M42 Smash and grab with the 130pds

[Uranium235]

Last night it cleared about 9pm, so I thought I'd have a quick go at something to see if the new collimation has done what I hoped it would - centre the field of illimination in the middle of the chip, with symmetrical illumination towards each corner. And the flats I took today have confirmed that, a few more tiny adjustments and it should be spot-on. The 1.25" filters are still darkening the very far corners, but are corrected well enough with flats.

Anyway, that was the plan before PHD started giving me loads of error messages. It turned out that the USB cable I was using had come to the end of its useful life - so I lost time while rummaging around in the house for a suitable replacement. And when I eventually found one - it clouded over! grrrr.

I gave it half an hour to clear up, by which time M42 is approaching the Meridian (which is the point where I can start to image it). So I thought I would give it a try, but a few of the subs got buzzed by clouds. In the end I only had 30mins worth of data before blanket could arrived.

Full frame with minimal cropping.

6x300 (Ha)

130PDS, Atik 383L+, NEQ6

Setpoint: -20

Visibility: Poor to medium

Thanks for looking

Rob

 

[HenryW]

Fantastic! Can't wait for my 130PDS to arrive, Remember it was you that "perusaded" me to take the desicion   I'll take it that i would have to practice several Nights to achieve something in the slightes near Your results

[Uranium235]

Cheers

Ahh, so you've ordered one? Where did you manage to find one? Becuase when I tried, then entire country seemed out of stock (must have tried at least 8 different places). Last time I heard, OVL dont have any either - and the next shipment is still en route. Thats why I had to see if one was up for grabs 2nd hand.

[HenryW]

Bought it from Germany

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3933_Skywatcher-Explorer-130PDS---130mm-f-5-Newton---2--Auszug.html

Cheers

[andyo]

Good capture you certainly got plenty of the outer nebula,had similar issues with the clouds here clear one minute then cloudy the next.Took it al down at about 11 and then it cleared up and stayed clear for the rest of the night sods law.Do you plan to add colour?

[Uranium235]

Good capture you certainly got plenty of the outer nebula,had similar issues with the clouds here clear one minute then cloudy the next.Took it al down at about 11 and then it cleared up and stayed clear for the rest of the night sods law.Do you plan to add colour?

Cheers Andy, Im not sure about adding colour yet becuase this may be the first pane of a mosaic that will go all the way over to the HH. It wont happen for a while though, Orion is still a little early for me at the moment (stuck behind a tree until midnight).

[Mav359]

Very smart Rob...

that'll be be one hell of a mosaic if all the panels have that quality to them

[Uranium235]

Thanks Alan, this represents just one third of the data I will gather for each panel. Once I move away from M42, I will probably up the exposure time a little (do the 90min in 10 or 15 min subs) - and it will most likely be 6 panels. Thats about two or three nights for me.

Hopefully we will get a clear spell over Christmas, Ive got two weeks off!

[peter shah]

Very nicely detailed Rob....I look forward to some colour

[Uranium235]

Thanks Peter - Hmmm colour yes  Last year I had the twin shooter for this so colour was automatically achieved, but this year it will be just the one camera.

I may colourise just this panel if using LRGB. If I use OIII, I could take it further becuase thats two less channels to shoot.

Ive since noticed some vertical lines on the right hand side of the shot. However, these lines are not present in the bias or flat masters, so Im thinkning it could have been a one-off case of interference amongst the cabling. But its been easy enough to process them out (noels actions).

[Marvaz]

Hope you don't mind Rob. I've usedmy RGB from Canon mod just captured a few weeks ago.

[Uranium235]

Very nice   It reminds me of last years effort.

Processing a CCD/DSLR version of this was tough, but it worked out extremely well. I found that the blue channel had to be pushed quite hard, and a layer mask was required in order to keep the running man (since its not present in Ha).

But there is more than one way to skin a cat, so you could have combined the Ha with your red channel first - then blended the Ha in as part luminance (using a layer mask to exclude the running man). That way, the outer Ha will carry a bit more colour.

[andyo]

Cheers Andy, Im not sure about adding colour yet becuase this may be the first pane of a mosaic that will go all the way over to the HH. It wont happen for a while though, Orion is still a little early for me at the moment (stuck behind a tree until midnight).

Look forward to that as I think the HH and m42 make for a great mosaic and with the quality you have got there even more so

[davew]

Another step forward. These reports you're putting up are going to be so useful to those that follow.

As you've got the Atik 383, the 1.25 filters will start to intrude as you go faster. There just isn't a way of getting the filters any closer to the chip.

Those star spikes are getting thinner and longer. A sure sign things are close to perfect in the imaging train. It's generally only the more expensive scopes that show this

Keep it going Rob,

Dave.

[Russe]

I love the 130pds too.

Any idea on where to get a USB controlled focuser for it??

[Quatermass]

I am beginning to hanker for that 130pds it looks very tasty indeed.

[Uranium235]

Another step forward. These reports you're putting up are going to be so useful to those that follow.

As you've got the Atik 383, the 1.25 filters will start to intrude as you go faster. There just isn't a way of getting the filters any closer to the chip.

Those star spikes are getting thinner and longer. A sure sign things are close to perfect in the imaging train. It's generally only the more expensive scopes that show this

Keep it going Rob,

Dave.

Will keep pushing it Dave

Actually, I need to re-collimate because the scope took a bit of a ding last night (mount collision!) so thats knocked collimation out slightly. Ah well.... that will give me something to do tonight!

[Gina]

Very nice images