M51 improvement on my first efforts

[Quatermass]

Thank you Gina very kind, if you compare that to the first one on this thread you can see how much of a difference processing can make in Photoshop. It takes ages to get this right there is so much to learn about it from applying layer masks to removing gradients, correcting colors, the list is endless. But it is one part of the whole thing that I really enjoy doing as well. I am going to give M51 a rest now and start reprocessing some of my other stuff.

[Chris]

Wow! you've done a really top job on the reprocess QM:), loving the detail you've brought out of M51 and how visible the background galaxies are! I also really like that dark dust lane which extends into the companion, really great job worth the time I recken:)

Yeah I know what you mean about the moded Canon 350D, I sometimes prefer working with my unmodded 1100D as my subs are very red with the mod, I've got a SW LP filter on route so I will see what difference that makes. Its only a matter of time before we are shopping for Atiks:D I quite like the look of the Atik Titan for 500 pounds, the down side is the chip size though but for small targets or mosaics I'm sure it would be a good budget choice. p.s I'm so itching to get on with my obsy after finishing a 16.5 hour oncall shift at 9am I got back and spent about 5 hours breaking up my old sheds shoddy foundations with a sledge hammer so I can dig in a peer and new foundations, good fun but I can hardly move my arms to type now:D

[Quatermass]

Thank you starfox, it took some getting right that one but I am now fairly happy with it. Sound's like your observatory is under way now, a good time to be doing it as well ready for the winter months when you can do everything inside away from the cold.

I have just spent another 168.00 on the focal reducer for my evostar ed80 next on the list will be an HEQ5 if I can sell a few more things, then my be the Atik. Plenty to keep me busy with at the moment though, just going back to all my old targets and redoing them with better focus or better processing could take me all year in itself.

Looking forward to having another go at M31 this summer with the evostar its such a big galaxy my 200p could never fit it all in. You should do thread or a blog on your progress with your observatory it will be good to look back and see how you progressed with it

[Chris]

Hey QM yeah the destruction of the old shed and the ground work for the obsy are going really well and I'm really enjoying it, heres the link to my thread:)

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-observatories/183685-chriss-obsy-build.html

The focal reducer sounds like a wise purchase, I tried pretty hard to get one for my Apo from FLO but it wasn't to be:( I recken you'll get a lot more data from your subs and the wider FOV will be great for nebs, does it also flatten the field?, if so bonus:) what f/ratio will it take you down to I'm guessing it will be about f/5.6 -6 ish?

like you say your ED80 will be great for M31, I'm hoping to have fun with the ZS66 on M31 as well:)

[Quatermass]

Hi Chris wow your cracking on with your project at a fair old pace mate looks great and it will be so cool to have your own observatory. Ipswich must be suffer from light pollution quite a bit so your going to need light pollution filters. The focal reducer is on its way should have it buy friday then will be able to get out there and test it out it flattens as well it reduces the telescope’s focal length by a factor of 0.85x

My be you will have your project finished in time for M31 when it come into position. Well mate my sister lives in ipswich so when its done I would love to pop round and see your observatory if your down this way pop in and have a cup of tea with us.

[Chris]

Thanks QM your more than welcome to drop in an check it out when its all finished mate, that will be cool:) Where abounce does you sister live, she might not be far away from us? my Fingers are crossed for you getting your reducer on Friday:), I got my 1.25" SW light polution filter through from Scopes n Skies yesterday (only took 3 days from ordering!), can't wait to check it out:D I'll be writing them a good review thats two orders received in double quick time:)

[Quatermass]

She lives in sheldrake drive and the rest of my nephews all live around that area. I lived on the Chantery estate when I was a kid but we left when I was about 8 and never went back after that. You have got the light pollution filter now thats great news it will really help. I am lucky here as the sky is pretty dark and you can really see the milky way very clearly it makes a big difference to the images you take as well. When all the street lights go off and the neighbours go to bed its very dark out the back here. The veiw towards the south is right over a meadow with miles of fields so its perfect for any subject in that area. If I really want total darkness a quick trip in the car 2 miles out and its pitch black I will do that for M31 this year. Your more then welcome to come round for an imaging session if your down this way. Full review of the focal reducer when I get it as well.

[Glen]

Awesome improvements, and your love of astronomy is infectious..great stuff.

[Quatermass]

Cheers Glen you have to love astronomy don't you, its just amazing to go out in your back garden and be able to take a picture of an incredible galaxy like M51 not just that, but every time I discover something up there its just the most exciting discovery for me. Like seeing Saturn for the first time that was just the best thing ever! So many people just go to bed and they will never see the things I have seen up there, how sad is that to never see the rings of Saturn with your own eyes is a big shame. Astronomy and astrophotography are awe inspiring.

[Glen]

So true mate, unfortunately the rat run is just as infectious though, making peeps not look up - to concerned buying the next fad/clearing debt etc.. [trespass and apologies:o]

I wish (in my opinion) more peeps would look up and realize the the photons they see traveled years..neh.. millions of years just to show up in their eye.

Again well done for the capture, even more so for improving. It's been a pleasure to watch

[Quatermass]

Glad you liked the improvements it was down to getting a nice dark night and sorting my focus out the first time I took a shot of this one it was right over the back of our street and the street lights were washing it out. Focus and dark skys make a massive difference. Yeah if more people took a peep through a telescope they would be amazed at whats up there

[Gina]

I'm waiting for the next clear night to have another go at M51. I now have my new ST80 piggybacked on my ED80 and will put the QHY5 on it today. So I should be all set up for guiding with any luck Whether I shall be able to do a repeat run on M42 will depend on how long I have to wait for a clear night - it's getting very low in the sky now by the time it gets dark and sinking into the trees and light pollution from Honiton. I can probably sort out the LP with the clip filter but trees are not so amenable

I'm still using my 1100D unmodified which seems best for M42 but swapping to the modded sensor should help M51 quite a bit with the longer exposures needed.

Do you know when M31 will become visible again? I shall want a focal reducer for the ED80 to cover all of that (or most of it). Or I could try the ST80 with it's considerably wider FOV.

[Quatermass]

Sounds good Gina hope you get a good clear night soon to test your guiding system out very exciting having the new camera and st80. M51 is almost vertical at 1am my telescope was pointing straight up in the sky when I imaged it last week. Im picking up my skywatcher focal reducer on friday and will post a full review for you all. Really looking forward to doing M31 again I think it will be in the right position around June july time for me. If you use stellarium and spin through the monthes it will show you the best times. You should be able to fit it all in your ed80 with out the focal reducer I would have thought.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk

[Gina]

Sounds good Gina hope you get a good clear night soon to test your guiding system out very exciting having the new camera and st80.

Thanks Yes, I dying to try them both. I'm thinking I might do some imaging with the QHY5 and see how it performs. If it looks promising (and I think it probably will be) I shall think of getting a 1.25" LRGB filter set. There are so many possibilities with all the permutations of equipment I now have it IS very exciting I was also thinking of getting an Ha filter for use with the modded 1100D later on. Be a while ahead though - need more funds

M51 is almost vertical at 1am my telescope was pointing straight up in the sky when I imaged it last week. Im picking up my skywatcher focal reducer on friday and will post a full review for you all.

Thanks I'll look forward to it.

Really looking forward to doing M31 again I think it will be in the right position around June july time for me. If you use stellarium and spin through the monthes it will show you the best times.

Must check out Stallarium

You should be able to fit it all in your ed80 with out the focal reducer I would have thought.

According to Field of View Calculator | Sky at Night Magazine I could almost get the galaxy in but not quite. It covers most of it.

[Quatermass]

Oh yes an HA filter that one is very interesting been seeing some great images done with one of those. It will increase your exsposure time but with the guiding set up that wont be a problem for you. Its going to be an exciting year and like yourself just need more funds lol

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk

[Chris]

I'm glad you've got dark skies QM as I know you really appreciate them:) I've been amazed what results you can get from light poluted skies without an LP filter though so I can't wait to test my filter out, hopefully its the best budget item I've bought since my Bahtinov mask:D, once all my obsy and kit are all set up I will get a second hand portable mount as well to take to dark skies, a cuppa and dark skies round yours sounds good matey, I know your quite near me you'll have to PM me where?