Working with deep sky stacker

Reprocessed an image of the Hercules Globular Cluster I took a few weeks ago in Deep Sky Stacker (DSS) with much better results. Image 1 is from TIFF files converted directly from the RAW data and Image 2 was stacked using JPEG format. I had trouble stacking on the RAW files using DSS directly which is why I converted them to TIFF files.

Image 1


Image 2

Image Details:
Image 1 and 2:
M13 - Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (mag +5.8)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 7/23/15 06:38 AM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 2-60s, 1-30s
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS (crop)

A Good Night Part Two

For the end of the observing session (Part Two) with Boothe Memorial Astronomy Society on Friday (6/19/15) evening we observed the Ring Nebula (M57 or NGC 6720) in the constellation of Lyra and the Great Cluster in Hercules (M13 or NGC 6205) in the constellation of Hercules. Special thanks to Elliott Severn for pointing these objects out.

The Ring Nebula is a very small object which makes it hard to image. A higher resolution camera, a larger aperture telescope, or longer exposure image would improve the image quality. For these images I used an 80mm Orion ED80 refractor, a Canon Rebel T3i, and the total exposure was less than a minute. In the future I will try this again with a longer exposure. If that doesn't work I will try with my 8 inch Orion SkyView Pro reflector, although it is not as easy to set up as the ED80.

M57 - Ring Nebula (mag +8.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-6s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop, (Darken)

M57 - Ring Nebula (mag +8.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-6s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop, (Darken), Picasa3 (labeling)

M57 - Ring Nebula (mag +8.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT

Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-6s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop, (Darken), Picasa3 (crop)

M57 - Ring Nebula (mag +8.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-6s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop, (Darken), Picasa3 (crop, labeling)

M13 - Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (mag +5.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:39 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-10s, 3-20s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS

M13 - Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (mag +5.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:39 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-10s, 3-20s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Picasa3 (labeling)

M13 - Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (mag +5.8)
Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 22:39 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-10s, 3-20s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Picasa3 (crop)