行星攝影大神Damian Peach-ZWOASI天文攝影

來自專欄 ZWOASI天文攝影

Damian Peach(桃子,英文簡稱DP)是行星攝影領域家喻戶曉的一位大神，他來自英國，數十年如一日的不斷拍攝行星，桃子大師的個人網站裡面行星圖片數量之多，效果之神，古今中外無人能及。Peach曾獲得多次英國以及全球天文攝影比賽的行星領域冠軍，並且與法國天文台，智利天文台保持著很緊密的合作關係。

桃子大師為什麼成名？

熱愛

DP也是從童年就迷上天文的，童年的夢想往往是最強大的，它甚至能維持一輩子。從1988年開始，桃子從一個小望遠鏡開始迷上天文觀測，先後用過像C925, C11, C14，到現在遠程天文攝影，一直保持著那份初心。

堅持

在十多年的時間裡，桃子堅持用C14拍攝。據桃子自己描述，他的這台C14屬於鏡片精度非常好的一台，可能100台C14成品鏡里也挑不出一台這樣精度的鏡子。用這台C14，每年一輪，對水金火木土，天王星，海王星保持長期的攝影觀測，記錄行星的視直徑，表面細節等。這些記錄，看起來一次兩次並不算什麼，但如果是10年20年，這些寶貴的數據就成為了極為珍貴的行星資料和心路歷程。

鑽研

桃子之所以能夠拍出精彩絕倫的行星照片，不僅僅是因為視寧度，還有堅持的拍攝，還有對行星攝影不斷鑽研而建立的一整套完整的行星攝影理念。從桃子一張張照片中，可以看得出這些年，他的處理技術越發純熟，效果也越來越精緻。桃子大師根據自己多年的積累，出了3部DVD教程，最著名的兩部DVD名字叫做《high resolution astrophotography》Part I and Part II.

桃子大師如何結緣ZWO?

2012年，ZWO發布全新的ASI120MM相機，這款相機絕對是在行星拍攝歷史上的一個里程碑。ASI120MM一舉打破了CCD相機在行星攝影中的壟斷地位。當ASI120MM在國內推廣的同時，也引起了國外愛好者的廣泛關注，其中Sharpcap的作者Emil和行星大神桃子也開始使用ASI120MM進行拍攝。在對桃子大師的採訪中，也提到了這一款劃時代的產品。

從此，桃子大師與ZWO結下了不解之緣。幾乎每款新的行星相機問世，都會邀請桃子大師一起測試印證其效果。如今，桃子大師在兩大著名的天文台上用起了ASI相機，在智利天文台1米RC搭配了ASI174MM相機和ASI290MM相機，而法國的 Pic du Midi天文台1米卡塞格林也配備了ASI174MM和ASI290MM，桃子大師拍攝通常使用的是ASI290MM相機。

對於大家來說，如果面前坐著桃子大師，肯定有很多問題想請教。我們最近對桃子大師做了個專訪，裡面問到了許多技術問題，相信都是大家想問的。下面，我們一邊看採訪，一邊欣賞一下那些精彩絕倫的行星巨作（PS:桃子大師說話相當言簡意賅）

Q1: 嗨，DP. 請您給大家介紹一下自己吧？Hi, DP. Could you please introduce yourself to everyone?A1: 嗨，我叫Damian Peach，一個來自英國的天文愛好者。Hi, I』m Damian Peach, an astronomer from the UK.

Q2: 你什麼時候開始愛上行星攝影的？還記得你的第一台望遠鏡和行星攝像頭嗎？有當年拍的照片嗎？

When did you start planetary imaging? can you remember your first scope and camera? Is there any image of them?

A2: 我開始觀測行星要追溯到1988年，但直到1997年我才開始嘗試行星攝影。我的第一台望遠鏡是一台很小的俄羅斯10x30望遠鏡（現在還留著）。我第一次開始行星攝影用的是Meade 12」 LX200望遠鏡和一台SBIG ST-7 CCD相機。

I started observing the planets way back in 1988 but did not start to try photographing them until 1997. My very first telescope was a small Russian 10 x 30 spotting scope (which I still have.) The telescope I very first used for planetary imaging was a Meade 12」 LX200 equipped with an SBIG ST-7 CCD camera.

Q3: 請問您都使用過哪些望遠鏡和相機，您最喜愛的望遠鏡和相機組合是什麼？我們知道您有一台C14望遠鏡使用了很多年，請問還在繼續用嗎？還打算用多久？

What telescopes and cameras do you use, and what is your favorite setup? We know that you use C14 for many years, do you still use it? How long are you going to keep it?

A3: 我還在用我自己的C14望遠鏡。它是一台很不錯的望遠鏡，我以後肯定不會賣掉它。我用它目視和攝影取得了很多很棒的成果。

Yes for my own telescope I still use the C14. It is a great telescope, I will never sell this telescope – ive used it for so many great views and images over the years.

Q4: 您的第一台ASI相機是哪個型號？當時是怎麼知道ASI的？還記得當初使用的感受嗎？

What is your first ASI camera? How did you know ASI cameras at that time? Could you please let us know the feeling of your first use?

A4: 我的第一台ASI相機是ASI120黑白相機。對它印象深刻， 它是第一個基於CMOS技術並且能夠媲美CCD的相機。

My first camera from ASI was the ASI120 mono camera. I was really impressed with it – the first CMOS based camera that rivaled the dominance of CCDs.

Q5: 您使用過哪些ASI相機？對每個相機來個簡要的評價，現在最常用的相機是哪個？

What ASI cameras have you been used？ Which is the most commonly used ASI camera? Could you please give us a brief evaluation on each of your ASI cameras?

A5: 我用過很多ASI相機，用的最多的是120MM-S, 174MM, 290MM和224MC, 他們的攝影效果都很不錯。

I』ve use many of the ASI models. Mostly I use the 120MM-S, 174MM, 290MM and 224MC. All of them perform really well.

Q6: 對這個照片有印象嗎？圖片中紅色相機是ASI120MM嗎？有當時拍攝的照片嗎?

Do you have an impression on the picture below? Is the red camera 120MM? Do you still have the images that taken with that camera? If so, could you please show us ?

A6: 有的，照片里的是120MM-S相機，我非常喜歡用這個相機進行可見光攝影，它的像素大小和我的C14的焦距很匹配。

Yes the camera in the image below is the 120MM-S. I really like this camera for visible light imaging, and its pixel size nicely matches the C14 focal length.

Q7: 我們知道您是一位行星攝影大師，行星拍攝曝光和增益一般你會怎麼選擇？

We know that you are a master of planetary photography, how do you set the exposure and gain value for planet shooting?

A7: 我通常會要求單幀圖像亮度能夠達到直方圖的75%，並且保持增益在60%-70%，幀率根據情況而定。

I always try and achieve 75% histogram saturation while keep gain at around 60-70% and FPS set accordingly.

Q8: 縮短曝光時間，提高幀率是正確的行星方向嗎？

Is it correct to shorten the exposure time and increase the frame rate for planetary imaging?

A8: 是的，盡量用你能達到的最快幀率，這會有助於得到更清晰的圖像。

Yes, always go with the fastest frame rate you can. This will help produce sharper images.

Q9: 以木星為例，您一般拍RGB和還是LRGB，這兩種方法有什麼優劣嗎？每個通道都需要重新對焦嗎？

Take Jupiter as an example, do you usually use RGB or LRGB for it? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods? Do you need to refocus for each channel?

A9: 我通常用RGB三通道拍攝，沒錯，每個濾鏡都需要重新對焦。

I generally use RGB imaging. Yes re-focus is needed for each filter.

Q10: 以木星為例，您對每個通道的拍攝時長建議是多少，總幀數建議多少？

Take Jupiter as an example, what is your recommended total exposure time for each channel, and what is the recommended total frames ?

A10: 每個通道拍60秒左右，這非常有效。通常在這個時間裡可以獲得數千幀的圖像。

I shoot sequences of 60sec each. This works very well. Usually I can capture several thousand frames in that time.

Q11: 我們看您拍攝的行星照片都達到10分鐘，15分鐘，甚至18分鐘，您是怎麼解決行星自轉這個問題的？

We see that the total exposure time of your planetary imaging were 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or even 18 minutes. How do you solve the problem of rotation?

A11: 我用WINJUPOS來修正自轉影響。所以拍木星，你可以拍攝10-15分鐘，拍土星，甚至可以超過30分鐘。這可以大大改善最終的圖像質量。

I use WINJUPOS de-rotation. So for Jupiter you can capture data for 10-15mins, while for Saturn more than 30mins. This makes a big difference to the image quality.

Q12: 您都會用到哪些軟體來做後期處理？都會做哪些重要的後期處理？比如反卷積？

Which software do you use for post-processing? What important post-processing will be done? For example, deconvolution?

A12: Autostakkert 3, Registax 6, Photoshop.

Q13: 我們知道您經常用智利的1米RC遠程拍攝，目前用到ASI哪些行星相機？哪個相機用的最多？為什麼？

We know that you use Chiles 1 meter RC telescope quite a lot for remote shooting. Which planetary cameras are currently using for now? Which camera is the most commonly used? And why?

A13: 那台望遠鏡上的主相機是ASI174MM, 它與這台望遠鏡的超長焦距非常契合。

The primary camera on this telescope is the ASI174MM. It nicely matches the long focal length of the telescope.

Q14: 請問您對遠程行星攝影的看法如何？您覺得遠程的優勢和劣勢是什麼？

What is your opinion on remote planetary photography? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of remote?

A14: 優點是毫無疑問的簡單和方便，可以在舒服的屋子裡完成拍攝。缺點是對焦難度很大，比在望遠鏡旁邊拍攝難很多，需要花更多的時間去找到最佳焦點。

The advantage is without doubt it is easy and convenient and can be done from the comfort of indoors. The disadvantage is focusing with remote imaging is much more difficult than doing it in person at the telescope. It can take much longer to achieve proper focus.

Q15: 請問您能提供一段最佳視寧度的全解析度木星視頻嗎？1000幀左右就可以。我們都非常想看。

Could you provide a full-resolution Jupiter video with the excellent seeing? It can be around 1000 frames. All of us are so eager to see

A15:C14+ASI120MM極品視寧度下的木星：

http://player.youku.com/player.php/sid/XMzczNDY5MTg3Ng==/v.swf

Q16: 您對大家拍攝火星沖日有什麼建議嗎？

Any suggestion for people who are preparing for the coming Mars?

A16: 不幸的是，火星被沙塵暴籠罩了，那些著名的細節都變得很暗淡。用紅外濾鏡或許能看到一些細節。

Unfortunately Mars has become shrouded in a planet encircling dust storm so the planets familiar features have become heavily obscured. Employing near IR filters will help see some detail.

Q17: 您對ASI用戶有什麼想說的嗎?

What do you would like to say to ASI users?

A17: 使用ASI camera也有許多年了，我一直對他們以及整個公司印象很深。他們做出了很多很棒的相機(以及其他配件)，和他們打交道總是特別愉快!

In many years of using ASI camera ive always been impressed with them, and the company in general. They make some great cameras (and other accessories) and its always been a pleasure dealing with them!