Kielder Autumn 2012 images

[robbieince]

Hi

As many of you will know, the 10th Kielder star party has just finished and whilst the weather was very wet and the ground conditions atrocious, we got one full night of glorious clear sky (more if you were there earlier in the week). I managed a couple of images in that window and I thought you might like to see them.

Firstly a quick and dirty M31 LRGB - 3 x 5 mins L (with colour added from an old image) - just to make sure everything was bedded in and working.

Then the1 real target for the night - M74 - a face on spiral galaxy in Pisces and serendipitously on the Moore winter Marathon list that I watched when I got back. Again LRGB – but all taken from the event this time, 10x10min L, 5x10 min R and B, G made by averaging R and B.

Also shown annotated using the pixinsight annotation script after plate solving and finally cropped to the galaxy alone.

All taken with my Orion Optiocs AG8 (780mm f3.8), on my EQ6 Pro, guided off axis with an Atik 16ic and imaged with my Artemis 4000 through Astronomic 2" filters. I can see that the M74 could benefit from longer exposures as there is quite a bit of noise and there are a few artefacts from my artificial flat field - but its OK......

[Gina]

Nice images

[Darth Takahashi]

A pity that you didn't have more time! That the frustration of this hobby. Nice captures in the time that you did have though...

[Demon Barber]

Hi Robbie,as always you manage to capture and process your images deftly and i`m sure with just a smidgen of the dark arts!!!!!

Well done that man.

Regards

Mike

[jarralad]

nice one robbie and thanks for trying to help me.

[mikeyscope]

Well done Rob

Great result considering you picked a difficult target with M74, it's not called the ghost for nothing!

Last time I attempted this was the mid 1980's on Provia 400F film, I was pleased then to have just captured the star near the core & hint of spiral arms....technology sure has opened up the night sky since those days!

Look forward to your results from the Peak Star Party!

Mike

[robbieince]

Thanks guys - much appreciated.

After a rethink I decided I messed up the processing on M74 and had another go. This time I did away with the false flat and used "creative" photoshop techniques to get rid of the gradients and dust bunnies - blending this newer softer image in with the original.

I think this newer one is much better - what do you think?

[Gina]

Yes, the stars are better I think you must be losing a lot of data in the image posted here though, with only 71.36K of image data. PNG might be better.

[Coco]

Thanks guys - much appreciated.

After a rethink I decided I messed up the processing on M74 and had another go. This time I did away with the false flat and used "creative" photoshop techniques to get rid of the gradients and dust bunnies - blending this newer softer image in with the original.

I think this newer one is much better - what do you think?

Much better Rob, less bobby on the back ground, more natural

Looks like the trip was worth it I'm glad to say ... anyway there's always the beautiful Antoinette to cuddle up to in the trailer - just have to throw the dog out first

[Dangerous-Dave]

Cracking shots Robbie. M74 is particularly nice.

[robbieince]

Thanks everyone. Definitely happier with M74 now.

Mike - I didn't go to PSP this time bit will be at Galloway in a couple of weeks.

Thanks again.

Regards

Rob