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EQ6/C11/ED80 first imaging light - Oh god, its another M13!

SteveL

By SteveL
in Imaging - Deep Sky

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SteveL

SteveL

Posted
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It seems like forever since I was last out in my own garden with my own astrokit (23rd April), but finally the skies cleared and allowed me out to play.

This was my first serious session with the "new" EQ6 Pro + C11 + ED80, and so it took a while to get everything organised, attached, cables routed, etc, but I got there eventually.

With the nights so short and light, I needed to choose a target that would be bright and easy to image. Yes, sadly its M13... another one! I do have a soft spot for M13, it was my very first DSO I ever imaged back in May 2007.

Things have changed a LOT for me since then, new kit, lots of experience, a lot of confidence... but all this counted for nothing with a completely new rig to get working last night.

Thankfully, I used EQMOD + GPS + wireless gamepad, which made life so much easier. I only touched the Synscan handset when i powered up and when i packed it away.

Anyway, here are the results of my first imaging light with the C11.

OTA: C11 @ f/10

Guiding: SW ED80 + DSI-C + PHD (via EQMOD)

RGB Imaging: QHY8 + MaximDL, 11×180s, IDAS

Stacked: DeepSkyStacker

Post Process: ImagesPlus + PSCS2 + Noel Carboni’s AstroTools

(It was supposed to be 30 x 180s but I didnt remember that the C11 will need more heat on the dew strips, so it dewed up after about 30 minutes and I didnt notice)

(Click on image to view larger version)

m13_20080626_idas_small.jpg

I learned a lot of things last night, useful things that will help me set up faster and get imaging sooner. Am already looking for the next clear night!

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daz

daz

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Oh that's poo.

I wouldn't bother carrying on if I were you. Listen, I'll come round and take all that rubbish kit off you. I'll do you a good price, mind! Just pack it into boxes and I'll be round tonight.

:):lol: :lol:

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SteveL

SteveL

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The usual galaxy in M13 images is NGC6207, but thats too far away to be in this image. SNPP6 and TheSky dont seem to show anything there, and astrometry.net is "having a bad day".

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SteveL

SteveL

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Thank Martin, there is some north/south hunting (visible in the full size image) and I need to iron out, but that almost certainly just a balance issue, and maybe some DEC guiding agressiveness I can tone down a bit.

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661-pete

661-pete

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Fantastic M13! Lovely colours and resolution.

The small galaxy is IC 4617, another well-known M13 'companion' but considerably fainter than NGC 6207! It's an elegant little face-on Sb spiral but the arms are difficult to bring out unless you over-expose M13. You've shown it up extremely well!

[edit] cross-post with Roy! :oops:

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Tim

Tim

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Heheh, I was wondering where all the light went last night, now we know, it was all being sucked into a new black hole in the middle of cambridgeshire.

Great M13 Steve, have you counted how many more stars since your starter image? :)

I'd be very interested in how you sort out the SLIGHT guiding issues there, as I have similar problems that I seem to be unable to master.

Cheers

TJ

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