7 Sisters now and then...

[Quatermass]

Finally got a decent run last night and also managed to spot the Sculptor Galaxy as a bonus before backing up. This was a run of 70 subs 60 darks flats and bias shots for my final effort on the 7 Sisters. First shot is my efforts on it last year and then my latest attempt after a year down the line and a large learning curve.

So last years efforts

And a year down the line this one...

Amazing how much you can learn as time goes by and all of it was made that much more enjoyable by being part of this forum and the many good friends I have met on here.

Hoping for some more clear skies soon so I can have a crack at the Sculptor galaxy next.

[Digz]

That shows some clear improvement. Any chance you can list what kit / processes were used for the two shots? Might help the newbies understand the learning curve etc

Im itching to get back out and shoot stuff.

[Xplode]

Very nice improvement and i gotta say that M45 looks much better without spikes.

Are the spikes in the old picture real or added during processing?

[Gina]

Agreed I hate spikes too and that is a vast improvement There's a lovely lot of blue nebulosity showing in the second image

[space3]

lovely picture

[The Sailor]

Beautiful Mark, a lot of difference, hope you don't mind me picking but I like the second one, looks more orignal to me

Jim

[Quatermass]

Thank you peeps the first one was with my 200p and eq5 the spikes are normal with a newtionion but the second one is from last night and was done with the evostar ed 80. Unguided 70 80 sec subs iso 800 and 1600 half and half. Its surprizing how difficult this one is to capture the nebulosity so I had to wait for a really nice clear night. Stacked in deep sky stacker and processed in photoshop. My blog and utube channel have tons of info and a set of ps tuts just google boodlewoodle and you will find it. Turning my scope on another target this evening fingers crossed for clear skies every one

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[The Sailor]

Thanks for the info Mark. Walking up the garden to the obsy if I see Jupiter I just look up right and there they are, bright and beautiful

Jim

[Chris]

Guess what Mark:D I'll have a look at it in your gallery:)

[badgers]

As I've been at this astronomy lark for coming up to a year, I'm really looking forward to revisiting my first targets.

I remember you giving me lots of help on my first Pleiades Mark.

Anyway, that's a massive improvement, looks great and all the faint nebulosity jumping out.

Although to be fair, your first attempt last year was pretty damn good too!

Anton

[Quatermass]

I think the seven sisters are wonderful to look at on a clear night and yes badgers going back to those old favs is going to be great. I packed up late last night but had a long look at orion before hitting the sack in a word amazing.

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[Quatermass]

That shows some clear improvement. Any chance you can list what kit / processes were used for the two shots? Might help the newbies understand the learning curve etc

Im itching to get back out and shoot stuff.

Sure thing lee

The mount is an EQ5 with a dual axis motor drive kit. Telescopes are the sky watcher 200p for close up stuff and the evostar ed80 for widefield shots.The camera is a Canon 350D that has been modded and the Red filter removed. The software used for processing the data is deep skystacker and Photoshop for final processing.

most of my stuff is done with about 80 subs taken from between 60 or 130 seconds iso 800 or 1600 depending on the subject and the conditions and most of them are done unguided although some are guided but not many.

Good dark skies are must and then its down to processing and lots of patience mixed with a touch of insanity also helps.

[Mark72]

Great progress Mark!

M45 without spikes is for sure a great deal better.

Mark

[NGEddie]

I agree, the second picture is my favourite

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[Starlight 1]

Very nice QM.

[nightfisher]

Very nice Mark,M45 is a real favourite of mine, i was viewing it friday night, the seeing was not so good, but M45 was the best object to view, hoping to have a bash at imaging it when my new WO 71 arrives

[robbie c]

Very nice you should be very proud of pics like that

[Quatermass]

I must admit I am beginning to like the spike free images you get with the ED80 it does grow on you after a while but I still have a fondness for them in other images. My mine aim with this one was to capture the dusty areas around the star clusters. Its not just that though its also great to just sit out there and stare at the heavens in my garden chair, I bet the neighbors must think I'm nuts sitting out there in my fishing thermals at gone 3 in the morning but its just makes me feel so alive when I look at all those wonderful stars galaxy's and nebula up there.

[Starlight 1]

Hi QM As you know I have been following your progress over the last 12 months, I don't reply to all but your imaging has come on so well you are going to start struggling now to make your processing any better.

You really have come a long way.

Les

[ultranova]

very nice indeed, I think for us people living in the UK we would get better at this hobby quicker if the weather was on our side,

But it does make you appreciate the good weather when it comes

Cracking shot well done

Paul

[Quatermass]

Hi QM As you know I have been following your progress over the last 12 months, I don't reply to all but your imaging has come on so well you are going to start struggling now to make your processing any better.

You really have come a long way.

Les

Thats very kind of you Les, to be honest with out the help I have got from SGL I dont think it would have been possible to get this far and the help others have given me on here has been invaluable in learning all the in and outs of this hobby. But it sure has been a lot of fun and with the winter season coming round the corner its going to be great to revisit all those target we did last year.

[Quatermass]

very nice indeed, I think for us people living in the UK we would get better at this hobby quicker if the weather was on our side,

But it does make you appreciate the good weather when it comes

Cracking shot well done

Paul

Cheers Paul

You cant do anything about the weather but dodging clouds is becoming quite a skill now