work in the dark at night. Not known to have the lights on in my office except for maybe some mood lighting. Glad you found the vid informative!
@@VisibledarkAstro Sure. If I am using the l-eXtreme to do some narrowband imaging with a OSC camera, when I do flats in NINA, would I just use the single mode and L? Hope that clears it up. Thanks
@@VisibledarkAstro Good to go. Thanks for confirming. I really enjoy your videos by the way. I use them regularly when I am processing my data. Thanks again!
Awesome as always Shawn, I have always used a Flats Panel and never really thought about sky flats, Everything I have read or see mentions about a t-shirt over the end, but I can be lazy on some stuff and didn't want to bother with it. I noticed you didn't use a t-shirt :) Question though, due to the amount of daylight, is it better to shoot at dawn after shooting for the night or at/before dusk prior to shooting for the night.??
Hey Mark - Yes I don't use a t-shirt normally. 99% of the time. Rare occasions if its going to be clear but there are say thin cloud lurking overhead, I'll throw a t-shirt over and shoot the flats. But there's really no need otherwise. Dusk or dawn is fine. I've done both. Doesn't really matter. It's all about shooting them at the right time really.
Hey Shawn, thanks for the great information. So after doing this with the flats, both light and darks, I would still need to create darks at the same exposure length as my lights during the night, correct? Thanks again and love the channel.
@@VisibledarkAstro Thanks Shawn, got it and did that last night for each filter used during imaging session. For some reason I was having a DUH moment and could not figure it out as most of my imaging has always been OSC or my Cannon camera, not using Narrowband filters. Thank you and clear skies
Great video Shawn. 5 minutes into the video you show a Histogram Transformation with one of your flats. I use PI but when I'm stretching an image I manipulate the sliders to get the desired result. I'm confused, what are you doing in Histogram Transformation to get this?
I just shoot the blue sky if its nice and clear. I do this about 99% of the time. But if there are few thin clouds around you could put a white t-shirt over the front of the scope and take them.
Hi Jim - Thanks. No I've never used a flats panel. Always have done sky flats. There were times though I needed new flats and thought a panel would be handy. Get them done without the need for a clear sky and having to wait for the appropriate time.
Thanks exactly what I was looking for. Your experience and confidence in sky flats helps me feel better about moving to using them as I move to have my scopes hosted at a remote observatory.
Thanks Shawn! Never did sky flats before. I had to wait and wait til it got dark enough...lol
Just did this a couple days ago, but with a light panel. Good to hear a perspective from a more experienced Astrophotographer. Thanks for doing this.
No problem! Thanks!
We’re up to version 3.1 now. The binning is hidden in the filter settings. Make sure to open each filter’s settings to make sure the binning matches your images.
What do you do if you don't expect a good sky until after dark (and that the morning sky isn't expected to be good either)? Do you have a backup plan? One of the things that has always kept me from wanting to try sky flats is that you have basically one, limited shot at it and can't just do them when you want.
Thanks for this. Very helpful. I am just learning NINA.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the information Shawn, always helpful!!
Best
That was again very instructive because I always had problems with taking flats in N.I.N.A; also used sky flats and in multi-mode this rarely not worked but now I know why did not realize that you could make the desired setting for each filter that is good to know and then resort to SGP where it almost never went wrong; now I have a flat panel from Pegasus Astro and yes I will also have to learn to work with that.
That's great! I'm glad this helped. Thanks for watching.
Excellent thank you!
I forgot to take flats last night and went home. Can I use this method to make a useful flat by re-assembling the gear tonight, or will it not work as the setup has been moved?
Shawn. I also like the feature of using the multiple setting so I can get all my flats done for each of the filters. I noticed that when the dark flats are being performed it does not tally the exposures on the bottom bar. I think I saw the same thing in your video.
No it doesn't have any indicators for the dark flats. It just takes them. I noticed that as well when I first started taking dark flats.
Hi Shawn, thank you for the information. I'm thinking about going the Starizona route with my EdgeHD 8 and exploring how to take flats given the camera mount location. Excludes using a flat panel as I do today. Given the Starizona will bring my system in the f/1.9-2 range any thoughts or experience doing sky flats with a Starizona setup? Thanks ~ Bill
I’m going to assume that using a filter drawer will not work well because the position change when putting the next filter in. That was the other day when I used a L extreme then an L pro for m81 to get more red out of the cigar galaxy. I just bought all my narrowband equipment, asi294 mm pro , zwo 5 filter efw and badder 2” 3.4/4 no narrowband set. Now I can put all the filters in an good to go. I like the sky setup as why not I’m waiting for it to get dark anyway. Great video thanks.
What about gain? Is it the same as lights? Or it could be 0.
do you know about an ASCOM flat panel which is bright enough to make flats for HSO
Hey Shawn - I know it's a old(er) post from you, but I have a question about automating the Sky Flats within the sequence in NINA - I used Voyager in the past and we could add a skyflat routine as part of the script for the evening/morning. The script would calculate the time to start the dawn sky flats and then proceed. Does NINA have something similar where I can add a "wait" to a NINA sequence that will wait for the appropriate time to start the flats and then proceed? Or must I manually try and figure out the time relative to morning twilight to start it manually?
So my question is is there a need to focus before each filter
Yes you would want to be in focus. It could be slightly out but you'd want to be somewhat close. And of course the camera should remain in the same orientation. This could be tricky if you tear down your setup every time. For more permanent setups this isn't a problem though as nothing changes so taking the flats is easier.
@@VisibledarkAstro I found a video about setting filter offsets. I’m gonna set that up tonight so I won’t have to worry about it
@@ghostofrecon1 Great! Good luck!
Shawn, do you use a white t-shirt while doing flats?
Hey Craig - most of the time I just shoot blue sky. I rarely use a tshirt unless for some reason there are still a few clouds lurking around when I need to shoot the flats.
@@VisibledarkAstro thanks.
Hi Shawn, another informative video, thank you. do you have a count Dracula theme going on there ???
lol. I often work in the dark at night. Not known to have the lights on in my office except for maybe some mood lighting. Glad you found the vid informative!
Great video Shawn, thanks. What filter setting would you recommend if using a OSC with the l-eXtreme filter?
Hey Mark. Thanks for watching. Can you elaborate? Not sure I understand your question.
@@VisibledarkAstro Sure. If I am using the l-eXtreme to do some narrowband imaging with a OSC camera, when I do flats in NINA, would I just use the single mode and L? Hope that clears it up. Thanks
@@markmuratore413 ah OK. Just use single mode and take your flats.
@@VisibledarkAstro Good to go. Thanks for confirming. I really enjoy your videos by the way. I use them regularly when I am processing my data. Thanks again!
Awesome as always Shawn, I have always used a Flats Panel and never really thought about sky flats, Everything I have read or see mentions about a t-shirt over the end, but I can be lazy on some stuff and didn't want to bother with it. I noticed you didn't use a t-shirt :) Question though, due to the amount of daylight, is it better to shoot at dawn after shooting for the night or at/before dusk prior to shooting for the night.??
Hey Mark - Yes I don't use a t-shirt normally. 99% of the time. Rare occasions if its going to be clear but there are say thin cloud lurking overhead, I'll throw a t-shirt over and shoot the flats. But there's really no need otherwise. Dusk or dawn is fine. I've done both. Doesn't really matter. It's all about shooting them at the right time really.
@@VisibledarkAstro Thanks my friend, You always a big help :)
Hey Shawn, thanks for the great information. So after doing this with the flats, both light and darks, I would still need to create darks at the same exposure length as my lights during the night, correct? Thanks again and love the channel.
Yes that is correct! Take your darks at the same temp and exposure length as your lights. Cheers.
@@VisibledarkAstro Thanks Shawn, got it and did that last night for each filter used during imaging session. For some reason I was having a DUH moment and could not figure it out as most of my imaging has always been OSC or my Cannon camera, not using Narrowband filters. Thank you and clear skies
Great video Shawn. 5 minutes into the video you show a Histogram Transformation with one of your flats. I use PI but when I'm stretching an image I manipulate the sliders to get the desired result. I'm confused, what are you doing in Histogram Transformation to get this?
So are you doing an auto screen transformation and then dropping the process icon into the Histogram transformation?
Shawn, I probably missed it, but are you using a white t-shirt or something over the lens or just shooting the blue sky?
I just shoot the blue sky if its nice and clear. I do this about 99% of the time. But if there are few thin clouds around you could put a white t-shirt over the front of the scope and take them.
@@VisibledarkAstro Thanks Shawn. Now I have to try this way instead of my light panel.
@@VisibledarkAstro
Cheers Shawn
I was about to ask same question
Thanks mate
Another good video Shawn. Do you ever use a flat panel?
Hi Jim - Thanks. No I've never used a flats panel. Always have done sky flats. There were times though I needed new flats and thought a panel would be handy. Get them done without the need for a clear sky and having to wait for the appropriate time.