M13 Great Cluster in Hercules @ F4

[Tim]

It's a bit early in the year really for M13, but it was rising over my boundary at around 04.30 the other night, so I set the camera on 20 minute subs and just managed to grab 8 exposures before it got too light.

Thankfully the stars were still nice, tight, and round, even though the mirror in my Quattro was struggling against the dew.

In the full size version of the image, available here it is possible to pick out dozens of faint fuzzies in the background, along with the more obvious NGC galaxy companions of M13.

The image is a full frame shot from a QHY8, with the scope nicely collimated and the mirror properly acclimatised, so it gives an idea of the sort of residual coma in the corners that sneaks past the Baader MPCC with this size (APS-C) camera.

Image taken with 10" Skywatcher Quattro. The tube is carbon fibre, and has proved very stable, even when the temperatures were dropping very quickly at the start of the week. I didn't even need to re-focus from the night before (The mirror took some time to adjust to the temperature drop though, but that's another story)

8 x 20 mins = 2hr 40 mins total exposure.

Thanks for looking.

Tim

[Spikey]

Thats a great image Tim, eben more so given the number of subs and conditions.

I'm hoping to have a go at this one soon.

[David Smith]

Beautiful photo. Must observe M13 again soon. Assume that is NGC6207 at bottom left. Never seen that visually.

[barkis]

Ah!, tis a fine sight this great Globular, whether observed or imaged it never fails to Impress.

Another corker from your Obs. Tim .

Ron.

[Stephen]

Cracking Tim

[Zul]

Amazing image!

[ollypenrice]

Particularly attractive star colour in the outliers. Very nice, Tim.

Olly

[Deneb]

mmm, the colours are looking really good, thats what I noticed 1st with the F4 Quattro even with a DSLR, there's an improvement in star colour.

[kenmyers]

I am yet to see a GC with my own eyes. This image is incredibly colourful and pretty.

[RobH]

Cracking image Tim...lovely resolution down to the core, and fine star colour.

I am yet to see a GC with my own eyes.

You're in for a treat with M13

[Chris]

04:30 start! thats commitment lovely cluster! and I enjoyed playing wheres Wolly with the background galaxies

[twotter]

Cracking image, reminds me of some cosmic monster from Star Trek

[Keiran]

Stunning photo mate, not normally one for clusters, but that is just amazing. love the fuzzies too. that scope looks very interesting.

[nightfisher]

lovely image, M13 was the first depp sky object i found about 12 years back with my old st80 (my first scope)

[Tim]

04:30 start! thats commitment lovely cluster! and I enjoyed playing wheres Wolly with the background galaxies

Well I do sleep in between imaging runs when the night is clear all night with no risk of rain I typically get around three hours on a target before it needs flipping or swapping, and I rarely image both sides of the flip. It means the alarm can be set to a predicted time and then enjoy a little catnap while the camera does its stuff

Thanks for the nice comments guys

[Coco]

Outstanding ... one of my favorite Messier targets..

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Really can't wait to see my first glob. My 200p was ordered today

[Tim]

They are one of the few objects that look as good if not better in the eyepiece as they do to the camera.

I think M3 will be first up for you, there's a pic of that in my albums too.

[Gra]

Great pic Tim. M13 is my favorite cluster.

[Sp@ce_d]

I love M13 & that is lovely star colour.. 20min subs! Is that a OSC you're using? I tried this last year and just couldn't avoid blowing the core on a lot less. The quattro's are tempting but having never had a newt a bit daunting I fear.

[Tim]

Yes, the QHY8 is a OSC camera. I did 20 min subs last year with an MN190 @ f5.3. I thought that the Quattro at F4 would be too much at 20 mins, but apparently not, there is plenty of central definition in the raw subs. Might have a go at 30 mins later in the year.