M16 Ha taken while I was at SPM's

[SteveL]

This image was taken over the weekend while I was down in Selsey, working on SPM's Obs/ROR shed project.

10 x 600s, Ha Filter, TAK TOA-150, SBIG ST-10XME

(Click on image for larger version)

It was quite difficult to get this image... it was daylight in Selsey, and I was stuffing myself with a lush bacon and fried bread breakfast at the time

OK, so I rented some scope time from Global Rent-A-Scope ((GRAS) last week, and finally got to use it on Sunday morning. GRAS is all web based, so I logged in, chose the rig I wanted to use (GRAS003, located in New Mexico), chose the target, the filter, the number and length of the subs, and set it going. After the imaging run had completed, I downloaded my FITs light files, and the pre-created darks/bias/flats, and then stacked and post processed. Yes, it really was that easy.

My own thoughts on this:

Did I actually learn anything or progress my own experience by using GRAS? No

Will I be using it again? Yes, definitely!

Under what circumstances would I use it again?

• 
  [li]Southern Hemisphere Targets[/li]
  [li]If its been cloudy for weeks and weeks and I`m getting stir crazy![/li]
  [li]UK summer meaning longer days and short (or non-existant) dark nights
  [/li]
  [li]Target/Mosaic investigation for future imaging runs of my own at home (mostly stuff in the East that I am unable to see for several months yet, due to the house blocking the sky almost up to the Zenith)[/li]
  

Should remote rent-a-scope images be included in Picture Of The Week? No. Seriously, obtaining the RAW FITs files is too easy. You really only gain image processing experience using the rent-a-scopes.

[themos]

From their wwwbsite:

Look let’s cut to the chase; if your objective is to drive around for hours looking for a dark site; spend a great amount of time suffering from bone-chilling freezing temperatures; exposing yourself to possible injury by lugging around heavy and awkward equipment; risk the loss of your equipment to thieves, while you might be napping or worse yet, suffer personal harm from unknown assailants that may pray on unsuspecting lone astronomers. If this is your preference Global Rent-a-Scope will not make a lot of sense to you.

:cat:

[MartinB]

You blummin shirker!!

Seriously, that's very interesting Steve, great image and beautifully processed.

[centroid]

Nice!!

Dave

[barkis]

Outstanding!.

Ron.

[Beyond_Vision]

Outstanding!.

Ron.

More like in sitting down eating his breakfast.

[Andrew*]

:cat:

Truly an insitting image Steve!!

Andrew

[themos]

and then stacked and post processed.

rent-an-image-processing-guru.com anyone?

[Sam]

Awesome image Steve . Interesting comments about the remote imaging as well.

Sam