M101 after moon broken timer and crashed laptop

[Quatermass]

One clear night after days of clouds, at long last. Could not get a try at the Monkey Head nebula with the moon right over it so had a bash at M101. Need to go back to this one again on a nice clear night as its in the right place for me now. My timer broke and my laptop crashed on me so this is unguided 57x1min subs Iso 800 30darks and flats no bias. Getting my new ed80 this week, very excited

[rocketandroll]

Nice! Loads of detail for just an hour of 1min subs! 101 is my nemsis, it's just so darn feint, getting anything out of it is a mare :-)

Is it me or is the pic a teensy bit out of focus?

Ben

[Quatermass]

Yes not focused very well I was having a struggle with my camera timer and laptop that night. Will be coming back to this one again its a bit of a challenge its so faint but need a good dark night.

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[peter shah]

great result especially with the problems

[1981suede]

Very nice. Looking forward to your work with the ED80. Will be able to make a closer comparison to my imaging

[Quatermass]

Seems the nebula session is going just as I get an ed80 though so its a bit of a problem deciding what to image with it

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[Quatermass]

A close up of the first image, not really happy with it but soon as it's no moon time I'm going to have another crack at.

Have to wait till gone midnight as it sits just above my neighbours conservatory lights and when he goes to bed the light are all off and its nice and dark again. Might even take a trip out to the fields at the back of my house to get a better shot.

[rocketandroll]

Seems the nebula session is going just as I get an ed80 though so its a bit of a problem deciding what to image with it

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Leo Trio is a good bet... I think there are a few other groups of galaxies that will fit in the FOV.... and Cygnus will be coming back up again by May... you'll have enough to shoot :-)

Ben

[Quatermass]

Cheers Ben Just hoping the clouds bug off in time for me to try it out..

Had another go at processing this one but the data is not that great.

[stan26]

That's fantastic QM, what a lovely galaxy. In fact you just reminded me, when I first got into imaging the M101 was one of my first DSO targets. I collected 115X 30sec subs using my unguided EQ3-2 and ST102. Those 115 subs have sat untouched on my hardrive for nearly a year untill I saw this thread. I have just found them hiding in a folder in my docs, so decided to have a quick tweak in PS......

I can't wait to point the guided/filtered setup at this one. Its definitely a 2-3hr target though IMO, So faint, but such an awesome shape!

Stan

[Quatermass]

Its wonderful galaxy Stan and most of the time it in the wrong place for me but now its in a nice dark part of the sky so soon a I get another clear night its back out there again for another try. I love going back to my old targets and redoing them again wonder what this would look like in the evostar ed80, I am getting it on Friday now bit late delivering but the weather is so foul at the moment I dont mind waiting. Like your shot of it, just think I wont have any spiky stars with the ed80 any more will I, that will be strange.

[Chris]

QM you've got a great result their! plenty of contrast and detail in this faint galaxy considering your exposure time and imaging conditions:)

Stan this was also one of my first DSO's I think it was like the second one I'd done, I was quite pleased with it at the time despite hitting it with about 20 second subs he he, yours is a better effort, brighter and more detailed, I tell you what that ST102 did a cracking job for an Achro:D I'm not negating your skill of course

Heres my one and only M101 you can barely see it:D, I will be back armed with ED glass and Bahtinov mask:)

[Quatermass]

Nice one Chris it is a faint subject for sure and hard to find at first. I spent 4 hours looking for it 4 flipping hours! Turns out I was just aiming to high duh.

This was my first attempt last year so improving a bit on it but still needs more work to be what I want it to be.

I think my modded canon 350d has made a difference just need to try a guided effort with better focus and I think that will crack it.

First attempt last year..

Second attempt with modded canon...