First Ever CCD Image - M45

[MikeCM]

Recently Purchased Mono Atik 460Ex with LRGB Baader Filters. Never used CCD camera before but amazed at detail captured with very little data.  Luminance 7 x180, Red 9 x180, Green 10 x 180 , Blue 4 x180. Unfortunately unable to get much more data due to cloud. No darks, flats or bias used as this was very much a test run. As ever more data needed weather permitting.

Given this short introduction to the use of my camera along with my WO GT81 it has really inspired me to climb the learning curve which seems daunting at the best of times.

[Nova2000]

Of what I've heard you should take kind of equal amount of rgb. Buy a great image as a first. Good luck

Clear skies! 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Really lovely! So jealous! The only thing I would say is that the highlight of the processing has been stretched a little too far the stars show too much in the center. 

This if you have a tone curve will be the top right needs to be pulled down a little. 

 

 

[RayD]

Great start, well done 

[Ouroboros]

Lovely image. I like the contrast between the blue and violet nebulosity.  I must think about getting one of these CCD thingies. 

[ollypenrice]

Well done. As you get used to processing you'll be able to avoid clipping the blacks and whites. On a target like this it is best to blend a gentler stretch for the stellar cores with a harder stretch of the faint nebulosity. You can also get better at judging where to set the black point since I think you've probably clipped a bit of good data here. But all of this comes with a little time. What you have here is excellent.

Olly

[saac]

Fantastic capture Mike, all the more so given the weather windows of late.  The colours are stunning, well done.

 

Jim 

[MikeCM]

Thanks for the advise Olly - always much appreciated.

 Cheers for the kind comment Jim.

It looks like it is going to be clear here in Fife tonight so hopefully will be able to get more data to play with on this object