A start IC 1396 , The Trunk

[lensman57]

Hi,

A couple of nights ago the sky cleared up so I set up to try for the IC 1396, this is the result of a whole nights trying. For starters the focusing would not settle down, I got the FWHM down to 1.68 for a 6s exposure but it wouldn't stay put fluctuating between 1.7, 1.9 and 2.4, then the mount would not guide the phd graph would start flat and then start zigzaging, to cut the storey short I took 15 subs of 750s each but only 7 were usuable in any shape or form, this has been my worst guiding session in weeks. I used my SW 80 ed @F6.4 and mounted a Baader 1.25" UHC-S L Booster filter with an IR/UVcut on to my Atik 428EXc, I have not had a chance to take any flats for this combination yet. I think that if I get a chance again I will increase the sub length to 1200s if the mount allows me to guide that is . The processing was done in StarTools and CS2 as I had to reshape the stars the best I could. There is not a lot of examples of the IC1396 in OSC as mostly are done in narrow band and the HST colour so I don't know how well this one stacks up.

Regards,

A.G

[Twisted Lip]

I reckon thats a pretty good effort all in all. I've had a load of trouble guiding this summer (guessing atmostpheric) so anything you can get at the moment is good

[mitchelln]

I reckon that's pretty darn good! Congrats

[ollypenrice]

Bouncy FWHM isn't your fault provided nothing is loose or wobbling. It's just the seeing and you live with it.

I think this is a good start.

Olly

PS This is an OSC image with Ha added. The colour didn't change much but the intensity of light around the rim of the trunk increased dramatically with the Ha.

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Best-of-Les-Granges/i-LpHKpk5/0/X3/Elephant%20Trunk%2C%20TEC140%20V3scnr-X3.jpg

[lensman57]

Bouncy FWHM isn't your fault provided nothing is loose or wobbling. It's just the seeing and you live with it.

I think this is a good start.

Olly

PS This is an OSC image with Ha added. The colour didn't change much but the intensity of light around the rim of the trunk increased dramatically with the Ha.

http://ollypenrice.s...0 V3scnr-X3.jpg

Hi Olly, Mitch and Twisted

Many thaks yet again for your advice. I am not surprised that my focusing was way out, if the mount was not behaving then over 6s the FWHM value would have suffered, over 750s then I got what I got. The point is the night before I tried the same target but this time with my 100ED @F7.6, the guiding was spot on, nice round stars but the clouds rolled in after a couple of subs and I just packed up and went in, to be honest there is no excuse for bad focusing, I really need to reconsider the way I work but the Sw 80 has motorised focuser so I don't expect it to slip, at the end bad focusing robbed the image out of contrast and resolution and the star shapes were disgusting to say the least. If this weekend is clear I shall have another go, hopefully this time with better results. I can only try and learn by my mistakes, I also have an Atik 16ic with a manual filter wheel and an Oiii and Ha filter but the scale does not suit the small chip on the 16ic, I am machining an adapter to mount my canon 200 F4 lens on the Atik, this one may give me chance to try the target with a different perspective.

REGARDS,

A.G