M51 & Panstarrs C/2012 K1

[JB80]

Inspired by melskys picture yesterday I thought I'd have a crack of it myself. It's by no means the greatest pic but I'm quite happy with it and M51 is also a first for me.

Still got no idea what I'm doing so any pointers will help.

This was the best of a bad lot, my subs were too dark to stack the comet itself.

It's a touch over 30 minutes worth of 45second subs at 270mm, f9.0, ISO1600. With the 450D and Polarie.

[Davey-T]

Looking good Jarrod, at least you've got some colour in your stars all mine came out white, I think it was the combination of the 100mm refractor and LP filter that killed mine, I always seem to get better colour using the camera lens.

Did you take any flats ?

Dave

[JB80]

Thanks Dave.

I just pushed the saturation in DSS to get some colour out first then some tweaks in Photoshop but to be honest not much else was done.

An LP filter will normally add something to the pic so you are probably right, I just used my lens un filtered.

No flats, simply because whatever I try I can't get flats to work with the lens so I never bother anymore. They would I assume help the underlying streakyness to the picture.

[Davey-T]

Yes tried playing with the DSS settings but couldn't get any star colour, the only one that is showing saturated white is Alnitak so presumably there's some colour lurking in there somewhere, may have a play around with it if I can't get any more shots of it.

Only mentioned flats because I thought there were a couple of dust bunnies in your pic, don't know about the streaks, didn't notice those.

Dave 

[JB80]

Ahh.. yeah I saw the dust bunnies earlier and thought it was on my OIII filter for solar but I guess not. I just gave it all a good clean and blow so hopefully that got rid of it before I try touching the sensor.

[Davey-T]

Another Panstarrs K1 from 02/05. Was going to do some calibration frames today but didn't get round to it so this is just half a dozen 180secs @1600, stacked in DSS Comet mode, now I've figured out how to use it, and combined with stars in PS.

Hope you don't mind me sticking it in your thread Jarrod, don't think we need any more on the same subject.

Dave

[JB80]

Not a worry Dave, it's a top shot.

Looks like you have DSS sorted now, the nucleus in that pic is lovely and tight.

What scope or lens did you use?

[Davey-T]

60da, Astronomik CLS filter on 600mm f/6 Revelation refractor, cropped to get rid of eggy stars round the edges.

Dave

[JB80]

Thanks for that info, I only use my camera lenses and it's real faint in them.

[Pete Presland]

nice widefield view!

[mikeobrien]

Nice images guys the wide field is fab.

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