A Roundish One And A Stick Shaped One...

[StuartJPP]

After what seems like a lifetime, I managed to get out for a short session. What possessed me to stay up until 2am for the predicted "clear" break was beyond me. But I did after much debate and I actually managed to get some long overdue testing done. I think my imaging rig is finally starting to stabilise. Unlike some, the bad weather actually makes me refrain from buying kit and focus on what I have already got.

The skies weren't that great however, what looked like the MW was actually thin cloud, but I will take what I can get. Only an hour's worth of actual imaging time but I think that I finally understand my guide graph and the eggy stars were down to flexure of the main OTA/Lens, not the guide scope...

I used the PoleMaster equivalent to do polar alignment, works quite well for my focal length and other requirements.

Camera: Baader Modified Canon 6D
Lens: Canon 500mm f/4 L IS Lens @ f/4
Mount: Avalon Instruments M-Zero
Guide Scope: QHYCCD miniGuideScope
GuideCamera: QHYCCD QHY5L-II-M

12*300 second lights @ ISO400

Not even a tiny hint of the IFN...but then again I wasn't really expecting it under the conditions...

 

M81 (Bode's Nebula),  M82 (Cigar Galaxy) And Friends. by Stuart, on Flickr

 

[johnfosteruk]

That's what you can do in a short session!!! 

[laudropb]

Very nice capture.

[xtreemchaos]

great galaxy image mate, lovely colour and detail.thanks  charl.

[pyrasanth]

If you have the image scale then the smaller galaxies are worth a look at through imaging. The detail in NGC2976 is very nice but most people don't like the 3-4 meter focal length required to capture it on average amateur sized instruments. This is one of the reasons for looking at a larger aperture you keep the shorter focal ratios at a larger image scale trading off the bigger & more expensive mounts required to carry a larger payload.

Nice image!

[toxic]

ooh that's nice the cigar and ashtray galaxies very nice capture

[wimvb]

Great image. Well worth waiting for. And I do believe to see some faint unevenness in the background that could be taken for IFN.Or is that due to processing?

[StuartJPP]

Thanks for the comments everyone... Much appreciated...

On 16/04/2016 at 14:39, wimvb said:

Great image. Well worth waiting for. And I do believe to see some faint unevenness in the background that could be taken for IFN.Or is that due to processing?

Probably processing...there are a couple of galaxies in there, could be them.