alan potts

Maybe I should put the orange colour back, took a fair amount of care removing most of it using select and mask. Really useful tool in PS. Alan.

I feel it is more about the decent sky I get here. Sadly missed the next two night when it by all account was good because I went to the Black Sea. Alan

`Thanks, Rodd, could have a point as haze was in the mix for sure the first night. It was a getting better night and the target was picked up about the same time each of 3 nights, and within a small margin framed the same, so you could have a point there. What I found even more interesting was after the 3rd nights added data, which I have not posted yet due to being away, the spike vanished. This was maybe one set of data outweighing the other. Alan

A very good first it is too, lovely image.

You can see it right enough but it gets a little spoilt by the thousands of stars, they seem to overpower it somewhat, still a nice image though. Alan

That's rather beautiful MG, I imagine it is better placed for you down there, it is low here in Bulgaria so must be awful in the UK. Alan

I should have said I can't see it without a filter with an 18 inch, with filter it is really rather beautiful. My question expanding on your RGB work, will I be able to get something just using my DSLR on my scope. I do have an Olll visual filter which I imagine will be better than nothing at all. Alan

Lovely image, I guess it is taken with an Olll filter, is it possible to take without with a camera, as visually I can't see it even with an 18 inch. Alan

Wow, stunning clarity in that shot.

I have done all of those and a few more John with my 12 inch Meade SC, but I believe this is easier with firstly a driven scope and secondly, most likely better skies. I am sure I saw the centre star once at X358 (8mm Delos) with this scope after 30 hours of looking, I have since done it with the 18 inch. It is fairly easy with the 115mm apo and a camera but that's talk of the devil here. Alan.

A really nice image, I like the Only 7.3hrs, that's more time than I spent the last 3 nights, last night we had a lightning show, massive storm. Alan

No I didn'nt, I saw the issue which was the second night and didn't take the sub, the spike is on the first nights images, all of them 3 and 4 mins when it was in the clear of trees.. Interestingly I added a 3rd nights data a mere 48mins of subs and after stacking the spike has gone, though the data with it on is still in the stack, bit of an odd one, never seen it before as there should be no spikes and within a tad the scope and everything else was int he same place all three nights. Alan.

I actually had a try to find that last night but as I was under attack from mosquitoes gave up, maybe tonight I can have another go, M16 and 17 are tempting me. It's not me doing it, I mask the background anyway when I colour the nebular which I have done, I reduced the orange in the stars a fair bit, you should see it out of the camera, really rich orange, I think it may be what you said about the stars colour but it also makes the background sky a mucky brown colour that I'm not keen on. Alan

I have been slowly adding to this over the past few nights, even though it has been very hot, the sky has been pretty clear low down, seeing the Sting has been very easy between the trees. Can even see M 6 and 7 without binos. This is about 90 minutes on 3 minute subs. Canon 40 D with 805mm APO Why does it always come out very orange in the star fields? Hope you like it. Alan

The first nights images were definitely not near a tree and the roof slides way backwards away from it, oddly and correct as you are the second night I did start shooting with part of a tree in shot, I just waited five minutes for it to clear the tree. Alan

Wow, so sharp and clean, very nice job you have done there, I think I prefer the softer colours you have used. I know colour is only a personal taste thing but I do find some a bit over the top. Well done thanks for sharing with us. Alan

Yes it is a permanent set up but I took the camera off after the first night to download, it's only a DSLR, Sometimes I take the laptop to download which I did this morning, I want to add another 45 minutes or so tonight. Alan

I have got about 90minutes or so on this target which is very low at between 18 and 22 degrees whilst I can see it, when it goes from sight it is not getting any better, trees for you. On the first nights subs one of the stars has a set of spikes, where as, the second night it was not there. Now both sets were not matched up exact there was a little difference in the frames and I do mean little. I have never seen this before, what caused it? 24x 180seconds at 1600iso and 5x 240seconds. Only bashed through PS quick to ask the question, it is struggle getting the orange colour out of the subs, I guess this is because the low position in the sky. Alan

Nice shot as it is low from where you are, I am going to try this myself soon, last night I was on something really low, not looked at results yet. Didn't look too bad but it was a very good night. Alan

Very nice version of this large target, it may be a bit too big for me to have a go at it, I was looking at it last night while sitting at the scope, couldn't see mind, but knew it was there. Alan.

A very nice one it is too, only lightning here, still saves on electric. Alan

Wow, superb capture, guess your skies are a bit better than mine at the moment, yet another massive storm last night, that must be about 35 this month and almost as many inches of rain, it's like living in the tropics. Alan

Very pleased to hear though I have not seen you for a good while, I am fairly new to AP but do look through most stuff. I am sure you can understand my reasons for saying what I posted. Alan.

That's a good as any shots I have seen of the moon, nice and sharp. Alan

What will it see down to on a decent night Gerry about 17mag. The centre star of M57 is a good one to try I have done here on a good night twice, without having to go to high power, Thing I was using around x210. Alan.