Capturing the Moon's Subtle Hues: A Pre-Eclipse Portrait
The night before a lunar eclipse offers a unique opportunity for astrophotographers to capture our celestial neighbor in all its glory. I recently had the chance to photograph the Moon and attempt to bring out its subtle colors, but I'm encountering some challenges in the processing stage.
The Imaging Process
Here are the details of my setup and the imaging parameters used:
- Camera: Touptek 715C
- Telescope: 50mm aperture telescope
- Imaging Software: SharpCap Pro
- Exposure Time: 5 ms
- Gain: 120
- Color Space: raw12
Processing Efforts
I utilized a suite of powerful processing software, including PIP, AS!, and Gimp, to stack and enhance the captured frames. My goal was to reveal the Moon's natural colors, but after processing, they are not as pronounced as I'd hoped. I'm currently unsure about the exact reason for this, and I'm seeking insights into potential improvements.
The Image
Here is the image I captured and processed:
I'm keen to learn from the community. If anyone has experience with processing lunar color images or tips for bringing out subtle chromatic variations, I would greatly appreciate your advice! What steps can I take to achieve more noticeable colors in my lunar photography?
