Satellite trail removal doesn't work

[admin]

Hi Mike,

I think there is a bit of a problem when combining the new, higher, sensitivity range and setting the minimum line width. It causes a lot of processor time to be used and so much detail is found in the image that the line detection gets confused.

On the same image a larger 'Trail Width' value works much better - try width = 2 and sensitivity =18 for better results.

I think there is still probably some fine tuning for me to do - currently when the sensitivity is too high a lot of potential lines get detected (taking a long time) and then discarded as they are not consistent with each other. This makes tuning the sensitivity still very important and quite tricky.

I would recommend using the 'Deep Sky' test camera when testing, since th 'Folder Monitor' camera will not send a new frame to try any new settings unless you press the 'Repeat the current frame' button. With the Deep Sky test camera, you can set exposure to 2s and gain to 400 - that will give a standard brightness image every 2s, which makes testing easier.

cheers,

Robin

Screenshot 2024-07-23 135104.jpg (313.8 KiB) Viewed 1308 times

[soundfan]

Hi Robin,

that looks amazing. I'd be so happy, if it would work on my computer the same way.

This is what it looks here:

Screenshot 2024-07-23 173654.jpg (458.89 KiB) Viewed 1298 times

As far as I can tell, I used the exact same settings as I can see from your screenshot.

Could that be another Windows system setting issue between US and Germany? Someting like inch vs. mm or so?

CS Mike

[soundfan]

Hi Robin,

I think I found it. It is really like I assumed!

Once I change the windows settings "Time & language", "Language & region", "region format" to "English (United States)" I get immediately the same results like you.

The stacked picture of M16 now looks like this:

Stack_16bits_11frames_1320s_stretched_GraXpert.jpg (895.29 KiB) Viewed 1293 times

Only the remains of the airplane's anti collision light in the lower left corner SharpCap wasn't able to remove. Everything else is just gone!
This is what I was hoping for. It is just amazing.

Now, if you get SharpCap doing the exact same thing with Windows settings set to German region format, You will be my personal hero!!!

BTW: I have received answeres from other users from the german Astro-forum "Astronomie.de" who also stated that they never managed to get the satellite removal feature working. They will surely be happy that it might get working sooner or later.

Lately it is almost impossible to take any longer exposures without those bloody trails in it.

Once again many thanks for your restless effort to support your users!

CS Mike

[admin]

Hi Mike,

OK, I can fix the German language issue - the code internally creates lots of details about the potential lines in one part and then checks them in another. The data is passed between the two in string form and I think the numbers are being written with '.' as the decimal separator but being read with ',' (or similar). Anyway, that's fixable

Well done for spotting that - unfortunately it's an easy mistake to make on my side and not always an easy one to spot!

Satellite trails are always going to be a bigger problem in the summer - even when it is properly dark, the sun isn't far below the horizon and satellites passing overhead may still be illuminated. Come winter, satellites overhead will be in the earth's shadow for most of the middle part of the night, so will be invisible (of course the clouds mean they will be invisible too...)

cheers,

Robin