FAQ: Image Comparisons #1

Image Comparisons #1

Mono M27
MX512
20 minutes
(40 x 30s) Colour M27
MX5-C
21 minutes
(42 x 30s) Resolution Comparison
How much of a resolution penalty is there with the one-shot colour camera? Note carefully the appearances of the various stars and nebulosity in each image at left and judge for yourself.

Bad Focus Colour M27
Bad Focus Good Focus Colour M27
Good Focus The Importance of Focus
It is definitely worthwhile to spend the time and effort necessary to achieve good focus, as can be seen from the two images at left. (Note particularly the appearance of the little triangle of stars near the lower right.)

The Magic of Stacking Images

Raw M27 MX5-C image
Raw Image Single M27 image converted to colour
Converted Image M27 combined colour image
Combined Image

At left is a raw 30-second image of M27. In the middle is the same image converted to colour (looks like crap, right?). At right is the result of adding 42 images like the one in the middle together. It's magic! (By the way, these images were taken from the city!)

14 minutes
28x30-seconds
45 minutes
90x30-seconds Exposure, Exposure, Exposure
All else (equipment,sky,focus,tracking) being equal, longer exposures are better, even on the brighter deep sky objects. (Yes, even in the CCD universe!)

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MX512 20 minutes (40 x 30s)	MX5-C 21 minutes (42 x 30s)	Resolution Comparison How much of a resolution penalty is there with the one-shot colour camera? Note carefully the appearances of the various stars and nebulosity in each image at left and judge for yourself.

Bad Focus	Good Focus	The Importance of Focus It is definitely worthwhile to spend the time and effort necessary to achieve good focus, as can be seen from the two images at left. (Note particularly the appearance of the little triangle of stars near the lower right.)

The Magic of Stacking Images
Raw Image	Converted Image	Combined Image
At left is a raw 30-second image of M27. In the middle is the same image converted to colour (looks like crap, right?). At right is the result of adding 42 images like the one in the middle together. It's magic! (By the way, these images were taken from the city!)

14 minutes 28x30-seconds	45 minutes 90x30-seconds	Exposure, Exposure, Exposure All else (equipment,sky,focus,tracking) being equal, longer exposures are better, even on the brighter deep sky objects. (Yes, even in the CCD universe!)