M57 (Dobsonian)

[Mamsoth]

I wasn't going to post another M57 so soon after my last one but I do think it offers a genuine improvement over my previous attempt.

Initially I was just using the ring as a testing ground for my EQ platform before moving onto some more elusive and exciting targets but along the way and despite it being one of the most photographed deep sky objects I found a renewed excitement for this famous little PN

Anyway here are my meager efforts, exposure time and equipment were as follows...

12 " Skywatcher Skyliner

Watch house Equatorial Platform

Atk 2-hs

300x3sec exposures Stacked and Processed in Registax v6

***Added, 80 x 10 sec exposures, processed in DSS and tweaked slightly in Registax***

[spaceboy]

WOW!! and with a dob as well. Great image with some real nice detail.

[lukebl]

Great result. And with 3 sec exposures!

[MartinB]

Some nice detail appearing there but couldn't you have gone longer than 3 seconds?

[Mamsoth]

Some nice detail appearing there but couldn't you have gone longer than 3 seconds?

I did get some 10 second exposures but I think that might be the limit for the platform (my Skyliner is pushing the weight limit for the platform as it is). I've added the 10 sec result.

Cheers and Clear skies

Matt

[spaceboy]

I personally think the 3 second ones are the better. What EQP are you using?

[Mamsoth]

I personally think the 3 second ones are the better. What EQP are you using?

I think I agree Spaceboy, I prefer the 3 sec one. The EQP is a Watch house. It was only 445 pounds (my pound sign on my keyboard is broken ).

When it first arrived I hated it, but as I'm getting more use out of it I'm finding I like it better and better, I love it now!!!

[spaceboy]

I've always wondered if any members have one. How do you reset them as the EQ2 motors don't have clutches? Do you have to undo the flexi coupler ?

[Mamsoth]

It is a bit stone age in that respect, you just turn the drive off then lift the top board a little and manually swing it back into its starting position. Bit of a pain in the !@" but you soon get used to it. I would have preferred some kind of mechanical solution but for the price I can't complain too loudly

[spaceboy]

Interesting. So do you have to take the dob of or is it easily done with it on? I would be a bit nervous about doing it with the dob on TBH.

[spaceboy]

I used the same motor on my EQP but I am able to undo the connecting thumbscrew reset and then tighten it up again so no need for risking my dob toppling of. It is a little fiddly in the dark but it works.

[Mamsoth]

Interesting. So do you have to take the dob of or is it easily done with it on? I would be a bit nervous about doing it with the dob on TBH.

Lol, I was terrified about doing it, for the first few nights I did exactly that, I took it off every time. Thankfully my laziness really started to take hold and now it comes as second nature to just leave the dob sitting on the platform and then just swing it round .

Was definitely a bit hairy at first though

[Star Trawler]

Great images, nice work

[kruska]

my m57 SCT, 50-60 x 20sec,qhy8L