Start of M51 project

[MartinB]

I've had a dismal time since Kelling with imaging. Just over complicating things. Porblems with due on secondary, dew on chip, guide camera not working properly, problems with collimation, problems with field flatness, problems calibrating motorised focuser etc etc. Too many options. Wish I'd never sold the SXVH9 and stopped using small refractors.

Great night 6th - 7th Dec, one of the best ever. Got 4 hours worth of M1 data - Ha and OIII except it wasn't OIII, it was CLS Did manage 20x 5mins luminence data on M51 so thought I better post something.

Scope LX200R with 0.63 reducer and SX active optics.

Camera QSI 532 ws

Captured with maxim. DDP, 2 iterations deconvolution with CCDsharp and finished in PS

Will try to carry on gathering data over the next few months (except I now have an exciting new toy to play with!)

(click to enlarge)

[MartinB]

Here it is with colour including Ha - 20x40secs binned x2 R and G. Blue 20x70 secs binned and Ha 20 x300 secs binned. Early days yet. Needs more hours.

(click to enlarge)

[Psychobilly]

Iit's looking very good already Martin Im sure it will be a stunner when its finished

[bazza]

Well, loads of detail showing already Martin. If you're going to add more data, it's going to be glorious.

Barry.

[Viking]

Martin,

Perhaps I am missing something. What is your new toy? Keeping it to yourself!!!

John

[MikeD]

Looking great already Martin, good colour and nice detail.

Keep at it, its going to be a stunner with a tone of data thrown at it.

Mike.

[beamish]

Looks really good already, I'm looking fwd to seeing more.

Question would M51 make a good target for a moodded DSLR ?

Karlo

[steppenwolf]

Well worth posting, Martin - this is looking very good indeed

[markcol]

Looks like it'll be a stunner by the time you've finished with it, Martin.

Mark

[centroid]

It has all the ingedients in place, for a 'top notch' image Martin, and one that you'll enjoy building on.

Just need to get clear of this major DiY project for SWMBO, and get back into some imaging again.

Dave

[gary1968]

If it were me I 'd be happy to stop it as it is, its a belter Martin, cant wait to see the finished article.

Gary

[philj]

Very nice, plenty of detail and the colour is looking good. I tried something similar last spring but the weather got in teh way so best of luck on this one.

Phil

[Tim]

new toy? reveal all sir!

There's some great detail in the luminance there, really nice image. Any chance you could post the M1 stuff too? I'd like to see that even if it is CLS data

TJ

[kev 102 42]

think i will pull up a chair for this one,looking good .....kev

[LaVey]

m51 is one of my favs.. not imaged it yet.. hopefully after crimbo goodies arrive

this is looking good already tho.. will keep an eye on this, will make a great desktop background if this is just the start of it

[Beyond_Vision]

Sorry to hear about the kit troubles Martin, it's really frustrating to lose precious time to the Gremlins. M51 is looking great already and I'm looking forward to the final result

Regards

Kevin

[thing]

Looking great already Martin, I would be more than happy with it as it is.

[MartinB]

Thank you everyone.

Karlo, M51 should be a good target for any DSLR - relatively bright so you don't need extended exposures.

I'll post the M1 stuff TJ although a bit disappointing, not as good as the stuff I got from Kelling - I think the focus was a micron or 2 out but interesting to compare Ha and CLS.

The new toy...might keep me occupied a bit...a Tak FSQ 106ED. A blumming expensive consolation for having a bad time imaging!

[Beyond_Vision]

Tak FSQ 106ED one heck of a nice christmas present

Regards

Kevin

[Ant]

That is a very nice image!

It's going to be one of my targets (for the reasons you've mentioned).

I love the colour in it. Fantastic!

Nice pressy as well.

Ant

[glennbech]

Somebody asket about the DSLR. One disadvantage is that you get a wider field of view; The good news is (like martin says) that it is bright. I managed to get just 4 x 4 minutes of it last year; Very promising for 16 minutes;

http://www.glennbech.com/index.php?id=32

[barkis]

Well, trouble you might have had Martin, but you sure do bounce back with a bang.

For an Image still in production, this is exceptional.

Ron.

[steppenwolf]

Tak FSQ 106ED[/quote

Now that is what I call a real new toy - do we have a 'green with envy' emoticon anywhere?

[kev 102 42]

:D there you go wolfy

[jgs001]

That's looking really nice Martin.