2525< div class ="Layout-main markdown-body " id ="mainContents ">
2626
2727< p >
28- All cameras produce noise which can be one or more of the following:
28+ All cameras produce noise, which is shown in the picture below
29+ (click on it to show a larger version where the noise is more apparent).
30+ A theoretical "perfect" camera would produce a pure black image.
31+ < br >
32+ Noise can be one or more of the following:
2933</ p >
30- < ul class ="minimalPadding ">
31- < li > A salt and pepper-like pattern.
32- < li > Pixels that are always on and appear white on a mono camera,
34+ < ol class ="minimalPadding ">
35+ < li > Pixels that are stuck on and appear white on a mono camera,
3336 or red, green, or blue on a color camera.
34- < li > Pixels that are always off and appear black.
35- </ ul >
37+ These are called "hot pixels".
38+ < br >
39+ White hot pixels are visible in the unaltered left side of the image.
40+ Blue hot pixels are visible in the artifically-brightened
41+ right side of the image.
42+ < li > A salt and pepper-like pattern, visible in the right side of the image,
43+ especially when zoomed in.
44+ < li > Pixels that are always off and appear black (called "cold pixels").
45+ This noise is very difficult to see unless zoomed in several hundred percent.
46+ You might see cold pixels if they are in a bright area of the picture
47+ (more likely during the day).
48+ </ ol >
49+ < p >
50+ < a allsky ="true " external ="true " href ="cameraNoise.png ">
51+ < img src ="cameraNoise-sm.png " title ="Camera noise - click to enlarge " class ="imgCenter ">
52+ </ a >
53+ </ p >
3654< p >
3755Noise increases with temperature and exposure length.
3856You won't notice noise in a daylight image
4967< p >
5068Many people find noise distracting, and a good way to decrease it is to subtract
5169it from a captured image.
52- A picture that contains your desired object, e.g., night sky, and noise is called a "light frame".
53- A picture with just the noise is called a "dark frame" because it's mostly dark.
70+ A picture that contains your desired object, e.g., night sky, and noise is called a
71+ < strong > light frame</ strong > .
72+ A picture with just the noise (like the picture above) is called a
73+ < strong > dark frame</ strong > because it's mostly dark.
5474Subtracting a dark frame from a light frame leaves just your desired object.
5575</ p >
56- < blockquote >
57- Dark frames don't currently work with RPi HQ cameras,
58- but they will in a future release of Allsky when running on the Bullseye or newer operating system.
59- </ blockquote >
6076
6177
6278< h2 > When should I take dark frames?</ h2 >
@@ -100,31 +116,37 @@ <h2>How do I take and use darks?</h2>
100116</ p >
101117< h4 > Capture dark frames</ h4 >
102118< ol >
103- < li > In the WebUI open the < span class ="WebUILink "> Allsky Settings</ span > page and set
104- < span class ="WebUISetting "> Take Dark Frames</ span > to < b > Yes</ b > .
119+ < li > In the WebUI's < span class ="WebUILink "> Allsky Settings</ span > page,
120+ set < span class ="WebUISetting "> Take Dark Frames</ span > to < b > Yes</ b > .
105121 < li > Click on the
106122 < span class ="btn btn-primary btn-not-real btn-small "> Save changes</ span > button.
107- This will stop Allsky and wait until you manually start it below.
123+ < br >
124+ < strong > Allsky will stop and wait until you manually start it below.</ strong >
125+ This gives you time for the next step...
108126 < li > Cover your camera lens and/or dome.
109- Make sure NO light can get in.
110- < li > Start Allsky: < code > systemctl start allsky</ code > .
127+ Make sure NO light gets in.
128+ < li > Start Allsky: < code > sudo systemctl start allsky</ code > .
111129 Dark frames will be saved in the < span class ="fileName "> ~/allsky/darks</ span > directory.
112130 A new dark is created every time the sensor temperature changes by 1 degree C.
131+ <!--
113132 <br>
114133 If there are no dark frames in the <span class="fileName">~/allsky/darks</span>
115134 folder something went wrong so check the
116135 <span class="fileName">/var/log/allsky.log</span> file.
136+ -->
117137 < li > After you are done taking darks,
118138 set < span class ="WebUISetting "> Take Dark Frames</ span > in the WebUI to < b > No</ b > .
119- Allsky will stop and wait for you to manually start it.
139+ < br >
140+ < strong > Allsky will stop and wait for you to manually start it.</ strong >
141+ This gives you time for the next step...
120142 < li > Remove the cover from the lens/dome.
121- < li > Restart Allsky: < code > systemctl start allsky</ code > .
143+ < li > Restart Allsky: < code > sudo systemctl start allsky</ code > .
122144</ ol >
123145
124146< h4 > Subtract dark frames</ h4 >
125147< ol >
126- < li > On the < span class ="WebUILink "> Allsky Settings</ span > page in the WebUI set
127- < span class ="WebUISetting "> Use Dark Frames</ span > to < b > Yes</ b > .
148+ < li > On the WebUI's < span class ="WebUILink "> Allsky Settings</ span > page
149+ set < span class ="WebUISetting "> Use Dark Frames</ span > to < b > Yes</ b > .
128150 < li > Click on the
129151 < span class ="btn btn-primary btn-not-real btn-small "> Save changes</ span > button.
130152 This will restart Allsky taking light frames, and subtract dark frames at night.
@@ -145,24 +167,28 @@ <h2>How does the software handle darks?</h2>
145167</ p >
146168< p >
147169< blockquote >
148- If you later change any of those settings you should discard the old darks and take new ones.
170+ If you later change the
171+ < span class ="WebUISetting "> Gain</ span >
172+ or
173+ < span class ="WebUISetting "> Binning</ span > ,
174+ you must discard the old darks and take new ones
175+ (noise, and hence dark frames, is impacted by these settings).
149176If you think you'll go back to the original settings,
150- save the old darks instead of discarding them.
177+ save the old darks somewhere else instead of discarding them.
151178</ blockquote >
152179
153- When a dark image is taken a file called < span class ="fileName "> dark.jpg</ span >
154- (or < span class ="fileName "> dark.png</ span > )
180+ When a dark image is taken a file called < span class ="fileName "> dark.png</ span >
155181is saved in < span class ="fileName "> ~/allsky/tmp</ span > ,
156182then moved to < span class ="fileName "> ~/allsky/darks</ span >
157- with a name like "XX.jpg ", where "XX" is the temperature, for example,
158- < span class ="fileName "> 21.jpg </ span > .
183+ with a name like "XX.png ", where "XX" is the temperature, for example,
184+ < span class ="fileName "> 21.png </ span > .
159185</ p >
160186< p >
161187When darks are being < b > subtracted</ b > , the software looks in
162188< span class ="fileName "> ~/allsky/darks</ span >
163189for the dark frame that is closest to the current sensor temperature.
164190For example, if the current temperature is 21 and you have 3 darks,
165- 17.jpg , 20.jpg , and 23.jpg , the software will pick 20.jpg because it's only
191+ 17.png , 20.png , and 23.png , the software will pick 20.png because it's only
1661921 degree off from the current sensor temperature.
167193</ p >
168194< p >
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