How to image M45?

[davedownsouth]

Assuming we get another clear night this side of Christmas  , my next target is going to be M45 using my Star 71 scope.  Am I right in saying that narrow band filters will be of no use with this target and I should just stick to LRGB filters.  Also, is this target one which really needs to be done on a Moonless night?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

That's right, to the best of my knowledge there is no significant emission nebula around the Pleiades. I don't know how deep you intend to go but the darker your sky the more of the faint stuff you'll be able to pick up. The extended nebulosity is huge, I doubt everything will fit in with the Star 71. There is a 200mm lens shot on my site if you are interested.

[davedownsouth]

There is a 200mm lens shot on my site if you are interested.

That is a nice wide filed shot  .  I did manage to get set-up last night but after taking just 2 x 3 minute shots in RGB, the clouds rolled in, so not enough images to integrate yet.  Looking at the shots I have, I think that I will start again using 5 minute exposures in RGB so that I get a bit more of the nebulosity.  Actually, I might do the Luminance in 12 x 10 minutes binned 1x1 and go for 12 x 5 minutes shots of RGB binned 2x2.  This adds up to 5 hours of imaging, so if I get two good nights in a row, that should be possible .  Unfortunately, I do not think I am going to get these two good nights anytime around this New Moon, so it will have to be in the December one.