Comet’s C/2022 E3 (ZTF) data acquisition - Forums

Topic starter

Jan 8, 2023 · Edited: Jan 8, 2023

Hello everyone!

It is my first time attempting to acquire data of a comet, I have done my research but I have some specific questions in order to be fully prepared:

I have downloaded orbitals plugin for NINA (and the corresponding DB for Stellarium) in order to get celestial coordinates for the object. Is there a software to roughly frame the comet based on your imaging scale/sensor? Shall I use my small refractor(250mm) or big newt(1000mm) with my ASI533 for example? I aim to have a more zoomed in view if it is possible, to capture the nucleus of it.
Regarding the tracking, the most common approach is to track the stars as usual and then, based on the comet's speed, take as much exposures as you can.I will try to capture it from my B8 backyard, will the L-Pro filter and 30" to 1min be enough (theoretically)? Also, is there a way to calculate how much time I will be able to frame it, with conventional tracking methods (Sidereal rate with PHD2 on stars)?
Lastly, about the pre processing, I suppose that I must register the comet itself and stars in separate integration exports, use StarXterminator/Starnet and bring the comet and registered stars together, am I right? DSS have an option for comet registering and PI also, what do you recommend, based on your experience?

Hope that during new moon at the end of January,when the magnitude of the comet will be around 5-6, I-and all of us-will have a clear night!

Thanks in advance

Respectful Engaging

Ryan

Jan 8, 2023

For framing, have you used NINAs framing assistant? I captured Leonard but it was a while ago so I don't remember all the acquisition details. I think I did as you said which is track on the stars and then process out the stars and stacked the comet. It turned out ok, but I think if I went back I could get the image to look nicer

Animation: https://www.astrobin.com/lwmsmd/
Grayscale stacked: https://www.astrobin.com/z45h4z/ (some streaking...)
Color stacked: https://www.astrobin.com/mv7u4p/(some color artifacts..)

I don't remember how my sequence and how I figured out when to re-slew and my telescope PC is in the closet at the moment so I can't check.

If your Newt is well columnated I would say 1000mm is probably better b/c I suspect at 250mm you will be under sampled.

I think you will get a million opinions on exposure/gain. I think probably best to shoot a couple test frames and check the ADU of the brightest part and check for motion blur.

For processing, I have not watched this but this is Adam Block's guide to comet processing and he usually does really fantastic videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaEwvC1lzKM

PI does have a comet stacking process which I used but I did have some challenges with it as you can see in my images.

Hope that helps a bit.

--Ryan

Helpful Engaging Supportive

Dimitris Kavallieratos

Topic starter

Jan 8, 2023 · Edited: Jan 8, 2023

Ryan:
For framing, have you used NINAs framing assistant?

NINA's framing assistant does not work on comets (or I have done something wrong), after getting the coordinates it shows you the sky patch based on the map you have pre-loaded.Maybe there is another plugin? I do not know...

Ryan:
Animation: https://www.astrobin.com/lwmsmd/
Grayscale stacked: https://www.astrobin.com/z45h4z/ (some streaking...)
Color stacked: https://www.astrobin.com/mv7u4p/ (some color artifacts..)

I don't remember how my sequence and how I figured out when to re-slew and my telescope PC is in the closet at the moment so I can't check.

If your Newt is well columnated I would say 1000mm is probably better b/c I suspect at 250mm you will be under sampled.

I think you will get a million opinions on exposure/gain. I think probably best to shoot a couple test frames and check the ADU of the brightest part and check for motion blur.

For processing, I have not watched this but this is Adam Block's guide to comet processing and he usually does really fantastic videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaEwvC1lzKM

PI does have a comet stacking process which I used but I did have some challenges with it as you can see in my images.

Hope that helps a bit.

Thanks Ryan, will definitely check all that!

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Jan 8, 2023

Dimitris Kavallieratos:
Hello everyone!

It is my first time attempting to acquire data of a comet, I have done my research but I have some specific questions in order to be fully prepared:
I have downloaded orbitals plugin for NINA (and the corresponding DB for Stellarium) in order to get celestial coordinates for the object. Is there a software to roughly frame the comet based on your imaging scale/sensor? Shall I use my small refractor(250mm) or big newt(1000mm) with my ASI533 for example? I aim to have a more zoomed in view if it is possible, to capture the nucleus of it.
Regarding the tracking, the most common approach is to track the stars as usual and then, based on the comet's speed, take as much exposures as you can.I will try to capture it from my B8 backyard, will the L-Pro filter and 30" to 1min be enough (theoretically)? Also, is there a way to calculate how much time I will be able to frame it, with conventional tracking methods (Sidereal rate with PHD2 on stars)?
Lastly, about the pre processing, I suppose that I must register the comet itself and stars in separate integration exports, use StarXterminator/Starnet and bring the comet and registered stars together, am I right? DSS have an option for comet registering and PI also, what do you recommend, based on your experience?

Hope that during new moon at the end of January,when the magnitude of the comet will be around 5-6, I-and all of us-will have a clear night!

Thanks in advance

***
A regular planetarium should be enough for you to get the orbital elements of the comet and hence the absolute and relative motion in the sky. In NINA just insert the most convenient location for framing. I'd suggest you use the 350mm lens which would allow much more slack in tracking and hence longer integrations.

Helpful Concise

Obsolesce

Jan 8, 2023

Dimitris Kavallieratos:
Hello everyone!

It is my first time attempting to acquire data of a comet, I have done my research but I have some specific questions in order to be fully prepared:
I have downloaded orbitals plugin for NINA (and the corresponding DB for Stellarium) in order to get celestial coordinates for the object. Is there a software to roughly frame the comet based on your imaging scale/sensor? Shall I use my small refractor(250mm) or big newt(1000mm) with my ASI533 for example? I aim to have a more zoomed in view if it is possible, to capture the nucleus of it.
Regarding the tracking, the most common approach is to track the stars as usual and then, based on the comet's speed, take as much exposures as you can.I will try to capture it from my B8 backyard, will the L-Pro filter and 30" to 1min be enough (theoretically)? Also, is there a way to calculate how much time I will be able to frame it, with conventional tracking methods (Sidereal rate with PHD2 on stars)?
Lastly, about the pre processing, I suppose that I must register the comet itself and stars in separate integration exports, use StarXterminator/Starnet and bring the comet and registered stars together, am I right? DSS have an option for comet registering and PI also, what do you recommend, based on your experience?

Hope that during new moon at the end of January,when the magnitude of the comet will be around 5-6, I-and all of us-will have a clear night!

Thanks in advance

I would be very interested to see your results and the process you you used!

Dimitris Kavallieratos

Topic starter

Jan 8, 2023 · Edited: Jan 9, 2023

andrea tasselli:
Dimitris Kavallieratos:
Hello everyone!

It is my first time attempting to acquire data of a comet, I have done my research but I have some specific questions in order to be fully prepared:
I have downloaded orbitals plugin for NINA (and the corresponding DB for Stellarium) in order to get celestial coordinates for the object. Is there a software to roughly frame the comet based on your imaging scale/sensor? Shall I use my small refractor(250mm) or big newt(1000mm) with my ASI533 for example? I aim to have a more zoomed in view if it is possible, to capture the nucleus of it.
Regarding the tracking, the most common approach is to track the stars as usual and then, based on the comet's speed, take as much exposures as you can.I will try to capture it from my B8 backyard, will the L-Pro filter and 30" to 1min be enough (theoretically)? Also, is there a way to calculate how much time I will be able to frame it, with conventional tracking methods (Sidereal rate with PHD2 on stars)?
Lastly, about the pre processing, I suppose that I must register the comet itself and stars in separate integration exports, use StarXterminator/Starnet and bring the comet and registered stars together, am I right? DSS have an option for comet registering and PI also, what do you recommend, based on your experience?

Hope that during new moon at the end of January,when the magnitude of the comet will be around 5-6, I-and all of us-will have a clear night!

Thanks in advance

***
A regular planetarium should be enough for you to get the orbital elements of the comet and hence the absolute and relative motion in the sky. In NINA just insert the most convenient location for framing. I'd suggest you use the 350mm lens which would allow much more slack in tracking and hence longer integrations.

Just saw that Stellarium-when you zoom enough-gives an estimate of size for framing, which is too big for my 1000mm fl telescope, I will go with my RedCat! What about the other two bullets? Any pointers?

Thanks Andrea!

Dimitris Kavallieratos

Topic starter

Jan 8, 2023

Dimitris Kavallieratos:
Hello everyone!

It is my first time attempting to acquire data of a comet, I have done my research but I have some specific questions in order to be fully prepared:
I have downloaded orbitals plugin for NINA (and the corresponding DB for Stellarium) in order to get celestial coordinates for the object. Is there a software to roughly frame the comet based on your imaging scale/sensor? Shall I use my small refractor(250mm) or big newt(1000mm) with my ASI533 for example? I aim to have a more zoomed in view if it is possible, to capture the nucleus of it.
Regarding the tracking, the most common approach is to track the stars as usual and then, based on the comet's speed, take as much exposures as you can.I will try to capture it from my B8 backyard, will the L-Pro filter and 30" to 1min be enough (theoretically)? Also, is there a way to calculate how much time I will be able to frame it, with conventional tracking methods (Sidereal rate with PHD2 on stars)?
Lastly, about the pre processing, I suppose that I must register the comet itself and stars in separate integration exports, use StarXterminator/Starnet and bring the comet and registered stars together, am I right? DSS have an option for comet registering and PI also, what do you recommend, based on your experience?

Hope that during new moon at the end of January,when the magnitude of the comet will be around 5-6, I-and all of us-will have a clear night!

Thanks in advance

I would be very interested to see your results and the process you you used!

Thank you! I am hoping that the result will be presentable in order to share and discuss about.

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Jan 8, 2023

Dimitris Kavallieratos:
Just saw that Stellarium gives an estimate of size for framing, which is too big for my 1000mm fl telescope, I will go with my RedCat! What about the other two bullets? Any pointers?

Tracking) Best is to guide on the stars. From the orbital elements you should get a fairly good shot at the amount of relative motion. Stick to integrations less than the amount of time the comet takes to move in relation to the stars worth 1.5x/2x the fwhm or twice as much using as gauge the pixel scale (so between 3 to 4 time the pixel scale you have). Every nth integration wait 5 min and recenter and capture again. Rinse and repeat.

Stacking) Use PI. It takes a bit but so far is the best method I've seen, especially if you follow my advice above. Alternative: not really worth your time...

John

Jan 8, 2023

Little comment here...even a 300 mm lens is to big,with a fullframe camera it will fill the whole field, for the upcoming week i think max 200 mm will be fine.

something tho think about.. succes.

Look here,you can see the large tail already.

https://www.astrobin.com/5f4ibb/B/

Dimitris Kavallieratos

Topic starter

Jan 9, 2023

John:
Little comment here...even a 300 mm lens is to big,with a fullframe camera it will fill the whole field, for the upcoming week i think max 200 mm will be fine.

something tho think about.. succes.

Look here,you can see the large tail already.

https://www.astrobin.com/5f4ibb/B/

Thanks for the comment John! I have indeed saw the post you mentioned, the comet is magnificent right now!

andrea tasselli:
Tracking) Best is to guide on the stars. From the orbital elements you should get a fairly good shot at the amount of relative motion. Stick to integrations less than the amount of time the comet takes to move in relation to the stars worth 1.5x/2x the fwhm or twice as much using as gauge the pixel scale (so between 3 to 4 time the pixel scale you have). Every nth integration wait 5 min and recenter and capture again. Rinse and repeat.

So...I have to recenter every X minutes, makes sense!

andrea tasselli:
Stacking) Use PI. It takes a bit but so far is the best method I've seen, especially if you follow my advice above. Alternative: not really worth your time...

I have seen DSS used by many youtubers/forum members for comet processing, but in PI tools I trust.Thanks anyway!