M20 SLRGB

[Rodd]

TOA 130 with ASI 1600.  

Red: 87 300sec

Green: 84 300 sec

Blue: 66 300 sec

S Lum all RGB subs

Despite having almost 20 hours of data, this one gave me significant trouble.  Noise wasn't too bad, but chroma gradients were off the charts.  I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, as this target never rose more than about 21degrees and conditions were pretty soupy on a couple nights.  It always confounds me when the stacks look great individually--with strong signal and prominent structures but upon channel combination, certain stacks fade out--sometimes all but disappearing.  Anyway--The nebula itself is starting to reveal a depth in the structure--but the background is not great.  I did what I could to quell the colorful splotches.  LP I guess--and maybe haze as well.  The FWHM is quite high as seeing was bad, and there was significant moisture in the air.  But all in all--There has been quit a swing in my mood-upon channel combination I was really quite sure this would be doomed data--with not much chance of anything decent.  Now I feel there is hope.  I used every sub in this image--maybe if I pick and choose a bit more and throw out the worst of the lot--it will help.

Rodd

Vlaiv would say I should bin--and he's probably right.  I'll give it a try

 

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by Rodd

[MarsG76]

Even with the obstacles, you ended with a fine image.

 

[Rodd]

1 minute ago, MarsG76 said:

Even with the obstacles, you ended with a fine image.

 

Thanks Mars.  I can't wait to image at zenith!

Rodd

[MarsG76]

1 minute ago, Rodd said:

Thanks Mars.  I can't wait to image at zenith!

Rodd

That might introduce other obstacles.. ie the meridian flip.... 

[Rodd]

28 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

That might introduce other obstacles.. ie the meridian flip.... 

I was just thinking the same thing. But a flip is just an inconvenience.  Low targets and bad skies are detrimental

Rodd

[MarsG76]

Just now, Rodd said:

I was just thinking the same thing. But a flip is just an inconvenience.  Low targets and bad skies are detrimental

Rodd

Absolutely... and I deal with meridian flips frequently.... if your mount is like a CGEM, you can track about 15 degrees past the meridian before needing the flip or what I do often is wait until the object to image is about 15 degree before hitting the meridian and than start imaging toward the east for the rest of the night if need be... but the only difficulty I find is using a OAG with the guide star... always have to manually find a new guide star after a flip and sometimes that's not possible at high focal lengths, so than I have to settle to imaging only upto or from just before the meridian flip... 

[Rodd]

36 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Absolutely... and I deal with meridian flips frequently.... if your mount is like a CGEM, you can track about 15 degrees past the meridian before needing the flip or what I do often is wait until the object to image is about 15 degree before hitting the meridian and than start imaging toward the east for the rest of the night if need be... but the only difficulty I find is using a OAG with the guide star... always have to manually find a new guide star after a flip and sometimes that's not possible at high focal lengths, so than I have to settle to imaging only upto or from just before the meridian flip... 

I am lucky with the Mach 1.  I can image until the camera hits the tripod. If the target is low like m20 I image all night without flipping so the scope is below the counterweights.  That is one advantage of a pier.  A smaller profile

Rodd

[MarsG76]

Just now, Rodd said:

I am lucky with the Mach 1.  I can image until the camera hits the tripod. If the target is low like m20 I image all night without flipping so the scope is below the counterweights.  That is one advantage of a pier.  A smaller profile

Rodd

Yeah I hear you... but the stop is programmed into the CGEM head so it wont go past 15 degrees...

[Rodd]

I picked through the subs a bit--threw away the worst and processed more gently.  A bit less cartoonish--but still plasticky.

 

Rodd

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by Rodd