IC1396 with a Fleeting Bat

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Here's another one from my marathon imaging session on the night of the 23rd.

(Super-Takumar 135mm f3.5 lens at f4.5 on my modded 1100D and EQ3-2 mount. 30x135 second subs, ~67 minutes total exposure time. 30 dark bias, no darks or flats.)

Visible in frame are IC1396 with the Garnet Star at the top of the nebula, Alderamin at top right, the brightest parts of Sh2-129 (the Flying Bat Nebula) and a host of Barnard dark nebulae.

Here's a closer crop of IC1396 which shows the Elephant Trunk more clearly at lower right.

Sadly, this might be the last time I use my Super-Takumar 135mm f3.5 lens as I now have the two versions of the 135mm f2.5 (in M42 and Pentax K), which have a bit more aperture and give tighter diffraction spikes on the brighter stars. Looking closely at the Super-Takumar the aperture blades don't form a tight hexagon, which probably reduces the sharpness of the image slightly. Don't know if it was always like that or whether they were knocked loose at some point in its 45-year life. Still, I certainly got my money's worth from it.

[Scott]

you've certainly been busy sir 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

you've certainly been busy sir 

I only managed two half decent sessions from the beginning of September to the middle of November, so I went a bit crazy on the 23rd and managed a nine hour session with two cameras.

[Scott]

I only managed two half decent sessions from the beginning of September to the middle of November, so I went a bit crazy on the 23rd and managed a nine hour session with two cameras.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I was off work for a few days so I made the most of the opportunity. Next time I'll try to get an anti-dew solution in place and spend more time on each target. I've been drowning in data, which is a nice problem to have, but because some stacks are a little short it makes the processing more difficult.

[lensman57]

This is excellent. The flying bat was on my to do list this year but this weather has hardly allowed me any meaningful imaging. It is very faint even in Ha and the elusive squid in the heart of it needs Oiii with about 8 to 12 hours of exposure. The dark nebulae are showing very well for such short integration time so very well done.

Regards,

A.G

[ollypenrice]

Great to see the two nebulae together. Have you tried simply pushing the top slider in the reds channel to the left to lower the cyans in red? (Photoshop, Image, Adjustments, Selective Colour.)

Olly

[Knight of Clear Skies]

This is excellent. The flying bat was on my to do list this year but this weather has hardly allowed me any meaningful imaging. It is very faint even in Ha and the elusive squid in the heart of it needs Oiii with about 8 to 12 hours of exposure. The dark nebulae are showing very well for such short integration time so very well done.

Regards,

A.G

Thanks, glad you like it. I can't do Sh2-129 justice with two and a bit minute subs but I'm pleased that I managed to pick up the edges where it is optically thicker. Looking at the two nebulae side by side I wonder if Sh2-129 is at a later stage of evolution and has dispersed more of its gas. It's at a similar distance to IC1396 so the two are of comparable size.

Hope you get a clear run at the Bat & Squid next year.

Great to see the two nebulae together. Have you tried simply pushing the top slider in the reds channel to the left to lower the cyans in red? (Photoshop, Image, Adjustments, Selective Colour.)

Olly

Thanks, I will give this a try and see what happens.

[Psychobilly]

The 135mm provides a very nice FOV for IC1396 with the  crop sensor camera...  nice pair of images...  Again your images show whats achievable with some of the excellent older glass thats out there

Peter...