Barnards Loop

[don4l]

This is(clearly!) a 10 frame mosaic.  The main reason that I am posting it is that it was acquired in 80 minutes from start to finish and shows just how much "stuff" is in the area, and none of it is faint.  Each frame consists of 5 x 60s subs, binned 2x2.  There is a total of 50 minutes of data.  The other 30 minutes was download time and using CdC to move the mount.

I haven't (as is evident) done any fancy processing.  Acquisition was CCDSoft, calibration and stacking in CCDStack.   The frames were loaded into the Gimp, and I used the "Brightness/Contrast" adjustment until it looked semi-reasonable.  The result is below. 

 

Six months ago, this would have taken me at least 2 or 3 nights, and even then there probably would have been empty gaps between the frames, so I am really chuffed with this.

[Guest]

Outstanding!

[SIDO]

An Awesome collection of photons indeed and a great shot too ?

[Demonperformer]

4 hours ago, don4l said:

I am really chuffed with this.

As you should be. Great result for 50m data.

[TheMan]

Oooh. So pretty! If i was you i'd frame that and put it on the living room wall.

[Daniel-K]

shame about that lower right pane but holy crap thats awesome

[tooth_dr]

This is sensational. It’s just a real shame you wont embrace the automatic mosaic stitching tools to achieve a seemless result. 

[don4l]

Thank you all very much for the positive comments.  It is great to get the encouragement.

 

[Beulah]

That is an incredible image. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. What an incredibly rich area of nebulosity!

[Scott]

The detail in each pane is lovely. I would look for a better programme for stitching. I've had great success with maxim DL and I believe pixinsight does a good job as well, however, neither is cheap. 

 

[barkis]

I like this a great deal, the Orion complex is imaged by thousands of AP's, but not many do a widefield capture of this beautiful  area. I have seen splendid coloured mosaics of this vast area surrounding M42, which is so dynamic.

It's a  fine image you've put together, and frankly,. I find  Greyscale images of deep space nebulosity very dramatic.   I know little or nothing about mosaic constructions, but perhaps Scott's  advice is worth exploring

Good luck with your progress.                                                Ron.

 

 

[Scooot]

Great result. The stitching does somehow add a sense of scale. It looks as if it’s a vast area of sky because of the 10 frames/windows.  

[don4l]

6 hours ago, Scooot said:

Great result. The stitching does somehow add a sense of scale. It looks as if it’s a vast area of sky because of the 10 frames/windows.  

Thank you!  I haven't measured it, but it should be about 13 degrees by 8.

If we get another clear night I'll add some more frames.

 

[Astroblagger]

Lovely indeed, what scope camera did you use? 

[Maxrayne]

I actually uttered an expletive and promptly got told of by my 7 year old little girl for it...thanks!! Humour aside, absolutely outstanding image  

[don4l]

1 hour ago, Astroblagger said:

Lovely indeed, what scope camera did you use? 

 

Thank you very much.

 

The scope is a takahashi FSQ106ED with a focal reducer (0.67).  The camera is an old STL6303 which is quite sensitive in Ha, but almost blind in Blue.