Hello all.
Not much output from Middlehill recently and at the moment we both have piglet flu, but I had to finish this one off so I can move on to some of the other data I've got waiting


This is an interesting star forming region a little over 8000 light years away which can be found in Orion, near the Orion/Gemini border.
It is composed of 5 Sharpless objects, from left to right, SH2-258 (very faint hint), SH2-255(IC 2162), SH2-257, 256 (just under 257) and the large and diffuse SH2-254.
This was pretty tricky to image….the two main regions are quite bright but I wanted to capture the fainter regions too, and had to throw a lot of imaging time at it. To be honest, I’d like to have gone deeper but a 6 inch scope will only go so far in a reasonable length of time!
Adam Blocks image has more faint detail, but he was using a 20 inch RCOS, and unfortunately I don’t have one!!
I had real problems processing this, due to the fact that my sensor was covered in little dust particles, but my flats didn’t match, so I ended up equalising the background by adjusting the brightness ranges of individual groups of pixels, and lots of use of layers….very time consuming but quite effective when nothing else works!!

Imaged over several nights in November and December 2009, and January 2010.

RGB. William Optics ZS80FD. Atik 16HR
R.15 x 300 seconds
G.15 x 320 seconds
B.15 x 360 seconds.

Ha. TMB 152 @ F8, SXV H16 and Atik 16HR
32 x 900 seconds (SXV), 10 x 600 seconds (16HR)

Cheers
Rob

Very nice and not often seen target! I love the star colours, mine always just come out white...

Never seen this one before Rob. A superb image, time well spent I'd say.
Cheers,
Jordan

That's a wonderful image Rob !!

A very unusual target but a lovely image - thanks for bringing this object to our attention!

Thats nice Rob. I was actually looking on Skymap at that last night whilst imaging elsewhere and wondering what it looked like, thanks for that

Philj

Thankyou kindly all

These more unusual objects can sometimes be real beauts.
I was turned on to this one by a mono image that Rog Warner (Celescope) posted last year, and stuck it on a 'to do' list, and actually did it!

Cheers
Rob

Superb Rob, I love seeing stuff that's 'off the beaten track' .



Tony..

Nice detail, colour balance, and star colour!

Now thats nice and different view in Orion nice job Rob

Lovely colour and detail Rob,congrats.
Got a link to a full res version?

Mike.

Not yet Mike, I'll get it onto my website today and then post a link.

Cheers
Rob

That's just what I was going to ask for. (Bigger version). It is a fascinating field and very unusual. The house standard has been comfortably realized with quality stars, as already pointed out. Very fine! I must look up Sharpless, too. I know nowt about him.
Olly

That's a very high quality image Rob, well worth the effort you've put in. Nearly 14 hours of data, well done that man.

Nice to see something different and your patient approach has paid dividends. A quality image Rob

Regards

Kevin

Thanks all.
Sorry, still haven't put the high res one on my website as although we are both recovering from this darned flu, it does sap ones strength.
If I get some energy back, I'll sort it tonight...honest
Like the new avatar Kev

Cheers
Rob

The rare occasion when I put on tie immortalised on camera

Regards

Kevin

For those who requested it, the hi res image is now on my website.....

http://middlehillobservatory.co.uk/I...n10-master.jpg

Cheers
Rob

Exellent Rob, lovely detail in the full size image,thanks.
Might have to add this to my to do list too.

Mike.

Your SPX will be just right for it Mike. You should be able to go quite a bit deeper than me
There's some really interesting nebulousity linking some of the bubbles that I can't really get at.

Cheers
Rob

now this is new and one for the list.

Lovely image Rob, so well controlled and unusual.

Great image Rob!!!