#103 - My 3rd and painful M42 :-)

[pmesquita]

Hi all,

before going any further...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This is my 3rd M42 (second with the Luis Campos 450d MonoMod Canons. I've blendes H-Alpha with RGB, after going through a painful learning process with PI's HDR Composition, since both RGB and Ha images had to have HDR done with their different exposures to cover M42's huge Dynamic Range.

So the method in short was:

Ha + Ha

RGB + RGB

HaHDR + RGBHDR (PI's NBRGB script)

SESSION PLACE & TIME:
-Local: Sintra, Portugal
-Date: 21.12.2014

IMAGING:

CAMERA 1 - Luis Campos MonoMod Monochromatic Canon 450d:
- modified with monochromatic & TEC Peltier cooled @ minus 15ºC from ambient temperature

Lights - Astronomik H-ALPHA 12nm - 10x600s @ +2ºC
Lights - Astronomik H-ALPHA 12nm -     3x20s @ +2ºC
Flats - x 20 @ 1/5Tv
Darks - x 10 (not necessary, but still did them)
Bias - x 50 (not necessary, but still did them)

CAMERA 2 - Luis Campos MonoMod RGB IR Modded Canon 450d:
- modified with Baader IR filter & TEC Peltier cooled @ minus 15ºC from ambient temperature

Lights - Hutech IDAS LPS V4 - 25x150s @ -2ºC
Lights - Hutech IDAS LPS V4 -     10x5s @ -2ºC
Flats - x 20 @ 1/200Tv
Darks - x 10 (not necessary, but still did them)
Bias - x 50 (not necessary, but still did them)

SETUP:
Telescope: Orion Optics CF 200/900mm F4.5 1/12 lambda newtonian
Field Flattener: Baader MPCC MKIII
Filters:
Hutech IDAS LPS V4 clip filter
ASTRONOMIK 12nm H-Alpha (36mm unmounted)
Focuser: Orion Accufocus Motor kit
Mount on pillar: Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 Pro
Autoguiding: Orion SS AG kit - 9x50 short finder + SS AG CCD
Flats: Gerd Newmann Aurora Flat Panel

SOFTWARE ON LAPTOP:
CAPTURE: Backyard EOS
AUTOGUIDING: PHD GUIDING
PRE PRODUCTION - PIXINSIGHT
PRODUCTION - PIXINSIGHT
POST PRODUCTION (very little) - PHOTOSHOP CS6

[Luis Campos]

Awesome work there Paulo! Love the colors and detail

Congrats on such a fine image,

Cheers,

Luís

[pmesquita]

...your cameras, buddy! :-)