Help with exposure calculations please

[michaelmorris]

I'm off to the dark skies of Kelling Heath tomorrow for the Spring Star Party.  Whilst getting some nice picture would be great, my main aim is to test out my RGB imaging skills (or lack of them) with my new Atik 460EX mono camera.  Weather permitting I'll be  shooting guided exposures through a Skywatcher 80ED with focal reducer.  Filters are Baader LRGB and 8nm Ha.

I want to try out different RGB techniques and different types of RGB targets.   Below is my imaging plan

M101

•    10 x 150 secs (2x2 bin) each for R, G and B 
•    10 x 600 secs Ha
•    20 x 600 secs  luminance
•    + flats for each filter
•    Total exposure time = 6.3 hours

M13

•    8 x 120 secs (2x2 bin) each for R, G and B 
•    20 x 300 secs luminance
•    + flats for each filter
•    Total exposure time = 2.5 hours

Markarian's Chain

•   15 x 480 secs  each for R, G and B 
•    + flats for each filter
•    Total exposure time = 6 hours

Does this look like a sensible plan?

Are the exposures about right?

Thanks

 

 

[Uranium235]

They seem about alright to me Michael, though you would only probably have to take the one set of flats to re-use across the remaining two projects. M101 will be the one that needs the long subs (in lum) as youve probably figured out.

That is of course - if the weather plays ball. If not, you might have to rough it with some emergency smash n' grab targets.

[michaelmorris]

Thanks Rob

Thanks for the reminder about the flats.  The current weather forecasts indicates that all my packing and planning may well be a complete waste of time.

My plan is, if the weather forecast is iffy, is to concentrate on getting some subs of Comet 41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák and M13.