The Milky Way from Bodmin Moor

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Here's my first really successful stack of the Milky Way, taken from the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.

Modded Canon 100D, kit lens at 18mm and f4.5. 10 x 120 second subs so 20 minutes total, 30 dark bias. No darks or flats.

Minimal processing. Just stacked and a simple stretch in DSS, then boosted the saturation and sharpened a little using the Canon software. Very happy to finally have a Milky Way that pops off the screen. Any feedback would be welcome, have I overcooked the colours a little? There is some coma, next time I'll stop down a bit more and try and get more data. There is a bit of a gradient as well - I wanted to get fairly low to the south as light pollution from London closes off the southern horizon to me when I'm in Hertfordshire.

Taken at Caradon Observatory.

[oldpink]

lovely
had a dark sky weekend a few weeks ago
I'd forgotten what the milky way looked like, nice image

[Pete Presland]

that is very nice, unguided on your EQ3 ?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Thanks. Yes, just using my EQ3-2. Two minute subs at 135mm are generally fine, so I should be able to push it much further at 18mm.

[Pete Presland]

just a rough polar alignment with a compass or pointing at the pole star?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I've fitted a polar scope now to help me with using my longer lenses. I haven't worked out how to use the setting circles yet but I check the equatorial grid on Stellarium to see roughly where to place Polaris on the circle around the NCP.

[symesie04]

very nice

[cmaxx]

Awesome picture! I live in Bodmin, about 10 mins drive from the moors so hopefully will be catching images like this soon! Very lucky to be near such dark skies!

[robbie c]

That's a very nice image well done