Cygnus and M31

[Hughsie]

Over the last 4 months I have been imaging the Sun. For me I like to learn gradually, building up on my knowledge and learning how to use my equipment, the software needed to support my imaging, making lots of mistakes and hopefully learning from them.

I started off in white light taking photos with my Nikon D90 through my Nexstar 6SE then progressed to an ASI 120MM taking short video and stacking in AutoStakkert then moving on to bring this together with Ha imaging with a Quark Chromosphere through my William Optics Z61.

My aim has always been to move onto night time astrophotography especially as the nights are now getting longer. I find the concept of setting up my scope, polar aligning and then guiding all a little daunting so like my Solar Imaging, I have taken the decision to break it down into bite size chunks and last night it was just me, Backyard Nikon, my Nikon D90 and a tripod. No scope, no polar aligning, no wires everywhere....just understanding the basics of Backyard Nikon, exposure times/ISO/F numbers and DeepSkyStacker.

Last night I had three goals 1) Could I capture anything at all! 2) Could I capture the Milky Way in Cygnus and 3) Could I capture the Andromeda Galaxy.

Images are below and I would welcome any feedback.

Both taken under light polluted sky using a un-modded/unguided Nikon D90 (no filters), 50mm lens at F2.8, ISO 2000 with 30 exposures at 8 seconds plus 10 Darks and 10 Bias frames all put through DeepSkyStacker and a bit of processing in Photoshop. 

Cygnus first then M31 -

 

 

[Demonperformer]

Well, within your criteria, you have clearly succeeded in capturing them. More exposures would work wonders and the image scale for M51 is maybe not one you would want to make your regular choice for that target, but yes, you have got them.

What's the next step?

[Hughsie]

Thank you. 

Next step for me will be to polar align and attach the D90 to my WO Z61 and just run some 30 second exposures if i can at sidereal on M31. The Z61 should be more forgiving compared to the Nexstar 6SE.

[tomato]

Very well done, your images are well framed and focussed and you have indeed achieved your objectives! Your approach makes a lot of sense, there is a lot of things to get right with astrophotography, and I’m sure trying to get it all work in unison first time out must have demotivated quite a few budding Astro imagers out there.

Moving to a tracking mount and achieving longer exposures would be my next move.

Steve

 

[Hughsie]

Had another go in Photoshop trying to bring the Milky Way out a little more in the original stacked image.

Seems to have brought the 'clouds' out a bit better.

 

[Hughsie]

Further work undertaken to M31. Specific curve stretches applied to enhance disc appearance and the gradient removed using Photoshop.

 

 

[tooth_dr]

Nicely done, I have to say the last reworked images are really excellent.  Welcome on the journey.