Not sure what to image tonight? Last call for 2018 it seems.

[pipnina]

The forecast is excellent for tonight, but the moon rises just after 10 so my hopes of continuing my M42 image are slim until 2019. M31, M33, M45 are well placed at the moment but which should I image?

I've not attempted any of these targets with the 130-PDS/HEQ5 yet so they are all tempting, though M31 is far too big to fit in the frame.

Suggestions rich in or mostly Ha likely won't come out well, since my camera still has the IR filter.

Thanks

[SamAndrew]

Need to hop in the car and come your way it seems; been washed out with the humidity here for the last week and the foreseeable future ? 

M31 is always a satisfying one even if it doesn't all fit it, just say you've framed it to focus on the dark dust lanes  or try a 2 panel mosaic?

Otherwise go for M33. Galaxies always more exciting than star clusters IMO  

[Allinthehead]

M45 is nice and bright and should be ok to start imaging immediately after dark. I recently imaged it with the moon about and it turned out well enough.

[happy-kat]

Surely it should be the comet. It won't be around much longer and everything else will. Plus they are challenging.

[pipnina]

@SamAndrew

@Allinthehead

@happy-kat

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I ended up settling for M45. I got two hours of data, but when I changed the SD card and battery in the camera I forgot to turn the camera back on... So the 3rd hour of data was never captured

The background gradients (I think caused by vignetting - I didn't use flats) are a bit horrible, but the stars have come out nicely I think and the cluster's nebulosity is showing through strongly as well, which I hoped for.

It might not be too late for me to take flats... I left the camera attached to the scope when I brought it in...

 

[Allinthehead]

42 minutes ago, pipnina said:

when I changed the SD card and battery in the camera I forgot to turn the camera back on... So the 3rd hour of data was never captured

? 

Beautiful, well worth the effort. Pity about the mishap.