NGC3324 and NGC3293

[MeyGray3833 223]

Hello Astro Peeps, I hope everyone is all good! Isn't there some amazing images on this site and others. Amateur imaging has never been so good!

I myself have finally managed to get some data for an image, of which I am very happy. It has been so hot here it has been impossible to get any good data. One day a couple of months ago, I hung the thermometer from the grape vine under the back verandah and it was 47.5°C. Sounds far fetched, although true. I live in Adelaide, South Australia and we are 11km from the CBD and usually 1.5 degrees hotter than there!

Anyway, I thought I'd try my hand at a Ha, OIII bi-colour image while waiting for my SII data to come in. There seems to be a halo issue with some of the filters for which I will need to do further testing so I apologise for their distracting nature. Details are with the image but basically 3hrsx15min subs for each channel.

https://pbase.com/grahammeyer/image/169113477 You can scroll to the bottom to choose another size or auto to fit your screen.   Happy photon collecting! Details for those that cannot see them. Telescope: William Optics FLT132 Guide Scope: QHY OAG Camera: QHY9 Mono @ -20c Filter Wheel: QHY 7 position Ultra Slim Filters: Baader 36mm unmounted L R G B HA OIII SII Guide Camera: QHY5L-II Mount: AZ-EQ6 Mount Control: EQASCOM Focusing: SharpSky Pro and Sequence Generator Pro 3 (automated) Bahtinov Mask: No (initial focus) Capture Software: Sequence Generator Pro 3 Guiding Software: PHD2 Calibration and Stacking Software: PixInsight Processing Software: PixInsight Number and Type of Data Frames: L= X min, R= x min, G= x min, B= x min Ha= 12x15min, SII= x , OIII= 12x15min. Binning: 1x1 Total Image Time: 6 hrs Location: Lockleys Observatory B, Tanunda, Sth Australia Light Box by Exfso

Edited April 28, 2019 by MeyGray3833

[Guest]

Beautiful example of this object and personally I think really well processed 

What scope and camera did you use?

It sounds like the climate there is rather "toasty" LOL - is it a dry heat so that humidity isn't such a problem with sky quality.

Anyway - really well done

David

[MeyGray3833 223]

Hi David,

Thanks for your comments. It only took about 5 complete fresh starts and a week and a bit after work etc. to get it to where I was happy with it. I know that Ha and OIII aren't meant to make natural colour!

I've added the image details in for those that cannot see it on the link provided in my original post.

Generally the heat is dry although it gets humid at times, although not really tropical. The problem is that the seeing is badly affected by the heat rise and some nights we were lucky to get below 25°C. Those nights the guide star jumps all over the place, which doubles the seeing error equaling a poor quality image. I share the obs with my brother and we both pulled out the scopes for about 5 weeks in the middle, it was near on impossible to do anything.

Some very nice stuff on your website, by the way!

Cheers and clears!