Charting progress with another go at the Dumbbell Nebula

[blackparticle]

I had a go at this with a DSLR when I first got my Equinox 66 in June. I can't remember the exact details but I probably spent the whole night snapping and was using a HEQ5 unguided with subs of around 30s. Results weren't great.. I won't shame myself by re-posting that image.

This time around it was with the SXVF-M8C and a guided NEQ6.

Approx 6hrs in 5min subs split between prime focus at 400mm and 266mm with a Meade FR0.63x. This was to check the variance in size with and without the reducer and in the faint hope I might start to pick up some of the outer shell (which I didn't.. much longer subs required)

Stacked in DSS using x3 drizzle with the subs aligned to the smaller of the two image sizes.

After trying the eskimo and blue snowball with the Mak150 I'm wondering how much detail could be extracted from the core of this one? Something to try next year now probably.

Alan