Homemade lightbox 

I always tried making flat images by duplicating a image in something like photoshop and never satisfied with any results, I always new I needed a flat image with no brighter hot spots. I decided to make a light box.

Pretty Much it has two pieces 1 with the lights from an touch lamp I had laying around that the touch sensor didnt work. I dissembled the lamp an did some wiring I spliced a turn switch from a lava lamp thats been put up for who knows how many years and hot glued the sockets inside of the 2x6 square. 

The second layer is another square made of 2X6 with cut up white t-shirt fabric one fabric layer on the bottom the on top two layers of fabric, I used two layers bacause with one layer I could see the three lights shining through it was not a flat illuminated.

Here is the lightbox with both layers and the lights on.

When im done imaging I command the telescope to home position the telescope automatically slews into the position to take flats while the camera still in place and focused.  

Here's a single image of a flat taken after a image session of ngc 891 

Here's the same image with the contrast boosted up

Before

After

Here is a good example of what flat frames do for astrophotography.