Rodd

Thanks, Mack!

I don’t think it matters. I experimented with short exposures and while the artifacts were absent in individual subs, they were present in the combined Images.

Attempting a broadband image of this target. As usual, I am feelinmg underwhelmed with the data. I had a darker than usual couple of nights. Seeing was acceptable, but the data is klacking. I was frorced to add a bit of Ha I captured using the FSQ last year--only about 15% in the red channel. This was necessary to correct the color palette, which was too maroon at left and cloudy greenish at center. I am not sure if I should try luminance, or keep going with RGB. The thing is, to be this close in on a target tghe resolution has to be very sharp, so seeing has to be good. While the TOA that shoots with a resolution of .79" is better than the C11Edge that shoots at .4" (with reducer), it is still to much resolution for my seeing-hence the 2x2 binning, which brings tghe resolution to 1.58". This image looks a bit soft to me. Maybe the FSQ is really the better option for me. Using a 2600 level sensor would provide a somewhat larger FOV-but even higher resolution (pixels are 3.76nm and mine are 3.8 nm). Still unsure as to which scope is best for me. I collected 15 min of 10 sec subs to recover clipped star cores. I did not collect blue 10 sec subs, so the stars are not what I had hoped. Come to think of it, maybe 15 min is not enough to recover star cores--I did capture 15 min of 10" subs for all channels for my Running Man image and the stars are still not colored nicely. TOA 130 with .99x flattener and ASI 1600. Red: 131 120" and 90 10"; Green 106 120" and 90 10"; Blue 45 120" (no 10" yet). Bin 2x2

Thanks. I didn’t realize I posted it to the wrong forum. Sorry!

Here is a full RGB version. Still needs some hours. Maybe luminance ( my sky limits me to 60 sec though. Not sure it’s worth it. May be Ha/OIII

I wonder why. I get it all the time. And it sucks

In case anyone didn't know--here is the home of the green dragon (who can turn blue at will). Another bicolor (red and green) image. A bit rough, but hey, give me a break-I need much more data!

I have never seen a mono image composed purely with green subs. It goes to in space show you, there IS green in space not associated with PNs. In trut.h, this reflection nebula is comprised of both blue and green light, but I have yet to capture blue. I am debating whether I need more green before switching to blue. TOA 130 with .99x flattener and ASI 1600. 80 120 sec green. Bin 2x2.

Very nice--How did you avoid microlensing artifacts around the bright star? I use the ASI 1600 and find it to be atrocious with stars. I am shooting this one now, and the bright star is terrible

It is strange but I have beeter luck with bicolor broadband images than I do with bicolor naerowband images. In fact, what usually happens is my bicolor btraodband image ends up better than a full RGB version for some reason. After a coupleof decent nights, I decided to see what I would end up with using just red and green data for NGC 1977. The stars are not colored very well, and this is an HDR composition using 120 sec and 10 sec subs to restore clipped stellar cores, so I definitely want to collect blue data (and luminance), so the stars come out nicely colored. Also, I simply must replace the ASI 1600 with the 2600. The star microlensing artifacts are just not acceptabl TOA 130 with .99x flattener and ASI 1600. 139 120.sec and 90 10 sec red, and 100 120 sec and 90 10sec green, bin 2x2. About 8.5 hours.

A motor encoder blew. Plus bearings were rough and the PEC curve had been lost.

I'm back baby! My first new data in months. I got my Mach 1 back from TNR and it is much improved. It has a new PEC curve, new bearings, grease, etc. What a difference. My guide graph actually looks respectable for a change. Also, I finally got to try the new .99x fl;attener, which has a spot size of 1um to 30mm, which covers my sensor (it might be 20 mm, but then its 2um to 30--something like that). So far I am impressed (which translates to so far I can't complain)-though it doesnt do much to reduce the ASI 1600 star microlensing artifacts. I fixed what I could. I botched the framing for NGC 1333 big time. I am hoping it can still make a nice image in the end. NGC-1977: 94 120 sec red, Bin 2 NGC 1333: 144 120 sec red, Bin 2

Reprocess. Its all about the halo and avoiding boundary lines within the halo. GCs are clearer.

Thanks, Snoani

Thanks Wolfie

Thanks Cajun. My favorite as well. It always had been.

Thanks Graham!

My mount arrived on Sunday. I will set it up over the next week or so as work and weather permit. I think I will use the TOA and new flattener. Meanwhile, I decided to try a data set from Insight Observatory in Namibia. 10 hours LRGB taken with AG Optical 20" Dal Kirkum and FLI 16803 camera.. I was surprised that I needed to use DBE on data collected from such a pristine site. This is my first attempt. I have since twiddled and fumbled my way through a few dozen versions--I think I will stick with this one for now. The dust lane is too dark, and the background galaxies could be brighter. I'll have to start from scratch. Version 1 Version 2-I think more natural

You like HS?

I agree. Theye are too close to tell. I guess in my sky, on most nights, there is little advantage to using the C11. It will build signal faster, but any such benefit is tempered by a significantly resuced FOV. When Nebula season comes around, I struggle to find suitable framings with the C11.

Yeah. I didnt realize that 1.3 was the lilit for 4". That is better seeing than I get 99% of the time. 1.3 is pretty good resolution. Maybe the FSQ is the scope I should use and forget about long focal length work--at least in my back yard.

Wow--virtually a lost art. Film AP is amazing. How to know one is pointing at the target? Film development takes time--focusing on stars is understandable, but framing? A very different skill set. I like black and white images as well (Ha). I suppose one can look at LRGB images in black and white too. There is something about black and white images.

Thanks Alan, glad you like it

Thanks!

Ahh. It’s a bit over stretched and over saturated around the rim but in my sky I have to stretch pretty hard