Simple, coloured DSO please?

[davedownsouth]

It is looking clear tonight , so I am hoping to try out using the filter wheel tonight and take some LRGB images. I am going to be using my 80mm refractor on an Altazimuth mount, so I am going to have to be taking quick shots (was thinking about ~20; 15 second shots for each colour), so what can I try which will show if my colour shots have worked? I was thinking about trying M82, as I got some nice mono shots of this, but are there any bright double stars, or group of bright stars of different colours (red, blue, orange, white) which I could start out with?

Any recommendations?

Cheers, DDS

[DaveS]

For colour, I guess emission nebulae are the best bet, but are few and far between this time of year (Looking out of the galactic plane), In a few months time we'll have the summer milky way, and NB will cut through the not-quite-dark skies (So I've been told). Beyond that I don't know, sorry.

[davedownsouth]

Hi Dave,

sounds like good targets, but these might be a bit advanced for me at the moment  .  Would prefer to start with a bright blue star, next to a bright red star, next to a bright yellow star, next to a bright white star, next to a...; you get the picture, or at least I hope to

[DoctorD]

Hi Dave

You could have a go at M57 the Ring Nebula that has nice colour and is quite bright, albeit a little small.

Which mount are you using? You might be able to stretch to 30 second exposures (which I have managed when I had the iOptron Minitower II).

CS

Paul

[DaveS]

I'm trying to think of a good colourful star cluster, but again most will be summer / winter targets when we're looking into the milky way. The Double Cluster comes to mind, but that's late Autumn - early Winter.

I suppose M27 might be worth a go, bigger that M57 and possibly more colourful.

[davedownsouth]

Cheers,

I will try these, along with a couple of double stars I have just found in a list .  Because of the mount, I am limited by the angle of the scope.  Go too high and the camera will hit the base of the mount .  Better be careful I think .  

Lovely clear skies, hardly any wind, time to start packing the car .

[steppenwolf]

If you are prepared to stay up into the wee small hours and the clouds play fair(!!) Albireo (a lovely colour contrasting double) will be up and available for imaging.

[davedownsouth]

If you are prepared to stay up into the wee small hours and the clouds play fair(!!) Albireo (a lovely colour contrasting double) will be up and available for imaging.

Bit of bad news, looks like the wife's dad might have had a stroke, so tonight has been cancelled.  Strange how things can change at the drop of a pin; one minute happily making a list of suitable double stars to image, the next I am handing my thermos flask to a very upset wife as she drives to Portsmouth hospital .  Puts moaning about cloud cover into perspective I guess.

[steppenwolf]

So sorry to hear about the change in fortunes - good luck to all involved.

[DoctorD]

Hi Dave

Sorry to hear about your father in-law - hope that he's OK.

As you say, it's at times like this that it all falls into perspective.

All the best

PAul