A successful session

Step-by-step guide to running an ALS session
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📘 Introduction

This chapter is your roadmap for running a successful ALS session and monitoring its progress.

It wraps up the presentation of ALS main concepts before you dive into the user interface guide.

⚙️ Setup

Whether you’re shooting DSO live, preparing data for detailed post-processing, or diving into something more artistic, these steps will help you get the best out of ALS every time.

✔️ Choose Your Profile

  • EAA: For live imaging

    ALS processes subs rapidly, producing colorful, viewable images in real time.

  • Astrophoto: For monitoring an astrophoto session

    ALS acts as an acquisition and data diagnostic tool, giving you a high-quality preview of your fully processed image.

✔️ Prep Your Calibration

Do you have a master dark that matches your sensor and temperature?
If yes, use Dark Subtraction to clean up thermal noise.

✔️ Adjust Stacking Settings

  • Enable Alignment for Deep Sky Objects imaging, or disable it for artistic shots such as star trails or time-lapses.

  • Set Stacking Mode:

    • Mean for smooth and noise-free results.
    • Sum for amplified brightness and a creative twist.

🚀 Progress

Start the session and let ALS do its thing…

Here’s how to keep everything running smoothly and eventually enjoy the results:

📊 Stay on Top of Things

Keep track of your session by reviewing ALS feedback on performance and potential issues during subs processing.

🌦️ Adapt to Conditions

Adapt the alignment threshold to match changing weather conditions or specific acquisition setups.

🎨 Tweak Your Image

Tweak ALS image processing settings to adjust the image as it develops with each new sub.

🔍 Dive Into Your Image

Zoom in/out and pan across the image to find areas that deserve attention or just to enjoy the view.

🌐 Share Your Progress

Perfect for public outreach or collaborative discussions :

Let others follow your session live by activating the image server and sharing the generated QR code.

Viewers can explore your evolving image with the same image browsing features as the main ALS app, optimized for both desktop and mobile devices.

📦 Wrap Up

Stop your session and find the final result image in your work folder.

🎯 Conclusion

It is now time for you to take control of ALS by diving into the next chapter: ALS user interface.

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