Sequator Star Stacker

How to take the initial images for stacking

COMPACT and BRIDGE CAMERAS

1.) If you can, set your camera to take images in RAW / PNG or TIF format (JPG otherwise)

2.) In your cameras settings, set the ISO (DIN) to one below its largest value [if the largest is 6400, set it to 3200]

3.) If you have a MANUAL setting, select this and set the shutter speed to its longest value (but no more than 8 seconds)

4.) If you can change the appeture, set this to one below fully open (one larger than the smallest number)

5.) If you do not have a MANUAL option try PROGRAME and change the settings there. Failing this just go FULL AUTO.

6.) You will need to set the camera on a stable surface so it can't move (tripod) and point it at your star selection in the sky with focus set to INFINITY

7.) Without moving the camera, take a number of images, the more the better. (Min 6)
To prevent camera shake, use the self timer

SLR CAMERAS

1.) Use your stock standard lens (28mm?) focused to infinity.

2.) Set your ISO to two below MAX, stop down your lens by one stop and set the shutter speed to maximum (no more than 8 seconds though).

3.) Set your camera on a tripod pointing at the stars and use a remote shutter release to take the photographs. (if you don't have one use the self timer to take the images instead)

ANDROID SMART PHONE

1.) From the PLAY STORE search for and install "SkEye Cam" (v0.9.6)

2.) Launch the SkEye Cam APP and select the third option BATCH CAPTURE

3.) On the next screen, if you can, select capture format to RAW / TIF or PNG as these give the best quality otherwise you will have to use JPG.

4.) On the same screen set the EXPOSURE to its longest setting (8 seconds if you can), the ISO to one below its highest number (1600?) and set FOCUS to infinity.

5.) Click NEXT and set number of exposures to a minimum of 6 (the more the better - like 99)

6.) Set FILE FORMAT to PNG, TIF or RAW (JPG as a last resort) and choose a location to save the images to (SD Card?).

Set the phone down firmly pointing at the stars and click START and leave till finished.

SOFTWARE PACKAGE DOWNLOAD

Download the STARS.ZIP package. This contains all the software I use along with sample star photos to play around with. I have included 2 tutorial Videos on how to use sequator and the official manual from the web site.

I have included some presets for Sequator that I use and a 20yo version of PSP for post processing the final image to remove any artifacts. (the two click simple settings to clean up images with PSP will be below soon)

Download STARS.ZIP to your hard drive (desktop) and in windows, right click and select EXTRACT to expand the file archive for use.

In the folder STARS this will create you will find the folders SEQUATOR (sequator.exe) the image stacker, PSP7 (psp.exe) for post processing and STAR-IMAGES that contains 60 sky shots (SC-0??.jpg) I used today for you to stack.

Watch the two included videos from the download about how to use SEQUATOR as they explain what to do far better than the writen word.

See whats happening this november in the sky on YOUTUBE