Let's see your 1st DSOs

[Rolfe Lindner]

Here is my first  of the horse head , NexStar 8 SE, F6.3 , home made wedge.

[2 Scoops]

I had no real idea what I was doing when processing this, my first DSO and I still have no real idea but if I managed to get this far I did something! I kept notes so can play with it again, and will.

 

 

Canon EOS 800D 

Sharpstar EDPHII with 0.8 reducer/flattner

Star Adventurer mount

260 x 25 sec exposures . . . 

. . . and some luck. 

[bomberbaz]

These were my two first efforts. Can't remember what scope I used but seem to think it was an 80mm spotting scope and a ZWO 224MC, both unguided on the AZ GTi converted to EQ mode.

Neither have any calibration subs added as I didn't know what they were at that point. 

M31 

M57

Thanks for looking

Steve

[DougM43]

That’s a cracking M57, bet you were well chuffed with that.

[bomberbaz]

58 minutes ago, DougM43 said:

That’s a cracking M57, bet you were well chuffed with that.

Yeah I was quite proud of it as I remember but sadly I didn't6 keep the original files, just the final jpeg. 

I had one of those PC clearouts and it was a case of "will I need it again?" type moments 🙄

[mareman48]

M101 was my first and still my fav, ( maybe because it was my first ) 🤔

 

I was just about to give up deep sky malarky after spending so much money on kit and learning how to actually capture these images.

Then I got this baby, one shot 30 sec expo from a light polluted back yard, that was it, was back down the rabbit hole.

[bomberbaz]

On 09/05/2022 at 17:03, mareman48 said:

M101 was my first and still my fav, ( maybe because it was my first ) 🤔

 

I was just about to give up deep sky malarky after spending so much money on kit and learning how to actually capture these images.

Then I got this baby, one shot 30 sec expo from a light polluted back yard, that was it, was back down the rabbit hole.

that is about what I saw visually at a really dark site, probably a little less detail as the swirls were really only hints rather than definite. Good capture for 30 seconds. 

[Deepblue12]

M42, the classic first image 😀

[Taraobservatory]

Here is my first DSO. M92 LRGB 

Telescope: Skywatcher Esprit 120

Camera: QSI 638 

Mount: Skywatcher EQR 8Pro 

Filters: Astrodon 

[tomato]

Here is my first image from 2014 with an astro camera, Atik 314 OSC, Altair 102mm APO, Mesu 200. No darks, no flats, no clue!

[Iem1]

My first Astro image.

 

And this was after 2-3 nights of failing to manually find Andromeda with my SGP ..and clearly before I knew what back spacing was  

 

The same target using the same equipment (SGP, 600D, 430mm APO), about 1 year later.

[bomberbaz]

Forgot about Neowise. Don't know if it counts though!

[OK Apricot]

First real go at astrophotography with the new 533MC-Pro. I'd had a little play around with the 120MM while I saved for the 533 but that was nothing serious ultimately. First real go at some colour processing. A LONG way to go but was quite happy with this as a first effort 🙂.

[DrMike]

25 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

First real go at astrophotography with the new 533MC-Pro. I'd had a little play around with the 120MM while I saved for the 533 but that was nothing serious ultimately. First real go at some colour processing. A LONG way to go but was quite happy with this as a first effort 🙂.

 

[DrMike]

Fantastic image. I can only dream of achieving anything that good. Well done mate.

[carastro]

Quote

was quite happy with this as a first effort .

and so you should be, it's an excellent first effort.

 

Carole 

[OK Apricot]

2 hours ago, DrMike said:

Fantastic image. I can only dream of achieving anything that good. Well done mate.

 

20 minutes ago, carastro said:

and so you should be, it's an excellent first effort.

 

Carole 

Thank you so much!

[Mandy D]

My first DSO was M42. Manual Dob, Skywatcher 250PX, single exposure with Nikon D3200, no tracking. Hence, really not very good. I was just happy to get an image.

[Martthebass]

On 18/09/2022 at 15:03, Mandy D said:

My first DSO was M42. Manual Dob, Skywatcher 250PX, single exposure with Nikon D3200, no tracking. Hence, really not very good. I was just happy to get an image.

How are you getting on with the AZEQ5 Mandy?

 

[Mandy D]

11 hours ago, Martthebass said:

How are you getting on with the AZEQ5 Mandy?

 

Sadly, not had a chance to use it yet. I'd love to have a proper session on M42 with it, but still having problems with my eye, so it might be a while yet. How are you doing with the new mouunt?

[Martthebass]

10 hours ago, Mandy D said:

Sadly, not had a chance to use it yet. I'd love to have a proper session on M42 with it, but still having problems with my eye, so it might be a while yet. How are you doing with the new mouunt?

Sorry to hear that Mandy, it should do well on M42 with the RC6.  Did you pick up an ASIair to run it with?

The new mount has been a bit of a learning curve (especially the guiding aspect) but it's been worth it, it's a one lift out for the rig and I can now be up running, guiding and imaging in less than 10 minutes which is useful with our skies. 

[Mandy D]

9 hours ago, Martthebass said:

Sorry to hear that Mandy, it should do well on M42 with the RC6.  Did you pick up an ASIair to run it with?

The new mount has been a bit of a learning curve (especially the guiding aspect) but it's been worth it, it's a one lift out for the rig and I can now be up running, guiding and imaging in less than 10 minutes which is useful with our skies. 

Thank you! I'm hoping for further recovery and really want to get back to deep sky. I'm putting together the kit I need for the RC6 to ride on this mount, but, I've not got the ASIair, yet.

It's really cool that you can be up and imaging inside ten minutes. I generally need around half an hour, probably longer now because our new shed is in the way for getting the telescope out! But, it's eventually going to be moved to a permanent new location at the bottom of the garden.

As soon as I have M42 with the RC6 and the mount, I'll post photos.

[Martthebass]

I look forward to it Mandy. I only managed one image of it last year, my south and west aspect is pretty obscured and I can only get about 30 minutes before the trees get in the way. With the new mount I’m a bit more mobile so hoping for better things this year.

[Mandy D]

3 hours ago, Martthebass said:

I look forward to it Mandy. I only managed one image of it last year, my south and west aspect is pretty obscured and I can only get about 30 minutes before the trees get in the way. With the new mount I’m a bit more mobile so hoping for better things this year.

Wow! That is awesome. I have the same problem at home and end up imaging from the street under uber bright LED lights.  I have high hopes for the RC6 on that mount.

[MonsterMagnet]

This is my first attempt at a DSO, taken last week from Zone 2 central London - M42.

Didn't really know what I was doing and it's only a single image in the end from my ZWO 224.  Got a better idea what to do now though so will be giving it another go as soon as time and skies allow.

I was pretty excited with it anyway but hopefully will improve it massively over the winter, the one of M42 posted before me is just fabulous.

 

MM

Edited November 9, 2022 by MonsterMagnet