M78 and a surprise guest

[steppenwolf]

I have been wanting to image M78 for some time but I hadn't realised just how dim this object was and shooting through high level moisture didn't help either. I've got to visit this object again under better conditions and take a whole lot more data with a deeper luminance and many more RGB subs (I only had time for 4 of each before cloud and trees ruined the session!) as it is clearly an amazing reflection nebula. Taken with my SXVF-H9, SW 250PX, SX/ATIK hybrid filter wheel and OAG.

And the surprise guest? Thanks to an amazing post by Lukebl who by coincidence was imaging the same object that night, I was alerted to the possibility that I too may have captured Asteroid 3709 Polypoites, an object that I had never even heard of. A check of my raw luminance data confirmed that I had indeed captured it so here it is - look to the left of the bright core which I have deliberately over-stretched to show the asteroid. Another thing that this movie showed me was just how much the atmosphere was playing with my star sizes through the session!

[Sparrow]

I like it - It's the surprise finds that make it real fun

[riklaunim]

And don't forget McNeil's Nebula - it may also be interesting part of that complex if it change brightness

[steppenwolf]

I like it - It's the surprise finds that make it real fun

You are absolutely right and it has made me re-think my data handling as it is just a few minutes work to check a set of subs for this sort of object.

[lukebl]

Nice one!

Just wondered how long your luminance subs were, and how many you took, given that we were imaging it with virtually identical kit. Yours seems to show significantly more detail than mine, although I was also using a Baader UHC-S L-booster filter to reduce light pollution, and I think that it reduces the brightness considerably.

[Tim]

That's nice Steve, which night did you take the exposures? I might have that too!

[barkis]

Pretty little object too Steve. Even though it is a dim one to locate, It looks quite lively in you image. Lots of surrounding clouds in the area a well.

The Asteroid capture is a bonus alright.

Isn't Astronomy exciting at times .

Ron.

[steppenwolf]

Just wondered how long your luminance subs were, and how many you took,

Hi Luke, the L subs were 22 x 400 secs. bin 1 x 1 and the RGB were 4 x 300 secs bin 2 x 2

which night did you take the exposures?

Hi Tim, this was captured on the night of 23/01/12

[Sparrow]

You are absolutely right and it has made me re-think my data handling as it is just a few minutes work to check a set of subs for this sort of object.

Yes Steve, good idea. I've got three years of data I can scan through for things like this - a job for the summer months I think.

Does anyone know if there's any software out there that will scan through images automatically for changes? - I presume the professional observatories use something to do this kind of task, so maybe it's filtered in to the amateur world.

[prokyon]

Very nice M78 and the movie is a real stunner.

[lukebl]

...Does anyone know if there's any software out there that will scan through images automatically for changes?....

I'm sure there is, but I routinely flick between the first and last images of an imaging run in Photoshop to see if there is anything unusual. A sort of makeshift blink comparator. I've never found anything new yet, but it's very quick to do, and anything which has moved over the period of the imaging session stands out immediately, like this one:

[steppenwolf]

Excellent demonstration, Luke - a simple but effective blink comparator! I guess I'd be tempted to check a middle image too in case of faster movement but then I am not currently up to speed on typical pass times!

[Tom OD]

Good work Steppen and Luke. Finding something in an imageis usually an annoyance, but this is great.

M78 is one of my favourites. Your image does look a little yellow green on my screen though.

Tom

[steppenwolf]

Your image does look a little yellow green on my screen though.

Shooting through a Sussex misty sky didn't help here!!

[Beyond_Vision]

Off to a good start and what a nice bonus with the asteroid.

Regards

Kevin