Eastern Veil (NGC 6992) - HSO Hubble Palette(ish)

[TakMan]

Slowly getting back into imaging having dusted off the gear late last year.

First sessions were re-learning how to get things running, recharging the dessicant in the camera and dialing in PHD2. Still had the guide issues from 2014, but Andy Galasso and Ken on the PHD2 forum were really helpful - now successfully running PPEC on the R.A. axis and Ken’s Z-filter on DEC.

Guiding issues have raised their ugly head once again (mid-September when capturing SII data for the North America Neb), but I think I now know (hope) I have identified it as my old planetarium/mount control software, Equinox Pro (somehow interfering with the DEC guide commands after it once crashed - so I've now reinstalled, updated to a slighter newer version I had on file and quickly tested)...

Anyhow, all this testing has allowed me to add to an image first started in 2014 ! This is also the very first time I've actually got all three channels of data (rather than a bi-colour and a synthesised third channel).

Recently purchased APP making use of a small discount, so learning that as well. I think it makes a better job of stacking the data than Nebulosity (it certainly takes a hell of a lot longer to do!) I do like the light pollution removal tool compared to GadientXT, especially when the FOV is filled with nebulosity.

Plenty to get ones head around!

Takahashi FSQ106-ED + dedicated F/R @f/3.6

SBIG STF8300M + Baader filters- controlled via the defunct MicroProjects Equinox Image.

Guided with an SBIG ST-i / SkyWatcher ST-80 via PHD2

'Scopebuggied' Takahashi EM400 mount - controlled via the defunct MicroProjects Equinox Pro (all on a very old 2007 17" MacBook Pro).

2014 Data
Ha  21x600sec

OIII 11x600sec

2019 Data

OIII 12x600sec

SII 28X600sec

Preprocessed (Darks and Flat frames + Dark flats), aligned and stacked (plus all those other things it does as well (!) in APP. Processed in Adobe Photoshop CC2017 with 'Noel's Actions' on a 2016 Touch Bar MacBook Pro, calibrated Apple Cinema 30" display, A4 Wacom Intuos Pro.

Will be going back to again and again to get a handle on my processing skills... 🤨

Damian

Edited September 28, 2019 by TakMan