Celestron RASA- works even under last nights moon

[pyrasanth]

I don't have a light pollution filter for my RASA until after the bank holiday. I was anxious to test something. M51 looked a good target. The image below was captured using 50 unguided exposures of 2 minutes & the conditions were the worst imaginable. A bright moon, 4 sodium street lights & con trails from passing aircraft. I'm thinking- If I can get this sort of image under the worst conditions- I wonder what it will be like when the conditions are better- it's really made me think!

Does anybody know what the galaxy in the top left is- not had a chance to look at my star chart yet.

The camera is an Atik 490 OSC 1x1 Bin- 50 120 second exposures at 11" F2.2

[Tonynexevo925]

Wow - fantastic image!

[pyrasanth]

Thanks- but if the conditions were better like no bright moon & I had the light pollution filter I reckon I can achieve something special- like everyone involved in this unique hobby we await those special conditions with equipment poised........

[laser_jock99]

Interesting- got to get that scope out under a dark, moonless sky sometime I reckon.

[Martin Meredith]

Good result from an interesting scope. I was looking at M51 last night myself with a 90% moon unfiltered and it didn't seem to have much effect.

The galaxy at top left is IC 4263, mag 15.3, 140 MLY distant, I think.

cheers

Martin

[pyrasanth]

Still no light pollution filter & an even brighter moon- but I got the image below in a total of 16 minutes (8 x 2)  again with the OSC. The image scale & flatness of the field is amazing. Can't wait to get the right conditions to really test.