Mythocentric

That makes two of us Jeff. I keep telling myself to go to bed then ignore myself by staying right here! The last time I recall doing this (or being so excited) was watching the first images from the first Apollo moon landing. At the time I was camping half-way up Pendle Hill and we had to make the long trek down to the Pendle Witch in Sabden and then make the long climb up again after! No such discomfort this time but I'd still do it if it meant seeing a once-in-a-lifetime event like this! The moon image is a great improvement on the last one and the only way to improve it further would be to slightly crop the individual image borders slightly to help blend them. However, that said, you've achieved a lot in a few hours, so practice, practice, practice! It's a whole new program for you so have patience and take your time because you're definitely getting there! Regards Bill

Just found this on Youtube from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Mars Rovers 26.2 mile journey across Mars with a soundtrack by the Rover itself! https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=3b1DxICZbGc Regards Bill

Another Downes first, but I hope your Missus doesn't clobber you the next time she catches you lurking around the microwave! Regards Bill

Ready and waiting patiently (almost) Boss! Hi Jeff! My initial response is to work on the individual images (layers) using Express Lab (within PSP) to adjust the images using either the auto or manual functions to balance the contrast and brightness, etc, of each image until you are happy with the result before flattening the layers for the final image. I haven't had the chance to pick up a copy of X7 yet (Sara came up for the weekend!) so remember I'm speaking from the perspective of an older version. I'll nip off and and work my way through it and send you a message with the results a.s.a.p. Regards Bill PS: Just for fun I used NASA's PlutoTime app to set the appropriate light levels in the image, so I've got at least one thing right!

Hi Jeff! I'm enthused now bud, it's just that I can't do anything about it! Especially frustrating with four planets in view just now, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury allbeit all grouped around the Sun at the moment! I've just been running a series of checks with the multimeter suggested by FLO to ascertain the source of the problem. Plenty of power going in, very little or nothing coming out! My own suspicion puts the guilt on the mount. The handsets lighting up but there's no signal getting through although the mount does rotate if I plug it into the AUX port. I'm just going to send them an e-mail and arrange collection. And there's so many bikini-clad heavenly bodies to see right now dammit! Regards Bill

Hummm! That 'peak' in the centre does look suspiciously like a Pyramid don't you think Jeff? Seriously though, I love the images you are producing already given the Moon's reputation for being notoriously difficult to capture because of it's luminosity and high contrast. You don't believe in jumping in at the deep end do you? Regards Bill

Thanks for that James. That's something else NASA have kept quiet about! Regards Bill

Probably an irreverent observation but NASA’s first Commercial Crew member, astronaut Doug Hurley (nickname Topper?) looks like he’s just stepped out of a Vietnam-era F-4B Phantom II after a mission! In fact, with his buzzcut and 'John Wayne' eyes he makes the rest of the crew look pretty bland by comparison. Still, it’s good to see the American gung-ho spirit is alive and kicking and I hope that SpaceX sort out their problems well before they risk their lives. I wonder if he’ll launch wearing a Stetson and matching, chrome-plated Colt .45 Peacemaker’s? Regards Bill

Happy Birthday Jock! Here's wishing you a brilliant day with friends and family! Regards Bill

Clear skies following a warm, dry day. Currently resisting the urge to kick a certain large brown box awaiting collection! THINKS! In the meantime I do believe I'll go over to YouTube and say rude things to the alien conspiracy mob! END OF THINKS! Have Fun! Bill

HI ANDREW!!!!! Regards Bill

Morning Jeff! Click START>CONTROL PANEL, then click on System and Maintenance. From this window, click on ‘Find out which version of Windows you are using’ (at the top under the heading Welcome Centre). This will open a window with basic information about your computer at the top and to the right you will see an arrow saying ‘show more details’. Click on this and it will open a window with information showing the version, system, etc. Under the System heading you will find the line System type: 32-bit Operating System /or/ 64-bit Operating System as appropriate. Buy the program version to suit this but generally a 64-bit system will run a 32-bit program but not vice versa! Regards Bill

A quick update! I opened the large box I received earlier and found myself in possession of a GoTo telescope. Unfortunately the GoTo had absolutely no intention of going anywhere so it's all back in the box awaiting return. It appears the problem may be with the handset which has no readout and a communication fault with the GoTo, i.e. Turn on the power and the handset lights up then goes off again, the slew buttons occasionally work but the motor doesn't stop when you release them or more often, doesn't work at all! A pity because there were some very heavenly bodies on the beach today, not to mention that the sky is clear tonight for the first time in a week! All in all a bit of a bu**er because it's a lovely piece of kit but it would be even lovelier if it actually worked! Quote:" Isn't astronomy fun?" Three guesses as to my current answer! Jeff. I'm assured that PSP Ultimate will do everything you need with regard to layering, manipulation, etc. Besides RAW it will also now handle HDR (High Dynamic Range) images which is particularly useful for me because I have to convert the background images I use in my work to HDR (for use with light probes and similar esoteric stuff) using a separate program at the moment. It comes in 32 and 64 bit versions so check you computer to make sure you get the right one. Indeed, I'm so impressed with it I will be popping into Lancaster at the weekend to get myself a copy! Jim. My best regards to you and Linda! Keep the faith Bud! Regards Bill (a.k.a. Disappointed of Mordor Morecambe)

Hi again Jeff! I just had a quick check myself and it appears that the Photo appendage has been dropped! X2 and X3 are old versions which you can dismiss. In all honesty I'd spend the extra tenner and get the X7 Ultimate version which does look like it has everything you'll need. It does everything that Photoshop Elements can do and with a lot gentler learning curve, which is something Paint Shop is rightly praised for! To tell the truth, now that I've seen it I suspect I'll be upgrading to it myself after I've had a more in-depth read! On the same subject, I've just taken delivery of a large, brown box from FLO so the experiments with PSP might take a bit longer than I thought! I only hope it isn't as big as the box suggests or I might have to buy a van to move it! Regards Bill

Yes and I don't know Jeff so I'll go and find out! To be honest I doubt it. The idea behind RAW format is that you are working with the image data exactly as the camera captured it. This allows you to work on the image to achieve the result you want before you convert to one of the more commonly used formats. I know it will produce panorama's but they are a different kettle of fish to mosaics. You can determine the bit level at which it works but that would require your stitching program to be capable of matching it. Probably the reason it's reducing them is because it just doesn't have the processing power to handle them. There are high end programs out there but they come with a price to match. I'm off to experiment so watch this space! A quick note: TIFF is a 'lossless' format so you don't get any degradation of the image even if you use a high compression rate as you would with JPEG, which makes it eminently suitable for processed images. The only time I convert to JPEG is for a final image which does not need any further work and only if it's going to be uploaded to the web. Regards Bill PS: Meercats?

Har Har! You may recall that a good few posts back I mentioned that those regularly spaced 'spots' would have the CT's claiming that Pluto was actually an alien ship! Applause please for SecureTeam10 who have now decided that the spots on Pluto prove that it is indeed an alien ship! Sorry guys, but you'll have to get up earlier than this to beat the Lunester Asylum Crew. Humm! I wonder if we can sue them for intellectual copyright theft? Regards Bill

You do realize that because of you and John I'll probably never be able to sleep again don't you? Thanks for the info regarding Andy. I was beginning to suspect that lot in Wales had kidnapped him! :no: Regards Bill

I had a look at the CCD imager's as an alternative to using my camera as a dual-purpose machine and keeping it purely for terrestrial work. I must admit I was not impressed by the fact that it would mean another link in the chain by adding a laptop to receive the images and associated (additional cost) cables to link them. After which it would still mean having to import the images to a suitable program to manipulate them unless you get them bang on first time! The thought of having my laptop out in the open with the other gear at the risk of inclement weather wasn't a great selling point either, given that its one of the places I store my artwork (over 300Gb!) and losing that would be disastrous! For the moment I'm going to settle for a Barlow, T-ring converter, red-light torch and dew shield plus a ruddy great pile of books to bring back me up to speed! Incidentally, you may like to have a look at this guy, Forrest Tanaka, on YouTube who has a series on Astrophotography https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx_N3KiUvb4M2-NyKRugXmwI hope I'm not trying to teach granny to suck eggs, etc., but you may glean a few tips about using DSLR's (Canon like you) for the job. As a whole new field for me I found them highly informative but I must admit I was rather disappointed to find I can't do a 'Meridian Flip' like you! (Can't wait to see what Andrew makes of that one!) Regards Bill Edit: Just been outside for a quick peep! Solid wall-to-wall cloud. I can't even see the bl**dy sky, never mind the moon!

Hi Jeff! Paint Shop Pro Photo handles RAW images with ease and allows you to manipulate them before you save them out in whatever format you choose. You should have got at least a basic program with the camera! Windows Live Photo Gallery will view them only! The big (and vital) difference between that and Photoshop (including Elements) is that the former is dedicated to photographs while the latter is a graphic arts program which can handle photographs and manipulates them in the same way it does with any other image (i.e. manually and with a learning curve which you probably don't need for your chosen field!). An ability which is much appreciated by the CT's! I don't know what the later versions can do but I use Photoshop CS which still needs a suitable plug-in to handle RAW format images and that cost me over £900. It's unlikely that Elements would be capable of doing so but I'm open to correction on that! Regards Bill

Blimey! Where to start? First, Haa Haa! You still went to bed before me- “went to bed at 6am”! OK! Naughties over! First up. Forget Photoshop! It’s a massive program with a vast range of features you’ll never use (not to mention ridiculously expensive). I’ve used it for post-op work and colouring for many years and doubt if I’ve ever used more than 10% of its capabilities. It also has a very (very) steep learning curve! For photographs I use Coral Paint Shop Pro Photo and can highly recommend it for its dedicated features and ease of use. It costs between £45 - £57 depending on where you buy it but when you compare that to the cost of your other equipment it really is a bargain. You have the choice of fully manual manipulation or allowing the program to adjust the image automatically (something it excels at!). I know there are a lot of free programs out there but why use 3 or 4 freebies to get the same result you’ll get from a dedicated program. The image borders in the mosaic can be balanced using brightness and contrast on each image to get a much closer match. Second. Formats. Are you using JPEG or RAW. RAW format will give you a much higher quality image which is easier to work with (and composite). Only save out as a JPEG after you are satisfied with your image but keep the RAW image in case you need to carry out any further work. I save all my work as RAW (the base image), JPEG for web upload and TIFF which is the best format if you intend to produce a photographic print. Jeff and John: NewHorizons. I’m sure Mickey (Mouse) will sort it out when it arrives! I’m not sure if the CT’s will have noticed the anomaly yet (which apparently the amazing machine is self-repairing); because it appears that they’ve just figured out that the ancient Egyptians actually came from Mars! Cue "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" by Napoleon XIV! Now if you will excuse me, I’m just going to wire-brush my eyeballs after seeing John's photo! Regards Bill

Repeat or not, it's still a pleasure to see such beautiful modelling. I'm sure Iain is splashing the Colron over something interesting in retaliation as I type! Regards Bill

Hi Andrew! Welcome back from me! It is a cracker isn't, though Jeff did admit earlier he had a struggle with it when it's fully erected! Good job there's no windows in the Bunker isn't it? Regards Bill

I have a Mr & Mrs Bagsadosh from the USSR here Allan! Thy want to know how many bathrooms it has, how many acres of land available for the jacussi and does it have kennels for the servants! They just won't believe it's a model! Regards Bill

Hi Jeff! Hee Hee! I knew it wasn't a little man from Pluto really because they have four legs/pseudopod's/motile extensions! That is a serious piece of kit though! I suspect my next pension deposit from the Navy is in serious jeopardy! I must admit that the GoTo was a major attraction for the simple reason I have an awful lot to relearn in a practical sense, and I will value your input and advice. The FLO website has an excellent video showing how to assemble the scope so at least I won't end up like I usually do with deckchairs before I even get started!

A: A Barlow. B: A Type 5 UFO from Alpha Centauri. C: Something which fell off your cooker. Am I close? Regards Bill