Let's see your 1st DSOs

[Taff]

They are nice captues, nice one.Mark

[Hicks]

My first images were taken back in March and May 2004, I'd had my 8" LX90 (first telescope) for about a year and a half before the imaging bug first reared its head.

First images taken were of m3 and the whirlpool galaxy in March 2004, lets just say I didn't know anything about stacking multiple images nor taking darks or flats and don't even ask about polar alignment/drifting.

Couple of month later I made another attempt at m3 with a little more success on focusing.

and earlier this week I tried M51 again, this time with flats after building myself a light box last weekend.

It's quite nice to look back at my first attempts, makes me realise how far I've come although still a long long way to go I now also understand why everyone said the hardest thing about astro photography is focusing. It's still causing me troubles

[MidnightSun]

Well ok, here is my first M42, taken with film about 4 yrs. ago with a Canon AE-1 I believe, or maybe my OM-1. Probably about a 1 min. shot.

[Dangerous-Dave]

I can't post my first ever DSO as a. it was on film, and b. I chucked it away in shame. But imagine if you will a piece of 4x6" gloss photographic paper the colour of a Sodium lit sky, with a faint smudge and a lab quality control sticker.

[robindurant]

My first with a Phillips cam

Robin

[SteveL]

My First DSO was M13. This was 19th May 2007, 30 x 20sec images, Meade DSI-C, unguided, through a Meade ETX90PE

and my latest attempt at the same object. This was 21st March 2009, 28×300s, Starligh Xpress M25C, guided, imaged through a Celestron C11

[RichieJarvis]

Is that a DSO Robin??

[robindurant]

Richie

God know, it could be. At the time to me it was deep space he he

Robin

[jgs001]

I have already posted a shot of the Hyades, but this was my first "proper" (??) prime focus DSO... The Double Cluster. Konus Vista 80s on the NexStar SLT tracked in AltAz

[roundycat]

I noticed this thread ages ago but only just found my first effort. It was done on film using an F3 and 500 f4 lens and I only just managed to get the target on screen. It was a few days before I actually saw it it's that bad. A more recent one is with the ST10 and shows a bit more detail.

Dennis

[samtheeagle]

Here's my first "proper" attempt at a DSO... The wonderful M13

I've developed a strange affection for this blob. It eluded me several times when I first tried to locate it, through a mixture of physical obstructions and LP. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally get it into my sights!

I'm pretty pleased with the image overall. It's only about 4 minutes worth of exposure, with the subs being about 30 seconds on average. Processed in DSS and the GIMP.

I'm exceedingly new to all this so I'm not as structured in my attempts as I should be... There's a bit of bloating going on, but this was before I fully got the polar alignment dance (at least I think I've got it now). Plus I'm hoping to be guiding soon!

I think the coveted "propeller" is showing up quite nicely

If you want to see my actual first ever DSO, and a laugh, check this linky out http://imgur.com/CB4CK.jpg M45, very short (~1 or 2 sec) single exposure on non-tracking mount. All bow down in awe at my astrophotography skills!

[MidnightSun]

Not bad at all...I just shot M13 the other night for the first time. But DSS hasn't been kind to me lately and doesn't like to stack all my subs. That's better that the 11 minute stack DSS gave me out of an hour of subs..... Congrats...

[samtheeagle]

I've reworked that raw data more times than I can remember! It's worth having another go at it, and then another... and so on I have found that if you are brutal, and I do mean BRUTAL, with the selection of only the VERY best subs it pays off. Maybe that's even more important when you're only working with a very small amount of data. One duff one will have a greater effect on the good uns.

[daryl_lincoln]

Im ashamed to post mine but anyway

Wish i still had all the data as my image processing skill have improved vastly.

My first Image was the Moon was in hotshots in Sky at night mag (April 08)

[Trevorw]

Target: M8 Lagoon Nebula

Camera: Pentax K100D Unmodified

Exposure Capture: Aperture remote

Scope: Skywatcher 120 f/5 Achromatic

Mount: EQ5 Mount

Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Auto WB

Exposures: 20 x 3O second

Seeing: Average

Guiding: Unguided

Focus: Hartmann mask

Stacking: DSS

Processing: PS7

[Phantom]

Here is my first DSO from 24/05/09 and you guessed it its M13. This was the first image taken with my C80ED and my new 1000D. 10 Frames stacked in registax and I let GIMP auto adjust the levels, each image was about 5 seconds at ISO 1600.

Regards,

Phantom

[jamesnic7]

Hi All

Now this is the place to hide my shame.

My first attempts.

Cheers:icon_eek:

[Taff]

Hi' This is my first ever DSO capture of M42.Mark

[daryl_lincoln]

I have been imaging since winter 2007/2008 and my first image was M-27. I was happy at the time now it a bit pants, hoping this year when it comes into view (of my new roll on roll off shed, cant tell you how much i love it) I hope to have another go with my new skills. Will post the results

[EA2007]

Hello all,

First image from my new setup.

Messier Object 13, 1x60sec, 1000iso, Olympus E-400.

Rather lame, I need better imaging equipment.

Thinking a dSLR with LiveView and possibly a focal reducer.

The Olympus E-400 I have doesn't cut it, for starters it is soooo noisy, even with noise reduction (NR) on it creates a dullish red background and also Olympus seems to use the NR-filter to createa second copy of the exposure to eliminate the bad guys in the original, this takes the same time as the original exposure to process, so a 40 sec exposure takes another 40 seconds to process, altogether wasting 80 seconds (1 minute, 20 seconds).

It won't expose past 1 minute on BULB and thats above an ISO of 400....so no good for a slow scope.

The image is out of focus......I had to manually star-hop to find M13, the viewfinder scope attached tot he C8 is rubbish, think I shall invest in a RDFinder.

[EA2007]

updated version, slightly better

4 x 1 minute, at ISO1000, statcke in DSS (Deep SKy Stacker)

[Paul k]

My first light, M20...12" S/W reflector, unmodded Canon 450D...Guided...with Baader MPCC...45 m exposure / 11 images... processed DSS then Gimp.... I had a homemade adapter plate for my L/P focuser and I hadn't aligned it properly...giving a bit of egginess to the stars...so back to the workshop...

[TakMan]

Hi

It's appropriate now (with M42 starting to re-appear), that I should post my first ever astro image....

.....with what was 'my first and new' (2nd hand) astro gear - just to check it out in early January '09 before embarking on a self-imposed 'visual only' period of learning my way around the night sky.

Just 2 exposures: 1 x 60 sec (for the core) and 1 x 180 sec to try and capture the Nebulosity.... equipment - see signature.

All unguided as I've only just worked that bit out (!) - see M27 shot ......

No flats or bias frames (only just worked them out also!!!) - just automatic dark frame subtracted by the camera and Equinox Image - on my Apple Mac.

Messed with in Photoshop and 'Noel's Actions' - heavily 'nuked' - a derogatory 'in-house design studio term' (!) for something that's been too heavily Photoshopped - I was still happy though:icon_confused: despite what my guys thought.....

Hopefully get another go at this sometime over the winter!

Thanks for looking.....

Regards and clear skies,

Damian

[RichieJarvis]

You started with that? wow... Very nice

[Beyond_Vision]

Thats a fantastic first image Damian I bet you are pleased with that

Regards

Kevin