The Witch! (IC 2118)

[MartinFransson]

My second go at the Witch Head Nebula, IC 2118. The first try didn´t turn out well because this in one darned dim object for a DSLR! Had another go, this time with calibration frames and more data. Turned out really well I think, even if I had to stretch it quite hard and more exposure is needed to improve the S/N ratio! This one never reaches over 25 degrees above the horizon and it is in a direction where I have some LP.

A little over 5 hours (63*5 minutes), ISO800, f/4
Canon EOS 1100D (not modified)
Canon EF 300/4L IS lens

Stacked with flats, bias, darks in Pixinsight. Processing in PI and PS CS6.

Enjoy!

[Davey-T]

Excellent DSLR image Martin, this was my intended target recently but the weather has been so appalling that I've abandoned until next year.

Dave

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Very nice indeed. Same story here Davey, wanted to have a go at this target with my 200mm lens this winter but it was not to be, I've just cancelled another imaging trip to Cornwall as the forecast is so poor.

[PeterCPC]

Yep, I wanted to try it but given up too. Great image.

Peter

[ChrisLX200]

You've done very well - especially considering the circumstances of location and LP. It's a faint one all right and I got nothing the last time I tried (though there was a Moon about..)

ChrisH

[Martin-Devon]

Yep, you need crystal clear moon-less nights for this one, and a lot of data to pull the luminence out - very nice result here though, you've got to be pleased with that one.

Martin

[ollypenrice]

Quite something from a standard DSLR. Really nicely done. Were you persecuted by satellites? I had dozens of them during my run on this.

Olly

[MartinFransson]

51 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Quite something from a standard DSLR. Really nicely done. Were you persecuted by satellites? I had dozens of them during my run on this.

Olly

Thanks Olly!

You know what, there´s hardly a trace of a satellite in any of the 63 subs! A bit surprised myself. My biggest problem was LP and the facts that it never got above 25 degrees over the horizon.

[MartinFransson]

Oh well, had to make a new edit, this time in Photoshop from beginning to end. Much more subtle and I like it a lot better than the one I posted first. And yes, I am aware of the rings I missed around the brightest stars

[laser_jock99]

Good Witch Head- always a bit tricky, and as Olly mentions, right in the Geostationary Satelite zone.

[beka]

10 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Quite something from a standard DSLR. Really nicely done. Were you persecuted by satellites? I had dozens of them during my run on this.

Olly

I am newish to astrophotography and this section of the forum - it is hard to stop looking at all the posts and checking out the equipment that was used to get the pictures. In your signature you have a Baader Modified Canon 1100D but your post says you used an unmodified one. So just to be clear do you have two 1100D's? If you can do this good with an unmodified then for some of us it may be enough to keep us from wanting to move on to a modded DSLR  or a dedicated astrocamera.

[MartinFransson]

1 hour ago, beka said:

I am newish to astrophotography and this section of the forum - it is hard to stop looking at all the posts and checking out the equipment that was used to get the pictures. In your signature you have a Baader Modified Canon 1100D but your post says you used an unmodified one. So just to be clear do you have two 1100D's? If you can do this good with an unmodified then for some of us it may be enough to keep us from wanting to move on to a modded DSLR  or a dedicated astrocamera.

Yes, that's right. I have two 1100D ? Forgot to edit the sig. For targets like this one I prefer the unmodded one. 

[wimvb]

Both very fine renderings of this target. The first one seems stronger, but I liked the way you kept the stars down in the second.

 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Prefer the first one myself, the stars look a little purplish to my eye in the second.

[MartinFransson]

3 hours ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

Prefer the first one myself, the stars look a little purplish to my eye in the second.

Damn it, OK then here´s the third version with reduced CA

 

[cardconvict]

On 2/6/2016 at 16:37, MartinFransson said:

Damn it, OK then here´s the third version with reduced CA

 

This one for me is brilliant !!! I'm loving the star colours in this one specially coming from a DSLR great job

[laudropb]

All great images but the last rendition is very special.

[gorann]

Fantastic Martin!

I was not sure it could be done from Sweden, I thought that we may be too far North for this one. I may give it a try. I assume I would have to hurry since it is on its way down from the horizon if I got my bearings right.

[MartinFransson]

Thanks Göran! It is a bit too low. I had to work quite a lot to separate the faint nebula from the skyglow. Would like another 4-5 hours on this but that might have to wait until  next year.