Long Iris in the 115 apo.

[MikeWilson]

Beautiful, Olly! I don't think I've had even twelve hours total under clear skies!

[fatwoul]

...I always look out for any images you post, but I think you've surpassed yourself with this one. Would it be fair to assume that you've decided it's a keeper...? (And have you let AA know they're not having it back?! )

Yes, it's good to see those scopes can perform so admirably, since there was a lot of buzz about them only a month or two ago.

Remarkable as the image is, Olly, I sincerely hope this is the last one we see from you for at least a day or two. The next photos I want to see are of the happy couple!

[Dangerous-Dave]

Super image as usual Olly, and a resounding endorsement for the scope! Out of interest, did you use a flattener as the star shapes are pretty damn good there?

[ollypenrice]

Super image as usual Olly, and a resounding endorsement for the scope! Out of interest, did you use a flattener as the star shapes are pretty damn good there?

Thanks Dave. The scope comes with its own flattener which, like those on SCTs, seems to produce a long and tolerant light cone so chip distance, though it must be respected, is not millimetre critical. I've lashed up setups with this scope varying by several millimetres and had good clean stars. In all honesty I haven't struggled to find the optimum chip distance since it seems OK and also becase we are insanely busy!!

Olly

[Ags]

The image is amazing. What stuns me are the stars shining redly through the dust - the sunset effect is logical, but I have never seen it brought out so clearly in an image before.

[cloudbuster]

that really is a lovely pic....of a subject i knew little of. well done olly!

[SimonfromSussex]

Simply the best image i have seen thus far Olly. Fantastic!

[Les Tilly]

Super Image Olly how dark are your skies?

Les

[ollypenrice]

Thanks Les. The sky here is about as good as it gets in mainland Europe with no directly visible lights and two mountain ridges between us and any town to the south. The zenith is Mag7 if you have the eyes, which I don't! We are at 3000 feet. The place took a bit of finding...

Olly

[saturnringing]

Well, Olly, I am humbled by the beauty of this one. If I could ever capture an image like this, I would begin to feel like Renoir with a camera and telescope. I'm impressed! Nice work, I would have expected this from the Hubble or the Spitzer.

[bigfoot100]

Love the pic

[leeq]

Absolutely stunning. Incredible depth.

[Tom OD]

Super image Olly. I read that as I love headsets. I had this image of you controlling 3 GOTO mounts with headphones on, telling each to goto different objects. I guess thats the next step. Stay indoors and don´t even touch a keyboard, just tell the scope what to do. Emm.... Copyright me, just now, just in case.

I don´t mind the bright center, I can still see detail all around it. As for the dust, well bingo, it looks great. Well worth the 12 hrs.

Tom.