Messier 78 a tribute to failure, mine that is not Charlie's.

[Mike Hawtin]

This is a 2 panel HDR mosaic, 46 x 300 sec and 10 x 30 sec subs each panel, it was intended to be the basis of a LRGB image but I’ve been beaten by the winter weather, in fact it’s blowing a gale as I’m typing this.  Not a single one of these subs was shot through a completely clear sky; depth and definition have been compromised a lot by high altitude haze.  I’ll probably have to abandon the RGB channels too as the subject will be behind my house next month and the rest of this lunation is almost certainly lost to the weather.  Not to worry though, next season I’ll give it another bash and hopefully the cloud Gods will be kinder to me, I’ll just have to be even more generous with the libations!

For those folks who aren't keen on the Astrobin link thumbnail here is a smaller version of the image.

I hope you will like it, thanks for looking.

Mike

[Epicycle]

Fantastic luminance, next year you'll have a great colour image.

[Mike Hawtin]

Thanks, I sure hope so, I was surprised the mono turned out this well as the conditions were not good at all.

[ultranova]

Very detailed, and pin sharp very nice image Mike.

[Mike Hawtin]

Thanks Paul, I think I'm starting to make some headway with the HyperStar, all I need now are some clear skies..