Let's see your 1st DSOs

[IainMcD]

That looks very nice Baffa.

M51 is my current target, but I'm having some difficulty even finding it! I know exactly where it is thanks to stellarium, and I'm willing to bet I've past it many times. Should it be visible in my scope (in sig).

I'm considering just going out and taking some subs of that area of the sky until I find it.

[Gina]

Good start

[Baffa]

That looks very nice Baffa.

M51 is my current target, but I'm having some difficulty even finding it! I know exactly where it is thanks to stellarium, and I'm willing to bet I've past it many times. Should it be visible in my scope (in sig).

I'm considering just going out and taking some subs of that area of the sky until I find it.

Visually I had no problems finding it, even when my eyes wasn't completly dark adapted. I have more aperture and my light pollution is less north/eastwards than any other direction, far from great though!

I suppose you should be able to see it if your skies are dark enough.

[IainMcD]

Found the little [removed word]. Turns out, I think my finder scope had taken a knock at some point. I realigned it using jupiter as a mark. On my way to finding it however I accidentally stumbled across the Sunflower galaxy!

So here are my first two attempt at these two from last night.

M51 - Whirlpool, 120x30sec

M63 - Sunflower 60x30sec

Anyone identify the other two smudges? One faint one nearby, and the one at the top I think is NGC5103?

Pretty pleased with these.

[Gina]

Nice ones

[earth titan]

Wow. Brilliant shots.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[Folkert]

It has taken me quite some time, but finally they are here: my first DSO pictures. First we had no dark skies due to summer (I am in Finland), then we had about 5 months of clouds, then we had nights of -20C in which I needed to learn-by-doing. The problems were getting good focus, and getting perfect SyncScan alignment, so I would actually catch the aimed for objects (I have quite some pictures with just stars on them!).

But finally last week I got it right, the results below. I still have a lot to improve. I obviously need a field flattener, I need to learn more on post processing, and I need to further learn the tricks on the set-up. E.g. Last night, after 40 x 300s on M101 I found out that the guider cable had dropped out from the Lodestar, so now I have 3 hours of useless star trails!). But we are getting there. So these are my first!

first M13 with NGC 6207 by its side (10 x 300s) and the second is M51 (15 x 300s). Both with EOS 1100D through Skywatcher Equinox 120, guided.

Folkert

[IainMcD]

Nice pics! I like that there's a little galaxy in the M13 shot.

[Gina]

Great start

[kriss13]

Panstars and Orion

No stacks yet.

Still testing and learning...

[fluffy]

One of the first attempts at astrophotography.

Hale-Bopp in 1997?

And my latest in 2013... pannstars

Terry

[Mak One]

Not a first DSO, but a first go at narrowband using the Hubble pallet: A tiny M57 taken on 05 May using the ED80Pro, 314L+ mono and EFW with Baader nb filters. Processed in Dawn and tidied up in CS6. 10 x 2min subs each filter. Best guiding I've managed so far as well, at least according to the PHD graph. It wobbled around either side of the line, but did it consistently and didn't drift off and stay off like usual.

[Kenza]

Hi! Here is my first DSI (M51) taken three nights ago.

Lights 21x 60 sec. @ ISO 800 (but DSS used only 14)

Darks 15

Processed in Photoshop

M51 3.tif

No guiding

[broca]

I believe this is my first ever DSO (imaged January 2010) using an unmodified Nikon d40, a StarWatcher 8 inch SCT on a CG-5. I was using an IR shutter button and a stopwatch to capture 30sc unguided exposures. Stacked in DSS and processed in GIMP.

[sbooder]

OK, for those who know me I am a confirmed observer but I got a new D3100 and thought I might as well have a go at some simple prime focus on DSOs. Well here is my first go. It is M57, taken through my SW 10" on the NEQ6, no guide scope or software during photographing, just 10x30sec exposures followed by 10x30sec darks and stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and edited in PS CS5.

I am quite pleased for a first attempt.

[orion69]

This was my first DSO and AP image ever if you don't count some short test shots of random stars...

[Scott]

This was my first DSO and AP image ever if you don't count some short test shots of random stars...

wow

[Gina]

I don't believe it! That's wonderful I am in awe

[Marvaz]

My first DSo.

Eq6 Pro + Meade 127 Apo triplet, no flattener, no guiding, 63x1min iso 800, canon 20d.

[Scosmico]

Nexstar 5SE, a Canon 1100D, unguided no-Darks no-Flats LOL, 25 seconds exposure @ ISO 6400 13.07.2013 2:06.

All beauty of my first picture is in my heart. It means a lot to me. I was in Wales enjoying the summer, nice warm nights. I had my DSLR with me and I decided to give a try. When that greenish blob (M27) appeared in the live-view I felt a great sense of achievement. I felt like a new window of opportunities opened to me. Next night I was there again, this time, trying to take pictures as I read here on SGL and S@N.(M57 and M13)

[Billy- the -Badger]

My first "proper" go at a DSO

The Dumbbell nebulae.

meade LX90 12"

Nikon D3100

16 x 25 Sec exposures

processed with pixinsight

[Gina]

Nexstar 5SE, a Canon 1100D, unguided no-Darks no-Flats LOL, 25 seconds exposure @ ISO 6400 13.07.2013 2:06.

All beauty of my first picture is in my heart. It means a lot to me. I was in Wales enjoying the summer, nice warm nights. I had my DSLR with me and I decided to give a try. When that greenish blob (M27) appeared in the live-view I felt a great sense of achievement. I felt like a new window of opportunities opened to me. Next night I was there again, this time, trying to take pictures as I read here on SGL and S@N.(M57 and M13)

Well done The reason your stars are rings rather than points was that your scope was out of focus. Get the focus right and that blob will show detail. Hope that helps

[Purplehayze104]

Hi All

just wanted to put up a image i managed to get while on last nite of hols in lanzarote, is my first attempt unfortunately the moon was out & also had some local light pollution to cope with so excuse the colours as still learning photohop too

i used my nikon 3100 on a small tripod, and took about 20 30sec subs, with a 18-55mm standard zoom lens with FL of 3.5, 20 darks & 20 bias

stacked in DSS an played with in photoshop & paintshop pro

clear skies everyone

[stang]

This was my first DSO and AP image ever if you don't count some short test shots of random stars...

Extraordinary for a first attempt!... Actually it's extraordinary for a 50th attempt!

[Xeelix]

Hi all, this was my first attempt at Orion after getting my HEQ5 and putting my 8" former Dob on it:

There was a thin haze of cloud at the time, hence the lovely orange tint. 3 x 40s subs at ISO 800 - my first use of Deep Sky Stacker too! Haven't improved much since...!