This was one of my first times out with my NexStar 6 SE and NexImage.  It's from May 8th of this year.   I don't remember how many frames I stacked, but I think it may have been around 900 frames. 

I have a quick question about colour filters: do they only help while observing visually, or can they enhance detail and contrast on astrophotos made via .avi files and stacking?

michele

If you use a monochrome camera, filters are required in order to produce a color photo. Filters can be used to enhance some specific response when using a color cam, but since the color cam has an internal RGB (Bayer matrix) filter the results with an external filter will not be a pretty color photo. That path is not worth pursuing.

People using mono. cameras create color photos using RGB filters, but can replace the R w/ an IR, B w/ a UV, or can replace the actual G w/ a synth. G created from the RB layers. Various filters may also be used to create the lum layer (instead of using the interpolated lum from the RGB photo). Mono. cams allow many choices.

Robert

thanks for the reply galactic_photog, much appreciated.

I know I'm fortunate to be starting this hobby in the digital age...there is so much room for trial and error.  I wouldn't have the patience nor discipline to stick with it if it was all on film

I'm slowly starting to understand some of the lingo related to astrophotography, which helps me to appreciate all of the work that goes into the beautiful images posted in this forum.