Ok... keep an eye on this post and I'll stick stars back in then post them here later!!

This evening I went back and I re-edited a couple of astro shots. This time using new skills I have learnt, but also new software - Starnet, as well also binging in Topaz AI Denoise and Sharpen!

These are the results.

Before Edit







After Edit

On Monday, I decided to go to high ground lookinjg across a valley in the hope of catching some lightning.... I am sad to report... I missed....

All I can say is.... HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW BLOODY HARD IT IS?!?!?!?!?!

Apart from getting deafened by a huge thunder crack right over my head (I did pooh myself slightly). This was followed by a torrential slashing it down session. It was enjoyable tho, because of the high octaine weather scaring the crap out of me!

But I did manage to capture the calm before, and after the storm!

This one is pre-storm




These two are post storm







Last night I was also out all night star gawking, and these came out.

This is the constellation Cygnus




The Moon and Jupiter

Try DS Colour Labs... Google them they're well known.

I did see a long one!!! It was quite a way across the sky

Well.... here I am once again... on another night excursion.

I am sat in my van waiting for this to do its thing!!




Anyone got any good ideas how i can fill the time???

I'll forgive you for the xmas jibe in may!!

You have a wonderful neighbour

On Monday night I took myself to a place called Warslow Moor, in the Peak District.

I was armed with a K5ii, my new 70mm ED f6 420mm Refractor Telescope, 0.8 Field Flatter/Reducer and my telescope mount. More crucially I had my recently acCquired guide camera, guidescope, and a laptop loaded with some software called PHD2 (it stand for Push Here Dummy!) This enables me to not only track, but also let the telescope mount to be corrected and guided by PHD2 software. This allows the software, that is attached to the guide camera then to the mount, to find a star and lock on to it.

I then learnt about some software called Siril (a member of Stagazers Lounge told me about this) and Starnet to stack and get the images ready for importing in to Photoshop and Lightroom.

Here is the brilliant tutorial I followed - link

This first image is created using Deep Sky Stacker and Photoshop.




This is the image that was produced using Siril and Starnet. Then composited and cleaned up in PS and LR.




I AM NOW ADDICTED TO THIS AND CANNOT WAIT TO GET BACK OUT THERE!!!!!

These are brilliant!

The Lakes are such a fantastically photogenic place

This afternoon I took my laptop with me on a photographic mooch about in the hopevalley. While here I decied to process some images and also stick in some luminosity!

Here are the results: