M51 LP start

[Jessun]

Since it's there I may as well aim at it as well, and I'll use it as a 'tool' to see how it will behave when I hit the LP roof.

In other words I'll add to this one as best I can and see when it turns rather pointless.

2 hours total, 5 min subs with SIG equipment unreduced (although on the trooper that is the HEQ5 rather than the iOptron )

AA stack, PS edit with two excursions into PI for an ABE. This has been a brown little smudge to process in the city fumes...

Background given the lightest of noise reduction.

[PunkJay]

Nice detail in there - good work!

- j

[Viv]

Nice work Jesper.

Ive got a couple of horus from last night on this one, the detail is not half as good.

[Gina]

Great Must try and jump on the M51 bandwagon tonight That's if I can fix my mount. It went a bit far last night unattended taking M42 subs and broke the power socket. I'm just hoping the broken connection didn't do any further damage. I'm just about to unsolder the broken socket from the circuit board.

[Jessun]

Thanks folks, Gina I hope you can get your mount up and running!

OK, I promised I'd come back to this one over a few nights and here is the same target with an extra 150 minutes so now in total 4.5 hours through the smog...

Fairly modest improvement, but I think there's just a little bit more detail, there's now a hint of star colour and the background is left 'untouched' ie no noise reduction this time and seems to handle that OK.

I hope to keep adding to see where it tops out.

[Jessun]

Another 2.5 hours chucked in the mix. So now 7 hours of 5 minute subs.

A bit more detail is coming through and the background is less noisy - although I fear I clipped this one on the black point a bit and there's a red graident from over enthustiastic stretching. It's still paying off adding to this despite my location.

I also included an AstroArt screen grab that shows the three nights adding up.

[Gina]

Thanks folks, Gina I hope you can get your mount up and running!

Thanks - yes I did, working again fine now.

OK, I promised I'd come back to this one over a few nights and here is the same target with an extra 150 minutes so now in total 4.5 hours through the smog...

Fairly modest improvement, but I think there's just a little bit more detail, there's now a hint of star colour and the background is left 'untouched' ie no noise reduction this time and seems to handle that OK.

I hope to keep adding to see where it tops out.

Coming on very nicely Now if only I can find the darn thing I might be able to get some subs I tried last night without success. Had to line up on the moon last night as the mount parking alignment had gone as a result of the power loss. Then I was able to slew straight to M42 and grab a hundred subs of 20s on that but then slewing to M51 showed only a collection of single stars - no galaxy, even with 10m at ISO 1600, which brought up the background haze/LP. Tried a few others too but no joy Polar alignment is reasonable now though not perfect.