NGC 5985 and friends

[petevasey]

I'm annoyed with myself!!  I collected data for this image over two nights, and it was only when I came to process it that I realised I was slightly out on the framing.  In the early subs there appeared to be a gap between the uppermost (NGC 5985) galaxy and the top of the frame.  But when I came to process , I found that I had just clipped the top of the galaxy. Seeing was also poor for both nights, so it's my intention to redo the whole set, but the weather isn't playing fair.  So for now here it is, warts and all.  Although I've called the image NGC 5985, that being the beautiful face on spiral, the centre elliptical galaxy is NGC 5982, the edge on below that is 5981, then little 5976 near the bottom - it was my attempt to make sure 5976 was included that led to the mis framing of 5985.

QSI 683wsg on RC10 truss with SX AO unit.  27th & 28th March 2019. Luminance 12 x 15 minutes, RGB each 7 x 15 minutes, all binned 2x2.  Quite long exposures needed because none of the galaxies, located in Draco, are brighter than mag 11.  North is to the right to have a suitable guide star.

Cheers,

Peter

[alan potts]

Still a nice shot and well tracked. I did much the same last night with much brigher M96 and neighbours, look forward to the retake, and I hope that weather improves for you. I have been clear for 8 of the last 10 but the moon comes out to play soon.

Alan

[petevasey]

Thanks, Alan.  8 out of 10 clear nights!!!  I'm lucky to get 8 clear moonless nights out of 3 months.  But that's North East England for you ?

Best of luck with your M96 etc., look forward to seeing the result.

Cheers,

Peter

[ollypenrice]

Nice one Peter. We just did this earlier in the week, a lovely grouping.

Olly

[petevasey]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Nice one Peter. We just did this earlier in the week, a lovely grouping.

Olly

So I now see!  But I hadn't spotted your post, and of course I got there first ?  Actually I first imaged the trio in 2005 - reckoned it deserved another visit!  Incidentally I see there were some comments on your thread about red stars.  But you will see I have the same, particularly one just above (in my configuration) the edge on galaxy.  So reckon they are just what they seem - very red stars!

Cheers,

Peter.

[petevasey]

UPDATE!

A couple of clear nights, well, 9th had passing cloud but I managed some data, and last night (10th April) was beautifully clear, so I started imaging well before the Moon set, with decent results.  So now I have the positioning the way I wanted it in the first place.  Seeing was also better on both nights, so improved detail.  Again QSI683 on RC10 with SX AO unit.  Luminance 12 x 15 minutes, RGB each 6 x 15 minutes, all binned 2x2

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

 

 

[gorann]

Nice details in there! I was also shoting at that target last night but only got 1 hour. Maybe more tonight but the moon starts conspiring. Your background is a bit uneven with a lot of blue in areas. If you use PS then Gradient Exterminator would fix it and there are similar procedures in PI (DBE).

[KevUU]

Wow that's gorgeous - especially the reshoot

I'm purely visual but I do like the eyecandy from you imagers.  I have a hand-scribbled note in my observing bible to look out for the "Draco triple" of 5981/2/5, from someone on here sometime or other, but I never have.

[petevasey]

5 hours ago, gorann said:

Nice details in there! I was also shooting at that target last night but only got 1 hour. Maybe more tonight but the moon starts conspiring. Your background is a bit uneven with a lot of blue in areas. If you use PS then Gradient Exterminator would fix it and there are similar procedures in PI (DBE).

Thanks, Kev.  Goran, yes, looks a bit blue, particularly now the Sun has set and the screen is more dominant in artificial light (my computer is next to a window facing South).  So I've used the excellent AstroFlat Pro plugin on the colour layer, and it has nicely removed the blue tinge without noticeably affecting the various stars, galaxies etc.  Nevertheless bear in mind that at least half the colour subs were taken with a Moon in the sky, so I would expect some colour in the background.  What do you think of the result?

Cheers,

Peter

[gorann]

8 hours ago, petevasey said:

Thanks, Kev.  Goran, yes, looks a bit blue, particularly now the Sun has set and the screen is more dominant in artificial light (my computer is next to a window facing South).  So I've used the excellent AstroFlat Pro plugin on the colour layer, and it has nicely removed the blue tinge without noticeably affecting the various stars, galaxies etc.  Nevertheless bear in mind that at least half the colour subs were taken with a Moon in the sky, so I would expect some colour in the background.  What do you think of the result?

Cheers,

Peter

A perfect fix! That is a great image.

[petevasey]

Thank you, Goran and thanks for the 'nudge'!

The full size image is now on my web page here.

Cheers,

Peter

[gorann]

3 hours ago, petevasey said:

Thank you, Goran and thanks for the 'nudge'!

The full size image is now on my web page here.

Cheers,

Peter

Peter, I just posted my wider field refractor image from last two nights of the same triplet: