Sunday's Adventure

[AstroAndy]

So, last week I checked multiple weather forecasts and saw more coincide that it would be a clear night, starting early in the Midwest (Marlborough area, dark site), and I hied myself tither to do some imaging.

It was an adventurous night, what with getting stuck in the mud, and my power sources giving up while I wasn't done yet.

I did, however, get 6x10m luminance, 1x15m ha (which I didn't include in this image), and averagely 5x5m RGB each on M81, shot with the Atik 314L+ at -20 degrees. No calibration.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice result

[AstroAndy]

Ty, when I processed it, it looked nice, but on here, seems to be slightly gradienty and noisy. Of course, a lot more subs would help with that.

[PhotoGav]

Good one Andy. Whereabouts did you go to capture this? You say Marlborough area - that's where I am based! Sunday night was a peach - I was in my back garden beavering away - yet to process the results though.

[AstroAndy]

Ty, Gav..No kidding..I went through Pewsey, originally looking for the Pewsey Nat'l Reserve, which I couldn't find, and nobody seemed to have heard of it in the area. Then went on and found a camping farm (the lady who runs it is named Maggie, I believe, some sort of Reiki, spiritual medium type), but I couldn't find a place that was houseless enough for me, so I went up aways to the fields., where I set up (and got stuck in the mud)..managed to rock myself out, though, next morning.

[tingting44]

very promising start! this should be something special once your done, how many hours are you aiming for?

[AstroAndy]

Thanks, Martin. In an ideal world, I would love to do 3 full nights, 8 hrs. L, 8 hrs. H alpha, and another 8 hrs. RGB, with 24 hrs of integration time, although, in the UK, that will be a painstaking project. Also, I must get around to at least do some calibration frames,maybe no darks, as the 314L+ doesn't need them, but definitely flats and bias. Meanwhile, I will keep processing this to hone my processing skills.

[PhotoGav]

Wow, certainly an adventure! I'm not sure that Pewsey Nature Reserve would have been a good option anyway. It's basically just a few borders around the village (or is it a town, never really sure?!) with a few butterflies and a railway line!

I will pm you details of my favourite rural astro location between Marlborough & Hungerford. It's an old aerodrome, so you should manage to keep out of the mud!

[AstroAndy]

Thanks, Gav, got your msg..I probably should have stayed on that hill with a big horse shaped into the ground. However, it was a good night where everything came together, until my powersource got low, that is.