The "No EQ" DSO Challenge!

[Filroden]

Here's the sky at 10:00. Looks like it's just above where you've cropped  

[happy-kat]

I've got it but it's a faint fuzzy one unlike lovejoy mk1.

[happy-kat]

Weather suggests Saturday for another go and as it's falling the gutter hopefully will not get in the way. I'll have to make another light block for that street lamp.

[happy-kat]

Comet 41p with friends, m97 owl nebula and the m108 surfboard.

Very noisy image and my processing has left a few black rings on some stars but run out of umpf trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear. Data data data needed more lights. DSS is playing odd ball and was not showing the individual frames light enough for me to mark the comet to be able to do a proper comet stack, argh...

Virtuoso mount with Canon 1100d 135mm f3 with an 8 inch extended flocked lens tube, ISO 800, 30s and 19 lights 8 flats 29 bias raw files, elevation was 83% when I finished but with the gutter taking over I had to do a heavy crop anyway. I did have more lights but I wasn't waving my seat cushion in quite the right way to block the pesky street light ruining the frame.

Single Jpeg

DSS, StarTools crop and 50% bin with other fiddles and final red bias adjust in PaintShopPro

The weather is looking promising for Saturday so I have a few days to rig a portable light paddle to block the street light. Might try ISO 1600 as well even though I had clear air to the side of the histogram.

Edited March 22, 2017 by happy-kat
got the nebula the wrong way around

[Filroden]

Your new crop shows the Owl and M108 much better than the original crop. The comet is quite extended! Good capture.

8 hours ago, happy-kat said:

I wasn't waving my seat cushion in quite the right way to block the pesky street light

Is this a new Olympic sport you've invented?  The astronomers' version of Quidditch maybe.

[happy-kat]

Lol

I think I should try reprocessing this from the beginning I've a few niggling imperfections to iron out but I'm pleased with the general number and shape of the stars (excluding the CA) and the owl nebula really does look like what I see in other images the impression what it is the lens did capture which I'm surprised about. I might do a batch of cropping my full list of lights to remove street light intrusion and try stacking those.

[happy-kat]

The cropped batch made a hideous stack when opened in StarTools very strange gradient lines so that was a flop. I had managed to mark the comet but that on it's own didn't make for a better image. I will have another go imaging this with the lens as it in general makes an ok star field.

[The Admiral]

I had a wee go at this wee object last night. What do you reckon? I think I'm pushing the limits with this scope, especially in Alt-Az. I am rather taken by galaxies, but not many come in large. This is the first go I had with my new StarSense, so I'm glad I ended up with anything after spending a frustrating couple of hours in the cold trying to follow the meagre instructions.

I stacked 109 of my 193 x 30s subs (yup, I was being picky) in AA, and then did a quick process in ST, with a bit of help from the colour module, followed by a bit of noise reduction in LR. Usual gear, Fuji X-T1 through an Altair 102mm f/7 Super ED with a TS Photoline 2" 0.79x reducer/flattener. Mounted on a Nexstar 6/8SE Alt-Az mount.

Ian

M64 'Black-Eye' galaxy.

Edited March 25, 2017 by The Admiral

[Filroden]

As you say, you're really pushing your scope to the limits on these small objected. With the small pixel size of the camera you're asking a lot! Nonetheless, that's the sort of swirl I like to see on my coffee  Apply a lot of noise reduction and it would look like how I like my Guinness too!

I assume this is a tight crop? Have you thought of doing wider shots in Leo and Virgo?

[Stub Mandrel]

Nicer colour than I got last night, Ian - and a not-particularly colourful target.

[The Admiral]

19 minutes ago, Filroden said:

I assume this is a tight crop? Have you thought of doing wider shots in Leo and Virgo?

With my set up Ken I'm getting 1.7"/px, rather better than seeing. The overall FoV is 2.3° x 1.6°, and yes, it is a smallish crop. Here's the Astro Tools rendition:

I did the Leo Triplet the other (bright) night, with poor results that I posted, and I'm going to have another go at Makarian's Chain before long, which would be a repeat of last year's attempt. Planning M101 tonight, if the wind doesn't cause me too much grief. At least that's galaxy is a bit larger than M64, and there are other galaxies which should be in the field. Virgo is rising a bit late for me at the moment. Too many things to try and unhelpful weather.

Ian

[Filroden]

6 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

The overall FoV is 2.3° x 1.6°, and yes, it is a smallish crop.

Yeah. I think if I were to try galaxies it would have to be M101 and M51 at the moment because of their size otherwise I'd need to break out the SCT. The good news is I took a look out of the window at 2am last night and Deneb was already on the rise in the Eastern sky, enough to begin imaging again. Give it a couple of months and the Iris, Elephant Trunk, Veil, NAN, Pelican, etc will all be back around

[The Admiral]

Do you think you'll end up guiding your SCT and trying some long FL treats, or are you a committed nebula man?

Ian

[Filroden]

15 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Do you think you'll end up guiding your SCT and trying some long FL treats, or are you a committed nebula man?

Ian

I don't know how well it would guide. It has a very long focal length and the mount is ok but not great... I will probably have to give it a go but there are still enough targets for me test the new combination of kit for at least a while. Along with the Flaming Star, I think I can also get the Soul and California at the moment, though both are nearing a street light so probably only good for Ha. I may have a go at the Leo triplets and the M95, 96 and 105 group.

[happy-kat]

Why not enjoy the comet it's fun and different and passing through.

[Shaun_Astro]

Very clear last night, for the first time in ages. Here's a shot of M13. Taken facing East, with light pollution from nearby town. 60x30s.

[happy-kat]

There's lots of sparkle in that, Lovely.

Please add your equipment I can't remember what you have and it helps others know what was used.

[The Admiral]

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

Why not enjoy the comet it's fun and different and passing through.

Agree and I have toyed with that, but Tuttle is too high for my set up. I know there are others, but as I said with so few decent imaging nights one has to be selective.

Ian

[The Admiral]

1 hour ago, Shaun_Astro said:

Very clear last night, for the first time in ages. Here's a shot of M13. Taken facing East, with light pollution from nearby town. 60x30s.

Nice one, very pleasing to the eye.

Ian

[happy-kat]

I has a go anyway but have a feeling lost a lot of lights due to the wind. The comet is now too high for me and in the roof line so unless I go out as soon as it is dark I think I'll have to wait until it is very much on its way out and over into the west.

[Nigel G]

Lovely image Shaun. Thanks for  sharing. 

Ian. Another fine image from the Admiral. 

Happy-kat - I like your image of the comet with the Owl and Surfboard,  Itook a 2 hour time lapse of the comet Friday night. Just need to process the subs s a ltitle. 

The Owl and Surfboard sounds like a pub ?

Cheers

Nige.

[The Admiral]

26 minutes ago, Nigel G said:

Ian. Another fine image from the Admiral.

The Owl and Surfboard sounds like a pub ?

Cheers

Nige.

Thanks Nige. I like the way your mind works 

Ian

[Shaun_Astro]

15 hours ago, happy-kat said:

There's lots of sparkle in that, Lovely.

Please add your equipment I can't remember what you have and it helps others know what was used.

Need to have ten posts before I can have a signature apparently; I'll find some threads to spam

Edited March 26, 2017 by Shaun_Astro

[Filroden]

Just now, Shaun_Astro said:

Need to have ten posts before I can have a signature apparently; I'll find some threads to spam

Well, if you post your equipment list in your next post then that's 9  and you can copy and paste it into your signature. 

[Shaun_Astro]

Good idea!

130pds, Star Discovery Mount, 1300d, SW 200pds, Thinsulate 40gm hat, insulated slippers.