IC1396 HST (v2)

[AndyUK]

I posted an Ha/(Synth Green)/OIII version of this about a month ago and did manage to get some SII data to add shortly afterwards, but as the OIII was pretty ropey (due to poor transparency) I decided to retake it (and since then of course the weather's been rubbish ).

Last Sunday night was forecast to be clear, so I set up (with "Cloudbuster" Bob for company) in the back garden. Unfortunately the rogue clouds hadn't seen the forecast and were scudding over every 5 mins or so ( ). Still, come the end of the night, I seemed to have captured another reasonably okay 14 x 20 min subs so I decided to stack them with the previous dodgy OIII set and came up with what I think is a slightly better version.

OTA: Equinox 80 + TRF2008 (PHD guiding)

Camera: ATIK 314L+ (Artemis capture)

Exposures: 13x1200s SII, 21x900s Ha, 29x1200s OIII, 50 x bias, 30 x flats / filter / session

Processing: Stacked in DSS, registered in Registar, processed in CS5.

It's not as good as some I've seen on here (Sara / Swag72's for example!) but I think this is going to have to be it for me now on this one as I really want to move on... (but I'm still tempted to continue this as a long-term 6 or 8 pane mosaic... )

[Gina]

WOW! That's beautiful

[ollypenrice]

The weather has robbed you of noise-reducing subs here but, that apart, you have everything nicely in place.

Olly

[Black Knight]

That's very good. I like it

[swag72]

Cracking image there Andy - I really do like it. If you can get 20 min subs then you're well on the way to much longer!!! I look forward to some more HST from you, they are lovely that's for sure

[AndyUK]

Cheers all !

The weather has robbed you of noise-reducing subs here...

[sIGH] - That often seems to be the case for me . Those high whispy (invisible) clouds always seem to be present (unless I'm staying in a hotel 200 miles away on work...)

I know I could (should?) take yet another set of all 3 but I think this is all I can take for this year (or at least at the moment) as I have to show reasonably regular "output" to the budget manager, and she gets bored seeing the same thing, night after night, in mono!

I'm sure I'll come back to this again though and maybe I can then smooth it up - IC1396 is very well placed for me and if the moon's up, it'll be a good option for a few months yet...

Sara - I do fancy the idea of trying some REALLY long subs just to see if I can do it - If I could be confident about framing the soap bubble or Simeis 147 I'd love to have a crack at one or both of those just as an exercise, but 20 mins is about all I'm comfortable with at the moment - I don't think my PA technique is up to it...! Maybe when I (finally) get the pier in, then I'll be able to give it a go...

[nmoushon]

Thats amazing! Didn't know you could capture that with an ED80. Never would have tried but know I will have a go at it! As soon as clouds decide not to hate me anymore.

[Viv]

Fantastic - well done Andy

[Quatermass]

Cracking image Andy really nice colours and a great shot.

[mgirdwood]

stunning image Andy, very well framed and a geat rnge of colour.

[Spikey]

Nice work Andy. I'm also using 20-30 min subs as my maximum with the ED80 at the moment. Don't think my skies will take anything longer unless it's at the zenith

[Jessun]

A stunning capture and edit!

[derrickf]

Andy, your processing skills have definitely made the best out of data that has been even more compromised than is usual at this time of year by the exceptionally poor weather for the last few weeks.

Well done

Derrick

[AndyUK]

Thanks very much all...!

Thats amazing! Didn't know you could capture that with an ED80. Never would have tried but know I will have a go at it! As soon as clouds decide not to hate me anymore

IC1396 is HUGE, but you'll actually have a wider FOV than me with your 450D - I always check to see what the framing will look like in CCDCalc and then choose which scope will be best. Of course I frequently don't have exactly the right one, but hey - I just need another couple, oh, and another camera and I'd be well away (but that's not going to happen whilst I have school fees to pay!)

The framing was actually easy - In Artemis, that bright star at the top fell slap bang on a reticle cross point, so it was VERY easy to replicate the framing over the sessions... and I suspect it might even be possible to include the Garnet star with the 450D (maybe?)

I'm also using 20-30 min subs as my maximum with the ED80 at the moment...

Having seen Sara's version with 25min subs, I'd certainly be very tempted to at least try 30mins with NB if my PA technique will take it... or maybe even 60 mins(?)

Derrick - I have to say that, personally, I find HST palette processing MUCH easier than LRGB - It's more or less following a set program which is great for me (as I'm just a bloke really and if I'm given too many options I get confused!) but I know I can't put off trying LRGB imaging again much longer. However, considering that c. 2 months ago I was considering selling the Equinox 80, I think I may now just keep it a little while longer...

[MeyGray3833]

Great shot, great colours!