February 16, 2008
With the moon causing problems, its time to break out the Ha filter again.
IC2177 Seagull Neb (which is confusing because TheSky is showing ANOTHER seagull Neb somewhere else). This target is really low, never rising more than 27-28 degrees above the UK horizon. A fair amout of noise in the larger version, but unsure if this was due to dodgy flats, the moon, or atmospheric interference.
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 21 x 600s, Astronomik 13nm Ha
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker
Post Process: ImagesPlus + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on image for larger version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on IC2177 in Ha
February 12, 2008
Well, it appears that last night was the last of the current clear spell in the east of the UK. Tonight is forecast with mist and fog, and tomorrow the rainclouds start to roll in again. I can’t complain though, 4 clear nights in a row, 3 of which I was out imaging.
I`ve been after IC443 for a while, but its always been low down on my list. As it happens, I also managed to get IC444 in the image, so I am pretty pleased with this one.
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 20×900s, Astronomik 13nm Ha
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2xdrizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2xbin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on image for larger version)
While waiting for it to get really dark, I managed to take this image for the ISS + STS-122 passing just south of the moon just before 19:00 GMT (image is a composite of three seperate frames, hence the breaks in the line)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on IC 443/IC444 in Ha, and an ISS/STS-122 moon pass
February 10, 2008
Finally, February’s usual freezing and clear nights arrived on Friday, and stayed for Saturday too. (Supposed to be clearish tonight too, but I am just too shattered to even think about it).
I`d just like to thank Rob Kelly from RCK for helping me help myself, and stop me smoking through Hypnotherapy ( http://www.rck.net/ ). My imaging sessions used to be my worst time, and yet I have just managed to two all night sessions in a row without the mearest hint of an urge to light up!
Just how many objects can you pack into a single image? I left this running as my second sequence of the night while I got some sleep early this morning. Normally I`d stay up all night, but with Saturday (and possibly Sunday/Monday/Tues/etc) looking clear, I`ll need some sleep or I`ll completely lose the plot.
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 24×600s, CLS
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2 x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2xbin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
Lets see… Astrometry says I have:
* NGC 4374 / M 84
* NGC 4388
* NGC 4402
* NGC 4406 / M 86
* NGC 4425
* NGC 4435 / The Eyes
* NGC 4438 / The Eyes
* NGC 4459
* NGC 4461
* NGC 4473
* NGC 4477
* NGC 4486 / M 87
* NGC 4501 / M 88
* IC 3475
* NGC 4531
* NGC 4548 / M 91
* NGC 4552 / M 89
* NGC 4569 / M 90
* NGC 4571
But I`m sure the larger version shows a fair few faint fuzzies in the background…
(Click on the image for the larger version)
Next up, NGC2264 Xmas Tree + ConeOTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 15×600s, CLS
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2 x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2xbin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
Notes: Some isues with color gradient due to the flats (need to get them sorted out once and for all!). Its possibly a little over processed, but not sure…. not much noise in it. I may end up going back to process this one again.
(Click on the image for the larger version)
Lastly, M31
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 12×600s, CLS
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2 x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2xbin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on the image for the larger version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on What a great couple of nights!
January 25, 2008
Another full moon imaging session, so the Hydrogen Alpha filter came out to play. Neither of these images had enough subs to make them smooth and noise free, but I was fighting my kit all night, so I`m glad I managed to get something to show for the evenings work. The use of flats is HIGHLY recommended, the amount of detail I can now bring out in my images is greatly improved, and I`m not fighting any vignetting gradients anymore.
First up, NGC1499 California Nebula
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 8x600s, Astronomik 13nm Ha
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (3x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on the image for the larger version)
If you compare the above image with the version I took a while back with the WilliamOptics ZS 66 SD, the difference is quite obvious.
Second, NGC2024 Flame Nebula and B33 Horsehead Nebula
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 12x300s, Astronomik 13nm Ha
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (3x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on the image for the larger version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on NGC1499 and NGC2024/B33 in Ha
January 20, 2008
Had a couple of evenings out in the last week, both were cut short by clouds, but it gave me a chance to try the Hyperstar system with Ha imaging, and also started using flats for the first time. No details on these images because they were both just a test.
First up was M42. It has some strange gradients that I couldnt get rid of, probably from the next door neighbour’s bathroom light streaming into the front of the OTA. Oh well..
Next up, IC1396 on an INCREDIBLY windy/blustery night. The autoguiding was getting incredibly upset. And I also forgot to check collimation on the Hyperstar, and sadly it was a long way out. Despite all that, I did get some reasonable data, and also I took some flats for the first time. The diference was incredible. All the odd gradients I have fought against just disappeared.
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on M42 and IC1396 in Ha
January 10, 2008
OK, I promise I wont fiddle with this one anymore, honest!
Picture of the Month, BBC Sky at Night Magazine, April 2008
(Click on image for larger version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments (2)
January 9, 2008
After the excitement had worn off from my first light, I had the chance to take a closer look at the images the Hyperstar had spat out. One thing that stood out was that the stars were always big and blobby, and detract from the DSO itself. After trying various different ways to reduce the star sizes (without much result!), it was a comment from Noel Carboni on another forum said that triggered a little lateral thinking. Up until now I have always processed my images as one, but if I wanted to reduce the star sizes, I needs to work on the stars as a seperate entity. I had a play with this idea quickly last night, and the results from those briefs tests showed some real promise.
As such, I have just spent my lunchbreak reworking my original image from scratch. Compare this image to the one posted two messages below:
(Click on image for the HUGE version)
Personally I like this version much better. The stars are still there, but far less obtrusive.
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on NGC2237 Rosette Rework
January 6, 2008
More Hyperstar goodliness!
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 15 x 240s, CLS filter
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2×2 bin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
No bigger image on this one, I need more subs to get better detail (and less noise) before I let you loose on the full size image 🙂
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on Cone Nebula and NGC 2264 Xmas Tree – (Hyperstar)
January 6, 2008
First light with the new Hyperstar system… and WHAT A FIRST LIGHT… I defy you to not look at this with your jaw open, saying “WOW!”, considering this was only an hours worth of subs.
OTA: NS8GPS @ f/2 (Hyperstar v3)
Guiding: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 20 x 180s, CLS filter
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker (2x drizzle)
Post Process: ImagesPlus (2×2 bin) + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
This image goes out to Greg Parker / Cybermystic for all his help with my questions 🙂
(Clickon the image for the HUGE version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on NGC2237 Rosette Nebula with Hyperstar v3
January 3, 2008
Managed to squeeze in a couple of hours of RGB imaging lastnight between cloud banks. I had nearly forgotten which end of the scope to look through…
Just a first-pass quick mosaic of Heart and Soul, with RGB and Ha data. On closer inspection, I`m not 100% happy with this, still some odd gradients in it, some colour shift in the stars, and a mismatched background colour, but its good enough for now. Maybe I`ll come back to it later.
OTA: William Optics ZenithStar 66 SD + 0.8 FR/FF
Guiding: NS8GPS @ f/10 + DSI-C + PHD
RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 10 x 900s + 8 x 900s, CLS filter
Ha Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 2 x (8 x 900s), Astronomik Ha 13nm
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker
Post Process: ImagesPlus + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools
(Click on image for larger version)
Posted by Steve under Astro | Comments Off on Heart and Soul Ha(HaR)GB Mosaic
