MartinB

Many apologies for the delay announcing the results. We need a new 2024 sub forum which admin will be sorting ASAP.

A very good point! Genuinely duplicate equipment is within the spirit of this challenge and acceptable. It is important that the thread is kept for image submissions. I will leave this discussion open for another day and then hide the posts.

Mosaics?

Yes, very pleased with the camera but also the NBZ filter. Looking forward to using it on a non filtered broadband target.

Thanks Olly. I haven't got the flattener yet and it's a big chip!

I've got very comfortable in my obsy and have decided I to get out more, well that's what my daughters tell me anyway! I've purchased a new set up with the idea of taking it with me when we go away in our camper van. The AM5 is amazing and makes setting up outside much less of a chore. The is my first concerted effort and not enough data really but pleased with how it has come out. Scope: Stella Mira 90mm triplet Mount: AM5 Camera: AS! 2600mc IDAS NBZ dual band pass filter 44x3min subs all controlled with ASIair Processed in PS It's a bit blingy and "in your face " but I like it - I was in a cheerful mood when processing!

Pretty good for 33mins and first attempt!

Very interesting and revealing presentation. Well done, quite a lot of work has gone into this.

This challenge has now closed. The results will be announce in about 2 weeks time.

This is a re run of a challenge from last year which proved very popular. Even experienced Lunar observers can still get goosebumps when they view the moon at high magnification. It looks tantalisingly close, as if you could step onto the surface. This challenge is to create this sensation in an image. So we are looking for close up images of the lunar surface. There are lots of distinctive features worth targeting and then there are curious features created when the suns light hits the surface from a certain angle, the Lunar X being a classic. If you have any queries about the challenge please contact me via PM rather than from within this thread. Please provide information regarding how you went about capturing your image including equipment used. Start date 1st April 2024 End date 30th June 2024 No entries will be accepted after this date. As previously the winner and runners up will receive an SGL challenge mug showing their image along with a virtual medal-of-honour for their SGL signature. Please post entries directly into this thread To keep the thread manageable for the judges please do not post comments about entries, emoji reactions are welcome of course. -- RULES All data must be captured and processed by you (no collaborative entries). Data must be captured during the challenge start & end dates. Multiple entries are allowed but please make a fresh post within the thread. Multiple submissions of the same image, processed differently, will not be accepted.

You will need that filter to pick up the faint stuff

It's a nicely processed clean image. You will probably need a few hours more to reveal the faint outer nebulosity

The results are in - https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/420198-sgl-2023-challenge-12-50mm-nifty-fifty/

As expected Orion was a popular target for this challenge but we also had some wonderful wide field images from a variety of sky locations. As always the judging was difficult with a spread of votes. 1) Pipnina - The California Nebula and surrounding area As well as a nice capture of the Cal Neb the dusty detail is superb 2) Orion and his easterly neighbours - Gerr What a magnificent expanse of sky. You can get lost looking at all there is to see in this image. 3) Ursa Minor - Red Chilli Sometimes "less is more". This delicately processed image leads you further and further in. The star colour is beautiful and the dust areas subtly rendered. Red Chill also submitted an annotated version of the image https://content.invisioncic.com/g327141/monthly_2023_12/Polaris_1.jpg.6a6d1b676dfd9c857783974234311d2a.jpg Well done to everyone who submitted an image. There are other excellent images on display in the challenge thread.

Start date: 1st March 2024 End date: 31st May 2024 Very simple. We are looking for images showing the night sky with a landscape foreground. The image must be taken with the same camera and lens/scope combination but stacking is permitted as are star trails. If you have any questions please feel free to PM me, this is much preferred to discussions within the thread. RULES All data must be captured and processed by you (no collaborative entries). Data must be captured during the challenge start & end dates. Entries after the end date will not be included in the judging Multiple entries are allowed. Multiple submissions of the same image, processed differently, will not be accepted. -- To enter please post within this topic, do not start a new topic. Please post as much information as possible - when it was taken, how it was captured and processed, etc. The info won't necessarily be used for judging but will help fellow SGLers looking to learn and improve their knowledge and technique. The thread is for image submissions only, please do not respond to entries other than by using emojies.

This challenge is now closed. The results will be announced in about 2 weeks time

Enjoy your coffee Geoff!

The results are in - https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/418864-sgl-2023-challenge-10-planets-and-special-events/

A small number of entries for this challenge but the quality was outstanding. As always, some tricky calls for the judges. 1) Venus What a wonderful daytime image! Kon used IR and UV filters mapping IR to red, UV to blue and created a synthetic green. Beautiful! Taken with a hand controlled 8" dob!!! 2) Geoff Lewis - Jupiter with IO transit Io transit with the GRS just coming into view. Sensitively processed. A great image! 3) Nigella Bryant - Uranus Uranus has been well placed during this challenge but it is a long way away! A fabulous long focal length image. Well done to everyone who took part

Nasa's "Astronomy Picture of the Day" on 23/01/2024 was a remarkable image covering a huge area of sky and revealing a multitude of deep sky objects https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240123.html Of course, very few of us have Arizona type night skies but lets see what you can come up with. This challenge is to capture the night sky and the deep sky objects hiding there. It can be a single wide field image or a multipanel mosaic. The only rule is that the same camera and scope/lens should be used throughout. You can use different filters if you wish. The judges will be looking at the depth of the image, the sheer number of objects visible and also the aesthetic quality of the image. You could choose to annotate your image but if you do this please only use annotations which appear when you move you cursor over it. Part of the fun is for people to see how many objects they can identify for themselves If you have any questions about the challenge please message me, please do not start a discussion within the thread Start date 2nd February 2024 End date 30 April 2024 No entries will be accepted after this date. As previously the winner and runners up will receive an SGL challenge mug showing their image along with a virtual medal-of-honour for their SGL signature. Please post entries directly into this thread To keep the thread manageable for the judges please do not post comments about entries, emoji reactions are welcome of course. -- RULES All data must be captured and processed by you (no collaborative entries). Data must be captured during the challenge start & end dates. Multiple entries are allowed but please make a fresh post within the thread. Multiple submissions of the same image, processed differently, will not be accepted.

This challenge has now closed. The results will be announce in about 2 weeks time

Welcome to SGL Jane. I hope you are enjoying retirement! I finished as a GP 6 years ago and haven't looked back! If your visual impairment mainly affects the macula you should be fine for deep sky observing. In fact observers have to train themselves away from using their central vision towards using "averted vision" engaging the more light sensitive parts of the retina. You have picked a nice scope!

The results are in! https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/417855-sgl-2023-challenge-9-the-earth-and-the-moon/

As always some terrific entries with a huge variation in the types of image submitted. This has made the judging quite tricky since there was quite a wide spread of votes. However we now have our three winners along with a special mention for another. 1. IB20 Moon Halo 2) High cloud with ice crystals have created this effect which must have had IB20 hurrying to grab his camera. A very striking image 2. DaveW Pomona Dock, Salford A very mundane title for a spectacular image. Capturing an image like this takes a lot of planning and perseverence. Superb 3) Derbyshire Dave - The moon over Florence Cathedral The cathedral reaching up to the the heavens, what a wonderful image! During the period of this challenge we had a very rare appearence of nacreous clouds. The clouds are made up of very fine ice crystals, much smaller than normal ice clouds. They require very cold temperatures to form and are more commonly seen in extreme northerly latititudes. They reflect light from a recently set sun producing a luminescent effect and can contain a spread of colours. Scotty1 managed to capture this in the image below. It isn't one of our winners because although the moon is in view it is the cloud that steels the show and this isn't a cloud challenge! Well done everyone who entered. I am sorry if you are amongst those who submitted a wonderful image and aren't in the frame, in a parallel universe the selection could have been completely different!

Wowser! That is glorious.