Orion 52084 - Manual (Page 2)

2
Welcome to the exciting world of astro-imaging. Your new StarShoot™ Pro
Deep Space Color Imaging camera is capable of capturing impressive celestial
objects like galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae, as well as the planets, Moon,
and the Sun (with an optional solar filter). You can showcase spectacular images
on your computer, share them on the internet, or print them. The camera’s large
6 mega-pixel array enables full-sized 8"x10" prints, suitable for publishing.
Please read this instruction manual before attempting to use the camera or
install the needed software. For the most detailed information on specific
camera and software functions, consult the Maxim DL Essentials Help menu;
the tutorials found there are especially useful for familiarizing yourself with the
software and camera.
table of Contents
1. Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Parts List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Software and Driver Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Getting Started During Daylight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Obtaining First Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Screen Stretch Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2. astronomical Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
A Note about the TEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Focusing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Imaging Deep Sky Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Dark Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Flat Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3. Image Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Dark Frame Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Flat Field Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Convert Raw to Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Combining Deep Sky Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Combine Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26