IC410 Tadpole Nebula - advice please

[rubecula]

I had a go at IC410 the Tadpole Nebula last night.  I managed 36 x 240 sec lights, 15 x 240 sec darks, 50 Bias and 100 Flats all at 800 ISO. I used DSS and StarTools but was not too happy with the result so I mangled it some more in PS. 

It was taken with the scope in my signature and the modified Canon 550D.

Here it is:

 

The tadpoles are visible (just) but I would have liked more detail.  What would have made this better?

Should I have taken more lights, or darks or both? 

Should the lights have been longer?

Would it be worth trying to learn Astrotortilla to see if I can get more data?

How much more should I be expecting from my kit?

I lust after producing images of the quality I see in this forum but have no idea where my kits limits are.  I'm still just at the foot of the learnung curve so a lot of the image defficiences are probably down too me.

 

 

[rubecula]

I've got used to getting lots of help here.  I'm sure you all haven't changed so there must be something wrong with my post.

Too many questions?

The wrong questions?

No need to answer the questions in the original post, but it would be helpfull to get some quidance on it for future reference.

Thanks

[Uranium235]

Astrotortilla wont improve your data, its only an aid to pointing your telescope.

As for your subs, you are currently operating at f7, which (to me) is painfully slow - couple that with a DSLR and you are making very hard work for yourself. The way forward can be a number of routes:

1) Use a faster telescope (f5 newtonian), f5 would be nearly twice as fast. Save the Edge for planetary, galaxy or planetary nebula hunting with a CCD.

2) Use a CCD camera (far more sensitive than a DSLR)

3) Use longer subs (600s as a start), and more of them (actually... lots of them!... like four or five hours worth).

Processing wise, back off on the Red a bit. Modded DSLRs are very red heavy, so playing with levels on the red channel can help there.

[cfpendock]

This thing is pretty faint, and bearing in mind that it was fairly close to the moon last night, I think you have not done too badly with a full spectrum camera.

You should be aware that most of the interesting structure in this object is due to Ha.  Can you fit an Ha filter to your kit with the modded camera?  Of course you would need significantly longer subs, as Uranium235 above suggested, at least 10 minutes and preferably longer.  And lots of them.  I have taken and stacked 11 x 15 minute Ha subs with a comparatively very sensitive CCD camera operating at f5, and this is nowhere near enough - my image is still very noisy.

But at least you show something!  

Chris

[rubecula]

Thanks for the responses Rob and Chris.

My comment on Astrotortilla was in regard to imaging on a second night to gather more subs, something which I haven't done yet. 

I don't want to spend lots more cash at present so a second scope or ccd will have to wait.  I was already thinking of getting a UHC filter to help with light polution, perhaps now I should add an Ha filter as well.  That opens up a whole load of other questions concerning which filters and how to mount them bearing in mind that I might want to move to ccd imaging later.  I think I'll ask that question in the equipment section.

In the meantime your advice to take more and longer images has been heard and understood. So thanks again.

[rubecula]

Oh, and remembering not to be so gung-ho with the red

[cfpendock]

Concerning Astrotortilla, I use it myself for syncing the scope - I have to set up my rig each time, and Astrotortilla can save a lot of time.  However, I have found it doesn't like solving areas of sky in the Milky Way - too many stars I suppose.  I have tried everything - binning, different scales, downscaling, sigma, search radius, and --obs commands, all to no avail.  So I sync as close to the target as possible, and then manually position the scope using Ra and Dec figures from my previous imaging session.  So long as the camera hasn't been removed from the scope (i.e. the rotational angle is the same), then you can certainly get within a few arc-seconds which is quite close enough.  

But I see you have an observatory (drool), so you should be able to easily position the scope using Ra and Dec - just remember to note the Ra and Dec when you are happy with the framing.  That way you can get lots of subs on subsequent occasions.

My other advice is to go without food, heating, and new clothes until you have saved up for a CCD.....

Chris

[rubecula]

Ha Ha, like that Chris.  There should be another button for "I like this a lot"