When to image at high latitudes during summer?

[Filroden]

It appears I may have a spell of clear nights coming; the first since April, when I last had astronomical darkness. Below is my light chart for my latitude. The darkest I get now is 3 hours of nautical darkness with an additional almost 3 hours of civil darkness.

My question: is it worth imaging at all? If so, what and when?

When would you start collecting narrowband images? Civil, nautical or only astronomical darkness?

What about LRGB?

[iapa]

I've be trying for LRGB (M51 and M82) just after midnight - I can get just over 2 hrs; if I could get my mount set up properly  

, managed to do something wrong each of the three nights last week.

I'm @ Lat 55.8 or so.

[gnomus]

I don't know the 'right' answer, but I can tell you what I am doing.    I am imaging NB-only in nautical darkness when there is absolutely no moon around.  It isn't ideal but what else am I supposed to do with all that gear?  So far I have been reasonably impressed with the subs I have been getting.  However at only 2-3 hours per night and 30 minute subs, it is going to be several nights before I find out if I have been wasting my time.

[gnomus]

I did try LRGB (well only RGB actually) last year around this time.  I got 'something' but I am not sure that what I got was really all that worthwhile.   

[iapa]

2 minutes ago, gnomus said:

I did try LRGB (well only RGB actually) last year around this time.  I got 'something' but I am not sure that what I got was really all that worthwhile.   

I'm still going through the learning process of LRGB following recent acquisition of the ASI1600M-C.

All my prior settings in software, markings on mount for balance for example, are all wrong.

One night I got a few (5 x 300s each of LRGB) of M82. Not as good as a single 600s taken with my modded 600D  

But there are things out there to catch.

e.g. Whirlpool, Bode's Nebula, Leo triplet are all up as are many others

[Filroden]

I think I'll give narrowband a try during nautical darkness. If the Ha filter can cope with moonlight I'm hoping it's also effective on a moonless but not quite dark night for the same reasons.

[DaveS]

Not in quite as bad a case as those further north

So I think I may give M13 a go in RGB the next clear slot.

Beyond that NB should still be do-able, and in a couple of weeks or so the Cygnus Loop will be coming back, so a worthwhile HII target.

[mikeyj1]

Whats the difference between this time of year and light pollution?  wouldn't  Ha be a good option as it's less sensitive to light pollution?

[Filroden]

1 hour ago, mikeyj1 said:

Whats the difference between this time of year and light pollution?  wouldn't  Ha be a good option as it's less sensitive to light pollution?

Light pollution tends to peak at certain wavelengths whereas sunlight/moonlight is bright across the spectrum.

[DaveS]

Yes, the 3nm Astrodon you have is pretty much moon-proof, so should also be good against nautical "darkness".

Looking at Stellarium M16 is coming round now-ish and is a good HII target (See Toxic's thread), but it may be a bit low in the sky further north. If you can wait a while the Cygnus Loop and North America / Pelican will be coming round and would make good HII subjects while in twilight, then hit them with [OIII] and [SII] when it gets truly dark. Or even [NII] if you're feeling extravagant .

[Filroden]

Looking at it, it seems the best targets for me might be around Cygnus, Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Do you think the Bubble will be strong enough in Ha to overcome the lighter sky? If not, then my camera/scope frames the North America Nebula/Pelican quite nicely. The Veil might be too low still. Thankfully, they are almost all circumpolar for me, so I can gather RGB once I get true darkness back in August.

I didn't think that the Oiii filters were quite as moon proof as Ha filters, even at 3nm? It's next on my shopping list, along with an 8 filter wheel, but might have to wait until autumn.

[DaveS]

I've not tried the [OIII] under much moonlight (Beyond a sliver), but Olly says it's not significantly moon-proof unfortunately.

Depending on your northern horizon NGC281 the Pacman might be worth a look. Although technically circumpolar it's a bit low for me this time of year, more an Oct / Nov target. It's pretty strong in HII, though [SII] and [OIII] are a bit weak. Last time I had a look I found quite a bit of [NII].

[Nigel G]

Hi Ken,

How about IC 1396, Elephant trunk, up around the same time as N America nebula.

This is my next target hopefully.

Nige.

[Filroden]

11 minutes ago, Nigel G said:

Hi Ken,

How about IC 1396, Elephant trunk, up around the same time as N America nebula.

This is my next target hopefully.

Nige.

I've looked at it but the wider nebula goes well beyond my fov. I could look at just the trunk though. Good call.

[Stub Mandrel]

Can you image within a couple of weeks of the Summer Solstice?

It is more challenging, but  a few from last year:

5 July:

 

 

 

18 July:

 

 

 

[Filroden]

That gives me hope!

[Star101]

Its such a clear night tonight. Even with short nights I have to take my chances and image something.

I'm looking at M13 tonight. Although a few things mentioned in this thread look very interesting, apart from I have never seen before. So, as M13 is quite bright, afterwards I will go check out the Elephant Trunk and others mentioned. 

Thanks guys

[Stub Mandrel]

 

1 hour ago, Star101 said:

Its such a clear night tonight. Even with short nights I have to take my chances and image something.

I hope you are right, my wife and daughter have just departed for a weeks holiday.

It looks like many clear nights and no moon so I'm going to shift my body clock, get up late, work late and image until I drop for a week!

[Nigel G]

No work this week,  the sky's looking good at the moment, N American rises over the roof at midnight,  hopefully I'll be topping up NGC 7000 and grabbing some on the Elephant trunk too in the 3 hours available. 

I have probably cursed myself now  

Which ever objects you pick Ken, I look forward to seeing them.

Hope you get the opportunity to do some imaging. 

Nige.

[Stub Mandrel]

Well I've decided not to wimp out, but a bit of an anti-climax, set up, polar aligned, watched the ISS through the finderscope, focused and aligned on Arcturus, put in some co-ordinates from Stellarium, test exposure and 'pop' - there's Comet V2 Johnson.

Now nothing to do for an hour or so!

Think I'll set up the little 76mm newt and do a bit of low-mag visual.

[iapa]

On 22/05/2017 at 12:53, DaveS said:

Not in quite as bad a case as those further north

So I think I may give M13 a go in RGB the next clear slot.

Beyond that NB should still be do-able, and in a couple of weeks or so the Cygnus Loop will be coming back, so a worthwhile HII target.

with sunrise @ 4:45 and sunset @ 21:35, I get 2hrs 10 min Nautical darkness.

Barely enough time to grind the coffee beans and run it though a filter.