M15 first attempt

[m37]

Here's my first proper vaguely informed attempt at a nebula. M15 early hours of this morning.

102/f500 startravel refractor on GOTO mount

Pentax K-x DSLR (prime focus)

22 usable light frames (out of 60!) 20 seconds at ISO200

10 darks, 20 seconds at ISO200

15 flats, 1/40seconds at ISO200

no bias frames as PK tether died and took them with it!

Well pleased!

[m37]

Ooh, unsharp mask...

[Mattscar]

While I can't massively comment as Im still below newbie level in AP, I do like the second one as you can clearly see some clouds in there. What camera did you use for it?

[m37]

While I can't massively comment as Im still below newbie level in AP, I do like the second one as you can clearly see some clouds in there. What camera did you use for it?

Cheers dude. It's a Pentax K-x (DSLR) at prime focus.

[Astrosurf]

I love unsharp mask too! Not a bad attempt. May I suggest using at least 800 ISO to get more data? I'm not familiar with your camera though. Maybe people will disagree with me! Also, the focusing I think needs to be a bit sharper. If you have live view I'd recommend using a Bahtinov mask on a bright star, focusing on that, and then moving to your object. If you don't have live view, I've not used a B mask through a view finder. I suspect it'd be very small and difficult to see!

M15 is a globular cluster of stars. Lovely thing.

Did you reduce the size of the image for uploading here? It's very small!

I thought that flats had to be the same exposure as the lights, but I've never done them so can't be sure!

Alexxx

[Adamar98]

That's a good first start. I would up you ISO to at least 800. You catch alot more light.

[m37]

Cheers. I will whack the ISO up as you suggested. Apparently the K-x is really good for noise at high ISO without losing proper data.

The camera can't be tethered in Live view, I can take a shot and preview it, but it has live view on the camera display - could I use this or would it need to be on a laptop screen? Just printed out some Bhatinov mask templates to make up later on.

Thanks

[Adamar98]

I use live view on my canon. Take a picture and adjust if need be. I wouldn't worry to much about calibration frames just yet. I would spent more time on getting lights. Maybe a few darks to reduce any noise. I would get to grips with it all first then have a go at your flats. P.s I never take bias frames with my dslr.

[m37]

Did you reduce the size of the image for uploading here? It's very small!

Hi Alexx!

No I didn't, that's as big as it was. M15 was really small in the middle of the frame so I had to zoom in loads to be able to make it out. Is that beacuse I'm connecting the t-ring direct to the scope? I have no T-mount nose adaptor thingy yet so can't use a barlow to get it bigger. Yet...