Birds galore put not plants!

[Quatermass]

I cant belive it, went out last night and found a brillant dark site only a mile away sheltered from the wind in a little layby no traffic pitch black perfect. Set up to get the Triffid nebula and tryed to find my way around this vast area. With my binocular I could make out a large patch in the sky so aimed the telescope at that and took some shots.. Turned out to be the Wild duck cluster ok try again..

This time an amazing blur of red came across the screen it was the Swan nebula whoa that was pretty cool but not the triffid move up a bit ahh that must be it I thought and started snapping away for an hour while I got some kip in the car at 2am.

Well it wasnt the triffid it was the Eagle Nebula! SO eagles swans and ducks but not triffids.

Still what a fanastic night that was sat under the stars just in awe of this amazing universe

So heres my first Eagle nebula 60 x 70 seconds iso 1600 with the usual darks flats and bias.

And the Swan Nebula cant say it looks much like a swan to me? this was only 10x60 second subs darks flats and bias.

And I will chuck in the wild duck cluster about 8 subs this I think

I want the triffid !

[Gina]

Lovely Mark I can't see a swan in the second image either. The first one looks more like a swan.

[laser_jock99]

Good attemps- all rather low from the UK.

[Uranium235]

I see youve managed to bag M16 already, nice

Thats something ive got to wait a month or two for yet (stuck behind a tree @ the mo).

[Psychobilly]

Looks like you have foubd a decent site

I can't get these from the home obs but I am planning a trip to the South Gower to try and grab them this year...

Peter...

[Quatermass]

Well this new site is really great but its a bit spooky out there on your own at 3am something made a horrible growling noise there tonight while I was imaging the trifid nebula so i hide in my car. The Trifid was very low down in the south but I finaly got it so cant wait to start processing that after Ive had some kip if this good weather holds out I will go back tomorrow night and do the lagoon nebula. So much going on in this part of the sky its rich with nebula and clusters. Right bed time zzzz

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[AndyUK]

Some of these are on my list too, but they're right down in the murk for me at the moment... I like your M16 in particular! I'd only be able to get this "on the road" too and even then with limited darkness at the moment I'd only get about a couple of hours per night of data on it (I wish I could get my rig to the Canaries!).

[Did you find out what the growling might have been?! Albeit no growling, I've heard of someone viewing from a graveyard before ...]

[Mcphisto]

Well this new site is really great but its a bit spooky out there on your own at 3am something made a horrible growling noise there tonight while I was imaging the trifid nebula so i hide in my car.

I get that feeling just being out the back garden as I live in bear country. Lots of great dark sights around but I make sure I have bear spray...and thats just the bottom of the street!

[Gina]

I had a look in CdC last night to see where these interesting objects were but too low down for me too. I settled on 70 odd lights and 21 darks on M13 until it got really dark. Then I had a look round to see what I might do and settled on M51 again. Faint fuzzies were thought too difficult without camera cooling as the EXIF T was running at 27C and noise crept in at longer exposures or higher ISOs. Really it was a warm up session to get used to imaging again after over a month's inactivity due to cloud and camera problems. I expect to process my data today and post the results.

[JohnC64]

A very nice set of pictures there QM. Or should be it be a flock of pictures? You must have good views from your dark site to the south to get a view of Triffid.

Cheers John

[Gina]

I have LP to the south and a big tree a bit east of south so not the best for low objects.

[Quatermass]

Yes John this new place is completely free of any light pollution and a great view of the southern sky. The Triffid sits just above the Lagoon Nebula which just like the swan and eagle is very easy to spot with binoculars and shows up well on the camera with a sixty second shot. But you have to be there between 1am and 2.30am to get the best views. If any one wants to come along just pm me its a great spot with room for two or three just outside Halesworth in suffolk.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[Quatermass]

I get that feeling just being out the back garden as I live in bear country. Lots of great dark sights around but I make sure I have bear spray...and thats just the bottom of the street!

Bears! That would freak me out no way I would be sky watching with the thought of a bear creeping up on me

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[Quatermass]

I had a look in CdC last night to see where these interesting objects were but too low down for me too. I settled on 70 odd lights and 21 darks on M13 until it got really dark. Then I had a look round to see what I might do and settled on M51 again. Faint fuzzies were thought too difficult without camera cooling as the EXIF T was running at 27C and noise crept in at longer exposures or higher ISOs. Really it was a warm up session to get used to imaging again after over a month's inactivity due to cloud and camera problems. I expect to process my data today and post the results.

Look forward to seeing your work Gina. A couple of months and the trifid will be higher up for you

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[Quatermass]

Some of these are on my list too, but they're right down in the murk for me at the moment... I like your M16 in particular! I'd only be able to get this "on the road" too and even then with limited darkness at the moment I'd only get about a couple of hours per night of data on it (I wish I could get my rig to the Canaries!).

[Did you find out what the growling might have been?! Albeit no growling, I've heard of someone viewing from a graveyard before ...]

I have made myself quite portable with my gear just my 200p and EQ5 mount with the dual axis kit and battery pack. To this I add my modded canon 350D and a cheap remote timer. Get it all in the car with a flask and some sandwiches then once I am there just set the scope up a quick polar alignment, slap the camera on and then bahtinov mask to focus with. Next I scan the area with my binoculars to find my target then use the finder scope and start a series of test shots till I have my object in the frame then just let the timer take over for the next hour while I enjoy finding my way around with my binoculars.

As for the growly thing in the woods behind me not sure it sounded like a dog sniffing around could have been a monk jack but at 3 in the morning it could have been darth vader or alien in my mind

[Quatermass]

Good attemps- all rather low from the UK.

Very low indeed almost touching the trees in the distance:)

I see youve managed to bag M16 already, nice

Thats something ive got to wait a month or two for yet (stuck behind a tree @ the mo).

Thats why I took off in the car for these ones a big tree blocks them all from my garden.

Looks like you have found a decent site

I can't get these from the home obs but I am planning a trip to the South Gower to try and grab them this year...

Peter...

Its been really worth traveling out to a dark sight for these part of the sky so rich with stuff to image Im loving it.

[AndyUK]

Cheers Mark - I expect my attempts will be rather more "muscle forming" with the NEQ6, especially with the MN190 on top. Just as an exercise I weighed all the kit and it came to nearly 85Kg, which is a little daunting unless you say it quickly, even though it can be broken down into a few trips. It reminds me of when I used to go fishing - I'm sure the weight I used to carry would challenge a Nepalese Sherpa .

However, I MUST get mobile and find myself a safe nearby (ish) site as I'm in danger of losing my home-based (astro-fund authoriser) audience, with the comment "haven't I seen that before?" coming only too frequently...

[Quatermass]

Cheers Mark - I expect my attempts will be rather more "muscle forming" with the NEQ6, especially with the MN190 on top. Just as an exercise I weighed all the kit and it came to nearly 85Kg, which is a little daunting unless you say it quickly, even though it can be broken down into a few trips. It reminds me of when I used to go fishing - I'm sure the weight I used to carry would challenge a Nepalese Sherpa .

However, I MUST get mobile and find myself a safe nearby (ish) site as I'm in danger of losing my home-based (astro-fund authoriser) audience, with the comment "haven't I seen that before?" coming only too frequently...

I know what you mean about fishing gear I used to go match fishing a lot and the amount of gear I took required a huge barrow to carry it all but my old man used to say to me travel light boy travel light, he was spot on

[Gina]

Look forward to seeing your work Gina. A couple of months and the trifid will be higher up for you

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

I'll look forward to seeing the Triffid

[badgers]

What a fantastic night's imaging, and your triffid nebula shot is cracking too.

I've been too lazy to haul my HEQ5 to a dark site, but your dedication is convincing me I should try!

That dark site isn't on the Cambrideshire side of suffolk is it by any chance ?

[Quatermass]

Alas no Badger but too be honest all you need to find is small back road in the country side with a lay by that's all this place is really. The main thing for me was finding a place that had a good view to the south sky and this place is ideal. I love being able to just buzz off in the car and get set up quickly I can be up and running in 15minutes flat one I am out of the car just need to persuade my missus to come with me and protect me from wild beasties in the woods.

[badgers]

I miss the EQ3-2... setting that thing up took minutes : (

I've got a farm location sorted now, but it backs onto Duxford Aerodrome, so I need to head out there and see if they have many lights on at night time.

Growling Badgers are always a worry, here for instance is Mrs Badger after she discovers I ordered a CCD.

[Gina]

Great photo

[Quatermass]

Well if that's what was growling at me I am glad I ran back to the car! Not quite wind in the willows badger. Have your really ordered a ccd?

[badgers]

It shames me to say it, but yes!

Been really struggling with the Canon noise levels in the heat.

My Sunflower galaxy images came in at 27 degrees. I struggled then to get matching darks as the temperature dropped outside giving me 22 degree darks and the ones I shot indoors came in at 35 degrees.

I guess the other reason is that I'd like to try some narrowband as it should give me less issues with the LP in Cambridge.

Doing a cooling mod to it would have helped, but I need my Camera for family use too, and it would be hard to explain the copper plates, pipes and a monster peltier cooler and fan.

If I appear to be tempted to upgrade anything else this year, please shoot me