M74 - Return to Imaging

[MarsG76]

Hello Lovers of Astronomy,

Finally I have had a chance to return to imaging.

This is the first image taken from my Recently built home obsy - AKA Lil'Astro Barn. :-)

M74, 21x 450s ISO800 subs.

I noticed that my focus was not 100% this morning, when 14 out of the 21 subs were captured and I thought that it might be a bit bigger.

Its not perfect but it's my return to astroimaging and it's better than my first M74 from 2012.

I'll add some more data and Halpha to the image if I get a chance.

Clear skies.

 

[tooth_dr]

This is what I like about SGL.  I've never seen M74 before.  So I've just googled it and now I know where it is located too.  It's pretty low in the sky?  That's a nice image, but I agree the focus is just not quite there!  It's a great feeling to get back out again I'm sure!

[MarsG76]

10 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

This is what I like about SGL.  I've never seen M74 before.  So I've just googled it and now I know where it is located too.  It's pretty low in the sky?  That's a nice image, but I agree the focus is just not quite there!  It's a great feeling to get back out again I'm sure!

Yeah true, it was quite low, actually just above my house roof between 00:30 and 3:45ish, so apart from being slightly out of focus. My excuse is that I rushed the exposure setup just before going to work and forgot to double check the focus... I didn't notice the softness until I came back home and had a look at what I captured.

Outside 00:30 and 3:45ish the galaxy was obscured and I guess apart of the soft focus it would also be slightly susceptible to air currents generated by the warmth of the house.

I should have stated the this was imaged a 1280mm.. 8" SCT F10 with a f6.3 focal reducer.