Deep sky imaging showcase 2018

[Uranium235]

Ok folks, its time for the 2018 showcase  

Please use this thread to showcase your best images captured during 2018. Just one post per member but you can include up to 5 images if you want.

The thread is for all imagers, both novices and advanced.

Please keep details to a minimum - scope and camera possibly along with a few comments.

The thread needs to be packed with images so please don't respond to the postings 

[Uranium235]

2018 was a bit "meh" for me, too much non-astro stuff getting in the way - but I did get out just enough for this lot:

 

 

 

 

 

[carastro]

My 5 favourites for 2018

NGC2170 - imaged over 2 astro camps in East Sussex Total of 9 hours 25mins 

Atik460EX/ED80 or WOZS71
Atik428EX/WOZS71 or ED80

 

Cocoon Nebula  IC5146 Dual Rig Grand Total 5h 40m Astro camp East Sussex 
dual rig  WOZS71/Atik314L + FR x 0.8 & ED80/Atik460EX + FR x 0.8 

 

NGC6914 - Astro camp East Sussex 

Dual Rig (as above) total 4hours 20mins HaLRGB 

 

M82 Cigar Galaxy - Astro camp East Sussex 

Skywatcher 130PDS & Atik460EX, HEQ5  

Luminance:  2 1/4 hours RGB 3 x 150 secs binned (each), Ha 3 x 900secs

 

M16 Eagle Nebula - Astro camp East Sussex

SW 130PDS, Atik460EX and HEQ5  SHO Hubb;e Palette 1 hour 20 mins

 

Edited January 30, 2019 by carastro

[MikeODay]

 

The great Barred Spiral Galaxy ( NGC 1365 ) in the constellation Fornax  ( details and access to full size image here )

 

A Cluster of Pearls in the Southern Skies ( NGC 3766 " The Pearl Cluster" )  ( details and access to full size image here )

 

A deep look at Omega Centauri ( NGC 5139 ) ( details and access to full size image here )

 

The Cat's Paw Nebula ( NGC 6334 ) in Scorpius ( details and access to full size image here )

 

...............................................

 

And my favourite for the year ...

 

Carina Nebula in HDR and full colour ( NGC 3372 ) ( details and access to full size image here )

Edited January 30, 2019 by MikeODay

[almcl]

All taken with Canon 700d and either SW200P or Canon 200 mm EF 2.8 lens

Whale and Fish Hook NGC 4631 & 4656

IC1396 including the Elephant's trunk

Headphones nebula PK164+31.1

Spaghetti nebula Sh2-240 in Ha

Lobster Claw, Bubble & M52

[alexbb]

Great entries so far!

I hope you won't mind if I have one image containing data from both 2017 and 2018.

Not really sure if I'd choose the same 5 every time, but here they are. Please click on them to see the acquisition details.

M31 - Andromeda - with the Esprit 80 and 130PDS.

Heart and Soul in RGB-HOO

Veil super nova

Great Orion Nebula - RGB + iR

Crescent and surroundings

[drjolo]

Congratulations on your captures! Here is my five picks:

Heart and Soul and comet (with Samyang 135 and QHY163M):

Four next were made with Meade ACF 10" and QHY163M. 

[happy-kat]

M101 Pinwheel galaxy. Virtuoso mount Canon 1100d (not modded) vintage 1973 200mm lens 79 lights (mainly 30 seconds) plus calibrations files.

[AstroAndy]

M27 HaLhaRGB, 2x15m, 2x10m 31x5m ha, 5xR, 8xG, 8xB, Bortle 6, SW 200p, EQ5, Atik 314l mono, guiding QHY5 mono.

[ianaiken]

2018 I was not busy at all with Astro Imaging it seems. Two images the whole year!

IC5070 Bicolour taken with C11 and Hyperstar with Baader Highspeed Filters

9 Pane Mosaic Sadr Region/NGC6888 taken with C11 and Hyperstar with Baader Highspeed Filters

[matt_baker]

On 01/02/2019 at 13:43, drjolo said:

Congratulations on your captures! Here is my five picks:

Heart and Soul and comet (with Samyang 135 and QHY163M):

Four next were made with Meade ACF 10" and QHY163M. 

Just out of curiosity, what was the exposure time for the Crab and Eagle nebula's. 

Also, they're fantastic!

[PhotoGav]

Here is my collection of highlights from 2018. All captured with a QSI 683-WSG8, scopes as per each title.

The year started pleasingly with 33 hours & 45 minutes of The Tadpole Nebula (Celestron EdgeHD 8"):

 

I then moved to my first cluster of the year - M44, The Beehive Cluster (WO Star 71, 17 hours 25 minutes). Very proud of this one as, despite it not being the most dramatic of astrophotos, it was shortlisted for the International Astronomy Photographer of the Year Awards, 2018:

 

Galaxy season gave rise to this image of Markarian's Chain (Skywatcher Esprit 100ED, 17 hours 40 minutes):

 

I kept the Esprit on the mount for pretty much the rest of the year, I really like this scope! This is the Coma Cluster (SW Esprit 100ED, 19 hours 20 minutes):

 

I ended the year with a whole string of open clusters, my favourite of which is this one, The Owl Cluster (SW Esprit 100ED, 12 hours):

 

2018 was a remarkably productive year. Let's hope that 2019 is a good one for us all. Clear skies...!

[alan4908]

It was quite difficult for me to select five of my favorites from a productive 2018, but here they are. All are taken with my Esprit 150.

Alan

SH2-136 (Ghost Nebula)

M106

NGC1333

NGC4631

NGC4685

[glowingturnip]

2018 was my first foray into narrowband imaging - lots more to come hopefully.  A fairly light year for me, an unpleasant dose of real life back in September got in the way.  Equipment as per sig.

 

 

 

 

 

[ollypenrice]

The TEC140/Mesu/Atik 460 has been busy this year.

Bubble in HaOIIILRGB

 

An insane amount of effort went into catching a hint of the fossil accretion loop around NGC5907. Please tell me you can see it!

A widefield from the Twin Taks in Vulpecula setting M27 in context. (High res M27 data blended in.)

As with the image above, the interesting NGC7129 below was done with guest Paul Kummer:

And finally a comparison of two planetaries, the Owl and the Cat's eye at the same scale:

Happy new imaging year to all.

Olly

 

Edited February 12, 2019 by ollypenrice
Typo

[Stub Mandrel]

Wow what a great selection of images!

It is with great trepidation I offer my own!

 

Garnet nebula and elephant's trunk.

 

Comet Wirtanen

 

Andromeda

 

PeliNAN

 

M27

 

 

[cuivenion]

Hi,, All images taken with a ZWO ASI224, Skywatcher 130PDS and Skywatcher HEQ5. Apart from M27 which was taken with a Skywatcher 200p.

Bubble Nebula, 4 hours of 40 second exposures:

Iris Nebula, 3 1/2 hours of 29 second and 42.7 second exposures:

M27, 90 minutes of 8 second exposures:

Crab Nebula, 83 minutes of 30 and 8 second exposures:

M82, 150 minutes of 30 second lights:

Next step for me is a light pollution filter and another crack at tuning my HEQ5 mount.

[gorann]

Here are my contributions from the few days it cleared at my home obsy in Sweden. My new Esprit 100 and 150 scopes and ASI 071 and 1600 cameras played a major role in them. Details to be found on my Astrobin (see below)

[drjolo]

On 11/02/2019 at 22:32, matt_baker said:

Just out of curiosity, what was the exposure time for the Crab and Eagle nebula's. Also, they're fantastic!

Thanks It was Ha 55x5, Oiii 25x5, RGB 18:12:12x1 minutes for Crab, and Ha 115 minutes in 5 and 2 minute subs for Eagle.

[widotje]

Edited February 27, 2019 by widotje

[Saganite]

On 12/02/2019 at 15:07, alan4908 said:

It was quite difficult for me to select five of my favorites from a productive 2018, but here they are. All are taken with my Esprit 150.

Alan

SH2-136 (Ghost Nebula)

M106

NGC1333

NGC4631

NGC4685

Great images Alan , but for me The Ghost is just fantastic !

[alan4908]

1 hour ago, Saganite said:

Great images Alan , but for me The Ghost is just fantastic !

Thanks ! 

Alan

[Lucas_M]

M42

HaLRGB
TS Photoline 80mm + ASI1600mm-c

 

NGC5139

C8 f/6.3 + Canon 700D unmod

 

NGC3372

Only 2x300s (H-Alpha)
TS Photoline 80 + ASI1600mm-c

 

M83

LRGB
TS Photoline 80 + ASI1600mm-c

 

M8 and M20

SW Equinox80 + Canon 700D unmod

[serbiadarksky]

On 12/02/2019 at 16:07, alan4908 said:

It was quite difficult for me to select five of my favorites from a productive 2018, but here they are. All are taken with my Esprit 150.

Alan

SH2-136 (Ghost Nebula)

M106

NGC1333

NGC4631

NGC4685

How much are the galaxy images cropped? I am sure thats not the real fov as the esprit 150 doesnt have that much fl.

[alan4908]

1 hour ago, serbiadarksky said:

How much are the galaxy images cropped? I am sure thats not the real fov as the esprit 150 doesnt have that much fl.

I don't honestly know, all I do is crop my images until I get the prettiest picture !    

In imaging, the field of view is determined by the focal length of your scope and the pixel size of your camera. To see the various FOV with a specific scope and camera and object have a look at https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/  

The Trius SX814 gives my set up an imaging scale of about 0.7 arc seconds/pixel, which is quite a high resolution. 

Alan