Help with large ring in images

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Kieran Gunessee avatar
Hello,

I have recently started to get this large ring in my images (see below). I believe my flat frames are causing it but I don't know why.



I have cleaned my optics thouroughly (filters, coma corrector, mirrors), yet the ring persists - it's the same before and after cleaning. Flat frames calibrate various dust spots and the like, but it keeps this large ring. I also can't see this on the flat frames directly.

To test, I stacked my light frames with no darks (ring still present), then no flats, which didn't show the ring, hence my conclusion that it is related to the flats.

I'm using a Skywatcher 130PDS, ZWO533MM Pro, Optolong LRGB Filters and a ZWO Filter wheel.

To create my flats, I simply use the 'white t-shirt' method, by putting a white t-shirt over the end of the scope and placing a diffuse light panel on top. This has worked well for years, but has just started giving me this issue.

Weirdly, this ring doesn't show on my narrowband images, only LRGB.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you,
Kieran
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Arny avatar
Hi Kieran,

I had a similar issue getting these donuts despite taking flats and none of it showing on the flats, which drove me crazy.

Try setting ZWO filter wheel to unidirecional:
when you take flats vs. lights, you might approach a filter from different directions, which create an ever so tiny shift between dust moats on the filter.
Going unidirectional on the filter wheel fixes that by always approaching from the same side.

Takes a bit longer, so you might want to wait a sec before taking an image.

Hope that helps!

Arny
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andrea tasselli avatar
Either a light leak during either flat taking session or during light frame captures or somehow something has changed in the imaging train. Way more likely the former than the latter. If the FW doesn't get in the same exact position for each filter change this is also a possible cause. You don't see the effect with NB filters because there is hardly any background.
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