Dug around in last weeks images, found M51

[geppetto]

Few nights back, I took loads of images and just getting round to

having a look through them.

This one tweaked out of a single frame: D40 prime focus 200mm F5 reflector.

It was 116 seconds at ISO 800.

Very pleased with the HEQ5 unguided tracking on the pier 8)

Not the greatest image in the world but my first recognisable M51

[GazOC]

Nice find, I wish there were a few like that on my hard drive...

[geppetto]

Cheers Gaz

Still not got to grips with DSO editing so will post

a link here to the origonal orange picture in case

Martin has nothing better to do

http://www.pctee.co.uk/sgl/red51.jpg

[SteelRat]

Looks like lot's of info in there mate - good find 8)

[Akyra]

I'm looking to capture M13 tonight with my dob (AltAzi), how did you manange 116seconds? I have just tried to take some of the moon and within a few seconds its out of my FOV so the images are probs gonna turn out rubbish.

Very nice image by the way!

[geppetto]

how did you manange 116seconds

Scopes on a motorised HEQ5 mount mate...

[Akyra]

Oh, so that keeps the object in the center(ish) of the FOV? I wish I had more money to put into this

[geppetto]

Oh, so that keeps the object in the center(ish) of the FOV?

That's right, the mount moves at the same rate as the earth is spinning

so what it's pointing at stays put in the field of view

[Akyra]

I had a fiddle with your image.

So an EQ platform is a basic version of what your mount does?

[geppetto]

So an EQ platform is a basic version of what your mount does

Yep, they all do the same thing but go about it in different ways...

I see you found the orange M51

[GazOC]

For a small Dobs (8"-10") its cheaper to get a 'proper' motorized mount like the HEQ5/ EQ6. Equatorial platforms come into their own for the 14"+ Dobs.

[Cloudgazer]

Nice find Phil 8).. and a fine bit of processing to remove all that tomato soup .

Scott

[Roy]

Nice capture Philip.

I tried imaging with a 300D for about 2 mins and then gave up, the LP around here makes it to much like hard work so I know how hard it can be to capture any kind of image, I take my hat off to you m8 well done.

[MartinB]

That's looking good Philip with some lane detail. How about trying out your new curves tool on it?

[geppetto]

How about trying out your new curves tool on it

Had another go using the new tools Martin...

Got some reading and learning to do as well as taking more frames next good sky.

Great fun

[MartinB]

Well that's looking pretty good! A little shift of the black point to the R and you're there!

[centroid]

For a single 116 sec frame, I'd say that was pretty damn good. A few frames like that 'stacked' would add up to a very nice image.

The HEQ5 is most was most certainly well aligned, and 'tracking' well, as they are nice 'tight' round stars.

As I said, for that single exposure, you have captured a surprising amount of detail.

Dave

[geppetto]

Had one last tweak to it...

Very pleased really, it's certainly the best galaxy I've got

to date so onwards and upwards

[centroid]

That's a significant improvement Phil.

You must have 'taken note', of what I said about Robert the Bruce

Dave

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

That's a significant improvement Phil.

You must have 'taken note', of what I said about Robert the Bruce

Dave

What is it about spiders all of a sudden?

Captain Chaos