Need Advice On This Gradient / LP issue

[acharris77]

Hey all, I need some advice as I am wondering if I have a equipment fault or just bad luck with light pollution. I have tried imaging the M42 with my 130P DS and Canon 1000D using a EQ5 Pro mount. Ignore the poor stars as I had a bad night Thursday with I a combination of wind, bad polar alignment and my battery pack low on power so the tracking was poor as normally I can get 2 min unguided, but I couldn't manage 1 min without issues.

But I digress and the main issue is the LP gradient. No matter what I do, I can't seem to get M42 as I always get bad LP gradients in the image. I know the street lights aren't best position and Orion never really get above them, but I always try to make sure I image when the nebula is not too near the street lights. But every time I try, I get the orange glow but when I process in PS, I always get this sort of result. On this one there are rings on the right hand side which I have no idea what they are. I have tried with a LP filter but still no luck. I use a 2" nose piece to attach my camera to the 130PDS focuser.

I am guessing that this is just a case of too much light catching the end of the scope, which is giving a lot of gradients?? I am still confused as to what the rings are on the right hand side. I have had 4 attempts the last 5 weeks or so and each time I have failed to capture such an easy target, so becoming frustrating now lol. I be interested in what other people think?? Thanks in advance.

[happy-kat]

Have you tried making a flocked dew shield just to extend the front of the tube?

Do you only get this effect when you use the telescope in an SE direction  can you put it down to environmental conditions in that direction? Or is it everytime regardless of direction.

[acharris77]

Thanks for the reply. No it is only SE it happens. If I take higher up in the sky, like in Ursa Major in spring / summer then I don't get as much LP and it is more even.  as it is totally away from the street lights. I got a light South and East so I guess that don't help. I will have to try a flocked dew shield to see if it help, but it is just frustrating lol.

Thanks again.

[happy-kat]

It reminded me of internal reflections I've have in the direction of one of my street lights with a camera until I made a few shield