First attempt M57

[Anweniel]

Had a great start with set up and tracking on the Alt-az holding well initially for 1 minute subs. Unfortunately reflection from the sodium lamp and our large rose arch meant the scraping of about 75% of the frames (even with the LP filter the glow was way too harsh )

I thought I had got the correct position as with the early sky being quite bright and was keen to get started after so many weeks of cloud, except I was a bit out and had taken a lot of exposures before I was certain the framing was poor so I continued anyway with a vow to take more time before starting on my next attempt - really over excited to try this tonight and get anything out of it!

So here it is a pitiful 10 mins of subs useable out of nearly an hour:

10 x 60s lights

40 x Bias

16 x 60s darks

36 x flats

Megrez 90

Supatrak

Canon 1000D (unmodded)

[stevetynant]

I don't do A/P but having read numerous posts I realise how challenging it is but without wanting to sound rude I just don't see it at all?

Is probably my inexperience showing but could you point me in the right direction?

[Anweniel]

Sure its in the top to the right a little I have a little crop and boost here but it gives away the not so great rtacking and how little detail the few subs have captured lol

[stevetynant]

Yes great - see it now (I am getting on a bit - eyes not what they were lol)

I would love to get into A/P at some point - but just looks very difficult at the moment (and expensive TBH) - Thanks for helping - nice one :0)

[Anweniel]

I havent even looked at the ring nebula since last summer and seem to remember bumping the mag quite high on it ~ 200x I think, its been a while so not entirely sure but even at this mag and smaller FOV it still appeared fairly small.

The issue for me last night was haste and light pollution, it was apparent something was showing in the top of the frame but I was sure the framing was better than it was and put the object down to being likely a dust bunny. Evidently I was wrong has I hadn't realised how small the target was - not much different to Vega. It was a bit late before I twigged so I continued with the same framing.

Personally I am massively under equipped to get really good results from my AP attempts but its nice making the most of what I have to get something out of it. Its going to be as difficult/expensive as you make it I could easily spend another few thousand pounds on equipment and spend more and more time refining, taking callibration pics, reframing!, etc etc but one step at a time just happy to be capturing at the moment.

Your comments are appreciated btw so dont worry about saying you couldnt see it mate

[Quatermass]

Its a small target isn't it a bit like the crab nebula you think its going to be quite big but its not.Well its is massive really but you would need a big 12 inch telescope to really get in close. Who cares its great to get an image of this and it was one of the first deep sky objects I saw back in 2010, well done.

[Anweniel]

Thanks Mark