gorann

Some suggested we should show our first and last pics for the first year. 2015 is my first year of AP. I started by building an obsy in 2014 before I made a serious attempt in March this year. Here is the first and last attempts at the Andromeda galaxy and Orion Nebula. Partly, the improvement is moving from an Explore Scientific ED80 to an ED127 (both are budget apo refractors) but mostly it is from taking more sub frames (I still take too few but I am too excited about moving on to the next object) and from learning more about processing (Photoshop CS5 in my case). For the Andromeda I first made the mistake to use a cheap UHC filter from Orion that took away all colours but blue. I now use an IDAS filter. The Andromeda does not really fit into the ED127 field of view so I will have another attempt with the ED80 one day. For the Orion Nebula, a lot of improvement is due to multiple subs with 10 s to 4 min exposure times and blending these not to blew out the core. All are taken with a Canon EOS60Da. First and last attempt at Andromeda: First and last attempt at Orion Nebula and Running Man

Mike, your M42 is fantastic, looks like a sweet dessert! Makes me very tempted to invest in a hyperstar for my EdgeHD8. Can you give some details on the equipment and processing?

To get a rather inexpensive NEQ6 attachment for my pier I bought the Skywatcher Half-pillar (tripod extension) for 68 Euros. Works very well. Attached it to the top of my concrete pier with two aluminium plates in between separated by three bolts to that I can level it precisely. Maybe I should take a better pic of the arrangement.