Note: imageJ cross platform image processing – Astro imaging tutorial.

Further down the page some first attempts with a Canon 1000D (DSLR). Some G9 images also. RAW exposures are processed using ufraw and further enhanced to reveal more detail in GIMP.

The newest images were processed from RAW files using PFStools in Linux to produce an HDR image which is then tone mapped to produce the images below. They have however, been tweaked in GIMP. Saturation increase and auto colour adjustment.

A good quality lens such as the Canon L series produces much better results.

As below - less saturation

As below - colour highlight

eta carina - 5 frames approx 3 minutes each. HDR using PFStools in Linux - tone mapped image. Saturation increase followed by colour auto adjustment in GIMP.

Alpha Centauri - Following some fine tuning and maintenance to the Tracker. Good polar alignment and no apparent periodic error - round stars. Notice the absence of false colour with this lens. The clouds rolled in - pretty good shot of the powerlines too! Canon 1000D - 72 seconds - 55mm EF-S kit lens - f/5.6 - 400 iso

Milky Way, looking toward Leo and the Lagoon Nebula. Raw image with dark frame subtraction and then stacked on itself to increase luminosity.

Wide field - Sagitarius - Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae

One of the first. No correction except white balance with ufraw. Wide field - Sagittarius - Lagoon and Triffid Nebula - Canon 1000D, 55mm - 6 mins - f5.6 - ISO 400

Nebula - Moonlight

Nebula and Moonlight: 8 minutes - 55mm - f5.6 - ISO 400

Zeta Oph

Zeta Oph - A very early test shot with a Canon G9 - 12 x 64 second exposures. FL approx 420mm. Stacked and aligned with imagej. I tried stacking the images with AstroStack DEMO, a Java based program that aligns, rotates and stacks images with ease, but the results are similar.

Jupiter setting in tree tops - Moons from top right - Europa, Io, Callisto and Ganymede. Canon 1000D - 20 seconds - iso 400 -f 5.6 - FL equivalent 400mm / 35mm film. 2246 ESST - Latitude 38 South. Moon locations were checked with Stellarium.