NGC7023 - The Iris Nebula

[DKNicholson]

This is the first object I've been able to image using my nice new camera - Starlight Xpress Trius Pro 694. It's not ideal and I plainly have a few things to learn before I can get the best from it, but I'm not too unhappy with this as a starting point! The total integration was just 4hrs 35mins, and with the weather we've been having I was lucky to manage that!

DSO: NGC7023 - The Iris Nebula

Telescope: Altair Wave Series 115mm

Camera: Starlight Xpress Trius Pro 694

Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress with Baader LRGB filters

Guide Telescope: SW ST80

Guide Camera: Starlight Xpress Lodestar x2

Mount: SW EQ6-R Pro

Software: SGPro, DSS, Nebulosity V4 (for alignment), Photoshop CS3

Edited November 19, 2019 by DKNicholson

[tooth_dr]

Lovely image, very well framed. 

[Rodd]

That actually is very nice--so be proud.  Its a tough object to image well.  You have all teh details in teh core--more integration time will bring out teh faint pinks/reds.  Carful not to set you black point too low--the image is looking a bit dark on my screen (except for the core, which is perfect).  I struggle with this as well becuase of noise--but try and get a little more light into the outer regions and see if you can start demarking the dust.  So you know, the dust is lighter than teh background space in most locations.  there are a couple of dense dark regions, but for teh most part teh dust is reddish/blueish--a clay like mess in lost of my attempts--but recently i had some luck.  More data will help.

Rodd

[GiorgioF]

Wow. Years I'm chasing this subject without success....

Well framed and detailed.

 

[DKNicholson]

43 minutes ago, Rodd said:

That actually is very nice--so be proud.  Its a tough object to image well.  You have all teh details in teh core--more integration time will bring out teh faint pinks/reds.  Carful not to set you black point too low--the image is looking a bit dark on my screen (except for the core, which is perfect).  I struggle with this as well becuase of noise--but try and get a little more light into the outer regions and see if you can start demarking the dust.  So you know, the dust is lighter than teh background space in most locations.  there are a couple of dense dark regions, but for teh most part teh dust is reddish/blueish--a clay like mess in lost of my attempts--but recently i had some luck.  More data will help.

Rodd

There were quite a number of issues with this image.  The dust bunnies on the camera screen obscured some of the subtle detail - for some reason I had failed to clean the screen before installing.  As a consequence the flats struggled. Also I have been using an Atik 314L+ for the last 8 years so I have yet to become used-to the requirements of this camera - it's very different.  The integration time was not only too short but also affected by high, thin cloud for much of the time, so DSS showed that some of the frames were not of the best quality.  Altogether it was quite frustrating as I have had the camera for three weeks now and have only managed 4hrs 35mins in that period. 

Whilst it is fairly basic and far from perfect, the attached image is what I managed to achieve with the Atik through the same telescope but also with a 2" Antares Barlow x1.6 in the light path that I had been experimenting with.  Not a huge success it has to be said, but I may revisit it in due course.

Edited November 19, 2019 by DKNicholson

[Rodd]

3 minutes ago, DKNicholson said:

Whilst it is fairly basic and far from perfect, the attached image is what I managed to achieve with the Atik through the same telescope but also with a 2" Antares Barlow x1.6 in the light path that I had been experimenting with.  Not a huge success it has to be said, but I may revisit it in due course.

imaging with a Barlow is success enough!  I have not had the courage to try my powermates.  It would be hard for me to justify it though as, except for the C11 Edge, I have the focal lengths I would get using the power mate (like a barlow) covered by other scope's natural focal lengths.  I would still like to try though.  But it gets complicated with guiding (guide scope may not be accurate enough) and the image circle may not be large enough for my self guiding filter wheel (they say its iffy). 

Rodd

[DKNicholson]

4 hours ago, Rodd said:

imaging with a Barlow is success enough!  I have not had the courage to try my powermates.  It would be hard for me to justify it though as, except for the C11 Edge, I have the focal lengths I would get using the power mate (like a barlow) covered by other scope's natural focal lengths.  I would still like to try though.  But it gets complicated with guiding (guide scope may not be accurate enough) and the image circle may not be large enough for my self guiding filter wheel (they say its iffy). 

Rodd

The main issue I encountered was quite severe vignetting even with the 2in Barlow through 1.25in filters onto the small chip of the Atik. Using the Trius I think it would not be acceptable at all. When I can be bothered to mount it I have a Meade LX90-8" for very small DSOs, but I'll do with the 115 for a while until I get used to the camera. 

[Rodd]

21 minutes ago, DKNicholson said:

The main issue I encountered was quite severe vignetting even with the 2in Barlow through 1.25in filters onto the small chip of the Atik. Using the Trius I think it would not be acceptable at all. When I can be bothered to mount it I have a Meade LX90-8" for very small DSOs, but I'll do with the 115 for a while until I get used to the camera. 

Refractors are definitely easier.  Looking forward to seeing some of those small DSOs

Rodd