User guide

Q S I 5 0 0 / 6 0 0 S E R I E S U S E R G U I D E
45
View the image in MaxIm LE
When an exposure has completed, MaxIm will automatically download and display the
image in a new window.
After downloading the image, examine it to see if the target is properly framed and the
exposure time is appropriate. The best astronomical images are achieved when the full
dynamic range of the CCD is utilized.
If you like the image, save it by selecting ―Save‖ from the File menu. If you need to adjust
the framing, focus or exposure, make the necessary changes then click the ―Expose‖ button
again. When you’re happy with the image, save it with an appropriate name so you
remember what the target, temperature and exposure settings were. After a long night of
imaging, it is difficult to remember what settings were used with which image files.
Tip: The FITS file format used as the default file format by MaxIm LE and most
astronomical image processing programs stores a number of settings about the
image inside the file. MaxIm LE automatically stores the exposure time, filter
settings, and CCD temperature among other values associated with each image.
MaxIm will also store your name, telescope specifications and location into the
FITS headers if you first enter it in the FITS Header tab of the File > Settings…
window. To see the information stored in the FITS header of an image file, select
“FITS Header Window” from the View menu.
Take a series of images
Achieving the best astronomical images generally requires gathering a lot of light. Taking
multiple sub-exposures of, say, 5 minutes, is generally easier than trying to take a single 60