Gerr

Hi All,

I would like to do some lunar imaging this season and would like some advice on a good camera to do this.

I have done some Lunar imaging with my guide camera (Zwo 120mm mini) and a DSLR (Canon 650D) with some success (see image below - Zwo).

My scopes and equipment are in my signature below.

Any recommendations?

Gerr.

Great image. Excellent detail and lots of dusty stuff. I like the other fuzzies you captured as well. Nicely processed (I de-noised way too much on my last attempt but yours is nicely balanced). I myself am looking at RC6 as next scope perhaps. Keep the images coming to persuade me more!!!

Gerr.

Bigger aperture telescope with longer focal length (hope f number stays low). Better camera (dedicated astro CCD - can crop to smaller targets without losing too much detail). Better guide camera to deal with longer focal length telescope. Better mount to handle the increased payload. Lots of moonless, cloudless, windless skies and a very big wallet to pay for it all!!!! 

If I was to upgrade to achieve better imaging smaller DSO's then I would consider:

SW250PDS reflector telescope. EQ6-R Mount (belt driven). ASI2600MC camera (or ASI1600 at least). But up to you on OSC or Mono(+filter) cameras.

Can't think of a guide camera (can anyone else suggest one for the above).

Consider RORO Observatory??

That's off the top of my head for the main components.

Gerr.

Last night I had a go at this face-on spiral galaxy in Ursa Major (being only 21million light years away!!!).

My second attempt and with no wind, virtually no moon and no clouds either things were looking good for me.

I am still trying to avoid spending loads on new equipment and so my old faithful Canon 650D and 10 year old SW200P reflector were employed for the job (like they usually are). My mount is pretty decent though (HEQ5 Pro) and I managed excellent guiding achieving 0.29 RMS error only. Even so I still had to discard nearly a third of my lights due to stars refusing to stay round!! Probably due to mount payload being maxed out with a big scope and extras.

Method: 68 Lights (150 secs at ISO800), 2hrs 50mins total.  Optolong L-Pro filter. Bias and Flat frames (20 of each).

Stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop CS2 (I don't use anything else as it usually involves more cash).

Hope you like?

Gerr.

Results (original and cropped images):

Not sure on your rhetoric but it’s the image that counts and I like it. Nicely detailed and dusty galactic arms bisecting the central bright galactic core. A small object that you’ve captured well with pin point stars too. Your guiding must of been good. Impressive image. Well done.

Gerr.

Your M51 looks great. Nice and sharp details in the spiral arms with lovely colour. Nice bit of dusty stuff too.

Your stars appear to have dual colours. Not sure what the cause of this is?

Gerr.

Thanks for the comments.

Regards to denoising - not sure?

Image was obtained using a sub £200 camera with a £100 telescope.

My mount was expensive at £900!!!

My imaging software was free - DSS and CD-ROM photoshop CS2.

I'm pretty happy!

Gerrr.

Great image but my preference would be half way between the first and second images in terms of background black point!!

Nice and sharp galactic details with well balanced colours. No noticeable noise, well done.

Gerr.

Hi All,

This is a reworked attempt at M51 taken on 5th March recently. Moon was waning gibbous, wind was gentle breeze and the Jetstream was favourable.

SW200P Reflector with guiding approx. 0.4 to 0.5 RMS accuracy. Canon 650D (ISO1600). HEQ5 Mount (Rowan belt mod).

Lights: 92x90secs (2.3hrs imaging time). Relatively short exposures as I was using the Optolong L-Pro filter and the histogram was eagerly trying to advance to the middle half!! I live in Bortle 6 skies.

Stacked in DSS and processed solely in Photoshop CS2 (an old version but I 'm comfortable with it!).

CC's welcome!

Gerr.

Lovely image. Great details and colours and I like the bonus galaxies you captured too. This galaxy is in Ursa Major (I researched!) and one I haven't imaged yet (next target?). If I get something close to your result I would be happy!

Gerr.

Last night was another chance of doing these galaxies (this time with my coma corrector)!!

Wind was nice to me. Guiding RMS error only 0.3. Did have some problems with dew and rowan belt (took some damage from a 'collision' night before!!) - was able to replace belt and start rig up again and used opportunity to switch filters.

Lights: 65x60secs - ISO800 - Canon 650D - Optolong L-Pro

Lights: 22x360secs - ISO1600 - Canon 650D - Optolong L-eNhance

Total imaging time 3hrs 20mins. Images stacked in DSS separately and combined in photoshop.

As usual CC's welcome.

Gerr.

Thanks Lee and you’re going in the right direction too. Great attempt with your current set-up. All a big learning curve with this hobby!! 
 

Wow, that is amazing for just one image! I may upgrade yet!!! 😂

I’m going to have another go at the triplet tonight - this time with Coma Corrector! I also noticed I had the Optolong L-eNhance attached and not the L-Pro. If tonight’s imaging goes well I will try and combine both filters for a hybrid type picture.

Thanks for the positive comments everyone.👍😀

Gerr.

Hi All,

Well last night I did indeed manage to get 51 useable subs of the Leo Triplet (4hrs 25mins total) each of 300second duration.

The guiding stayed steady at about 0.5RMS with the wind having abated to a gentle breeze.

Forgot to use my coma corrector though - but I don't think it effected the images too much!!

This is what I got:

The Leo Triplet (M66, M65 & NGC3628)

CC's Welcome

Hi All,

I believe anything that involves 3 hrs capture time is enough for a quite decent image!

Our British skies don't usually allow for more than that!!!

One reason why I haven't 'upgraded' yet!!

I am still trying to maximise my results with what I have and where I image from!

Love the challenge though

Gerr.!!

Evening All,

Tonight's challenge is this trio of galaxies in the Leo constellation. Wind is a bit of a problem as I'm using a SW200P reflector on a HEQ5 mount and unlike the forecast it is gusting to Force 5 (strong breeze on Beaufort scale). However the wind is dropping and I've got my PHD guiding to less than 0.8rms and I'm hopeful this is enough for a sharpish image!! The moon is a waning gibbous but it hasn't risen yet - things are looking promising. I've set APT to collect 50 images at ISO1600 - 5 minute duration with dither skipped on every other. I'm hoping my DSLR (Canon 650D) can bring in the goods (Optolong Pro Filter attached). 

This is a teaser but I'm confident after reviewing the first few images that something good is happening.

I will reveal all in 24 hours (or thereabouts).

Anybody else in for a real time challenge like this???

Good Luck,

Gerr.

Results will be published soon!!!!

Wow - what a belter (pardon the pun). 

Stunning image - wish it was mine!!!!

Gerr.

Thank you Martin. I'll leave it alone for a while now and maybe look at the Triangulum - another toughie!!!!

Gerr.

This galaxy maybe our closest, largest and one of the few brightest that can be seen with the naked eye but goodness me do I find it difficult to image and process!!

I have tried several times to do it justice and in the end I stacked all the half decent data I had from previous imaging sessions into one big hit on DSS and hoped for the best.

Total integration time is 8hrs thereabouts. Spread over several months (4 imaging sessions in all).

Optolong Pro and L-eNhance filters were used on separate occasions dependent on moon state. Lights varied from 4mins to 8mins in duration.  

SWED80 Refractor     Canon650D (astro modded)   ISO1600

I think it doesn't look too bad and certainly is my best to date.

CC's welcome.

Gerr.

Nice images - don’t think I could attempt that with my set-up. Good to see what Ha can do to improve image aesthetics. Something I may try with my limited filters - HaRGB composite a possibility!

Gerr.

Aha! Cheers - will follow hat up. 
Gerr.

That’s a great image! I love the star concentration and colours- beautifully presented. Nice galaxy top left too!! I have SW200P and I get some asymmetrical flare with star diffraction spikes too if that was what you were referring to? 
Gerr.

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the reply and that seems like great advice as I did wonder about dedicated OSC v's Mono (+ filters).

Your answer very much helps in my future direction.

Gerr.

I agree with you - the California nebula is fantastic - never seen it like that. The elephant trunk is also a favourite of mine. Your colour scheme and level of detail is great - what camera / filter combination do you use?? I only have a DSLR  but I would be interested in stepping up the game with results like that. 

Excellent imaging.

Gerr.

It was a full moon and a spooky night when I went hunting for ghosts in Cassiopeia!!

I was hunting with my Optolong L-eNhance filter and SW200P reflector to give me this chance beginning of March.

A tricky target but I'm glad to say, 'I got one'!!!

I hope you appreciate my efforts.

CC's welcome.

Lights: 37x300secs (185 mins)   Canon 650D (astro'd)  ISO1600