M3 unexpected bonus

[Skipper Billy]

Last night I was really only expecting to fine tune my new guide scope in between the gaps in the clouds but as the night wore on there were significant spells of reasonably clear sky so I pointed the scope at M3 Globular Cluster. The colour data is very poor but the Luminance wasn't bad so I spent a couple of hours processing what I had. I gathered 20 x 300sec Lum binned 1x1 and 8 - 10 x 120 sec each of RGB binned 2x2. Equipment used - Explore Scientific 210mm f3.8 carbon astrograph, Explore Scientific coma corrector, Atik 460 EX mono camera, Aitk EFW2 filter wheel and Baader filters, SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6-GT mount guided by the new Skywatcher EvoGuide and Atik GP Cam running PHD2. Fully processed in Pixinsight and and fully calibrated with Darks, Bias and Flats.

Nothing to be excited about but a nice end to the season - the clocks go forwards tonight so there isn't really any darkness at a sensible time now until the end of August this far North (57º).

M3.tif

[Mick J]

That's nice Billy, and after the problems you had the othernight you must be well pleased, give yourself a dram 

[Adam J]

Nice I would be tempted to keep going with that and get some shorter exposure to blend the core in. 

[Skipper Billy]

I will !!

Slainte !!

[Beulah]

Where's the gobsmacked emoticon when you need one?

Can see a few galaxies in there, too...

[sloz1664]

Lovely image, nice a sparkly just how a cluster should be and a pleasant end to the astro darkness.

Steve

[iansmith]

Great image. You've captured all those stars really well without over blowing the bright ones.

Cheers, Ian

[wimvb]

14 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

Nothing to be excited about but a nice end to the season - the clocks go forwards tonight so there isn't really any darkness at a sensible time now until the end of August this far North (57º).

I perservere until mid/end april, but it will be late nights. Madness, perhaps.

Great image, btw. But I wonder if it's possible to resolve the core a little better. Was the core already blown out in the unstretched stacked image?

[Skipper Billy]

Thanks Wim

I might go back to the data and try a masked stretch to preserve the core.

My season always ends this time of year partly because of the short dark hours but also we have a seasonal business which is now revving up to full power and it will be full throttle now through to September.

My eldest son lives a bit further South from you near Norrkoping - he has just moved there from Alingsas - lovely part of the world.

 

 

[Jkulin]

Absolutely Lovely David