Crab nebula 12 January 2013

[Bizibilder]

I had a clear sky for the first time in ages (last DSO picture was early October last year!!). So I set up and managed just over four hours on the Crab Nebula. I've put both a full frame (just edges cropped) and a crop of the nebula itself. I've been after this target for quite a while now and I'm finally glad that I've "got it". It clouded over just before 11 o'clock which put an end to proceedings.

Skywatcher 120mm ED APO, Canon 1000d (modded) ISO 800, HEQ5 EQMOD, guiding with ST80 QHY5 and PHD. Processing in DSS and PS CS5. (This is the first time I've taken and added Bias frames to the mix - I need to reprocess without them to see what difference they make).

50 lights at 5mins each = 4h 10min total exposure time

24 Flats

30 darks

71 Bias

[StarRaver]

Stunning capture, love the detail

[Black Knight]

I really like this one Roger. The stars are good and tight, and the colour is good. Nice one

[Tim]

Looks great Roger, really nice to see this in context. We were observing it visually last night for a change, didn't realise how bright it was, or how big! Your pic gives it a great sense of scale in its place in the sky

[Tim]

When you say "processing in DSS...", is that just the stacking? or do you make any adjustments to the image in DSS?

[StuartJPP]

A good one Roger, thanks for sharing, especially showing it in the context of the full frame.

I have got a similar FL and camera so hopefully I can get something similar one day when conditions are right for me as well.

[RikM]

Lovely. Nice detail on the filaments, plenty of star colour and the sky background is good an smooth

[floppygoose]

Thanks for sharing Roger - looks as if the clouds held off for just long enough for these excellent images

Phil

[Gina]

That's good for a DSLR the Crab is so small

[Bizibilder]

Thanks folks

Tim: In DSS all I do is stack and have it set to align RGB. Everything else is done in PS. I used to try and do some initial processing in DSS when I started out but it is a mistake - all your data is in the TIFF produced by DSS and PS is much more capable of pulling all the details out.

[cardconvict]

sweet loveing the star colours in this

[cardconvict]

sweet loveing the star colours in this

[stellawolf]

Super image well done

[boris sputnik]

Beautiful astropics !