2023-12-29, 02:04 AM
(This post was last modified: 2023-12-29, 02:05 AM by theskyhound.)
Hello,
So I get it. Apparently he was asking about pretty little color thumbnails. I don't think these are all that useful, because they can't directly represent what you can accomplish with your imaging system and your filters. This is because there are too many different types of imaging systems, filters, and approaches to processing.
Allow me to suggest a better approach: use the tools provided in SkyTools to find targets that will work well with your imaging system. Then simply google them or look them up on AstroBin.
In the end, if you just want to look at pretty pictures to select targets from, there are many ways to do that on the web.
Regarding specifics:
There is no reason a color image can't be plate solved. There are plenty of plate solvers out there, including on the web, that will plate solve them. And if the image is not in FITS format, in SkyTools the plate solution can be read from a separate file, which can be produced using the plate solver. I have color images in the chart background myself, many of them my own.
"DSS or plate solved images don't really give a good idea of nebulas so I'd rather have a color image. "
I must disagree with this. Second generation DSS images come in Red and Blue. The Blue sensitive images are sensitive to the OIII lines, and the red ones are sensitive to Ha. This is all you really need for composition.
So I get it. Apparently he was asking about pretty little color thumbnails. I don't think these are all that useful, because they can't directly represent what you can accomplish with your imaging system and your filters. This is because there are too many different types of imaging systems, filters, and approaches to processing.
Allow me to suggest a better approach: use the tools provided in SkyTools to find targets that will work well with your imaging system. Then simply google them or look them up on AstroBin.
In the end, if you just want to look at pretty pictures to select targets from, there are many ways to do that on the web.
Regarding specifics:
There is no reason a color image can't be plate solved. There are plenty of plate solvers out there, including on the web, that will plate solve them. And if the image is not in FITS format, in SkyTools the plate solution can be read from a separate file, which can be produced using the plate solver. I have color images in the chart background myself, many of them my own.
"DSS or plate solved images don't really give a good idea of nebulas so I'd rather have a color image. "
I must disagree with this. Second generation DSS images come in Red and Blue. The Blue sensitive images are sensitive to the OIII lines, and the red ones are sensitive to Ha. This is all you really need for composition.
Clear skies,
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound