Heart nebula middle right
Date of image 02/09/2016
The heart nebula. Processed using DSS.
Hardware details: Camera: Canon 600D (astro modded). Telescope: SW Evostar 120 with Baader UHC-S filter. Mount: AZ-EQ6 guided using a ST80 synguider. Image details: Lights: 49 x 3min at ISO 800, Darks: 50 x 3min 0 sec at ISO 800 (from dark library), Lights and darks separated by 15 sec intervals. Flats: 100 x 1/1250s (taken from cloudy sky) at ISO 800, Bias: 50 x 1/4000 at ISO 100.
This image was taken to connect my previous attempts at this nebula, with the overall goal of making a mosaic. In the interval between this and my last imaging session, I cleaned the objective and aligned the T-mount which removed the elongated stars that plagued my previous images.
The weather was excellent - no clouds until a huge bank of cloud stopped the session at about 12:30am.
Processing was done in DSS, I increased the saturation by 30% and manually aligned the colours. I reduced the vignetting in the corners by using flats taken from distant cloud cover, I was careful this time not to nudge the camera so the flats were perfectly aligned with the light frames.
As well as altering the T mount grub screws, I also placed 2 small shims in the focuser opposite the locking screw which corrected noticeable focuser tilt.
The image is showing lots of faint nebulosity with a clear boundary to the nebula on the right :-). I will try to make my mosaic asap.
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