astro_john_palmer

Nice Knobby. Surprised that the moon had much impact given that is one of the major benefits of narrowband (What Moon?!? 😉)! Look forward to seeing some more narrowband efforts! I'll be hopefully moving that way this year. Just got to decide what to buy and in what order 🤣

Had almost no clear nights for ages, but did manage to get out for one last week and took this shot of the Heart........ of the heart. Hope you like - here is a couple of versions.

Incredible! I love these galaxy cluster images. They give such a great impression of scale.

Awesome! Love these galaxy cluster images as they give such a great impression of scale.

Tell me about it! At least I have a few less panels to worry about 🤣 only 6 more to go. I look forward to seeing your version make mine look like child's play! 😛

Wow, thank you Paul!

Thank you!

Thanks Billy, appreciate the feedback. I have to say, I don't really trust my eyes or monitor so much for the colours. I usually balance the background using colour sampler in PS, which I hadn't done this time! The green was a little high, so I think I have neutralised that a bit better now.

Thanks Mark. I was actually thinking this is probably the first image I have taken which I would be happy to print and display.

Since bad weather continues to hamper my efforts to finish this as a 9 panel mosaic, I decided to stitch it together as a 3 panel panorama. Let me know what you think. Also thought I'd post my previous attempt at Andromeda to see the improvements I have made. Easy to forget where you started being the self critical creatures a lot of us probably are!

So here is my first M33. It came out better in the edit that I expected from the subs to be honest. The second picture is my first test at a mosaic. it's just 2 panels on M31 and I was just practicing getting the panels aligned for capture and the process of stacking. It all went relatively well, except it is a hideously noisy picture because of the lack of exposure time particularly to the right side, where I also had an issue with dew. I think I will go with a 4 or 6 panel mosaic on Andromeda as my first proper stab at a good mosaic image.

Thanks!

Finally got to use my coma corrector and new focuser the other night. Tried it on the Eastern Veil. What do you think, Red, or Fiery Orange? 45x180 - 10 Darks - 20 Flats Celestron C8N, CG5 Mount, Canon 50D, ASI 120MM Mini, ASIAir Pro

Finally got to use my coma corrector and new focuser the other night. Tried it on the Eastern Veil. What do you think, Red, or Fiery Orange?

Lovely shots Steve and Knobby!

Hi, just catching up with new posts since I was last here. Good work Michael, lovely Nowise and Jupiter/Saturn!

Ah nice. I went there twice. Once when it was more of an early morning comet and once just after it had moved more to the evening. This was from the boat launch ramp next to The Anchor.

Thanks Richard! (This is just down the road from you in Hullbridge, looking over the river to South Woodham Ferrers)

Thanks Steve!

Thank you! Don't get me wrong, I am pleased with a lot of my images, but like Steve said (below) I am self-critical and know I can improve. Especially when you start comparing to some other incredible imagers! Yes it's fair to say I take inspiration from others posts here, and maybe mine can do the same. Fair point! I guess I meant more for other people than myself, but you are right it always nice to get some encouragement and critique.

Thanks Steve, I agree comments on this forum are always very helpful and encouraging. I wouldn't say I was afraid of posting, for exactly those reasons. It was more that I thought it's a bit pointless. 🤣

Thanks Kinch. To be fair, I can't claim it is the first image I have posted (those were much worse). There was however a gap between not knowing they were not very good, and then feeling I was up to a standard which I was more happy with.

Thanks Steve. 🙏

Thanks!

I had a go at the elephant trunk nebula. I feel a bit ridiculous posting pictures like this on here when I see all your incredible images. But I'm certainly improving with a long way still to go. This was 2hrs 15 mins of 180 sec exposures. Canon 50D on a Celestron C8N. I need to get myself a coma corrector as I have to cut away half of my image to remove the really fat stars. Anyway, I was semi-proud of this image, so here we are!