NGC 281 - The Eye of Sauron...

[Hallingskies]

I managed to grab some OIII data (12 x 600s, Atik 460, Esprit 100) last night, to add to my earlier Ha data before my auto-guiding packed up and starting taking occasional but random 12" excursions.  Really don't know what is going on there and I am starting to despair at it all - I'm no techie and with the weather we've been having, I feel like packing it all in!

Still, I was pleased with the final result.  Might be the last one for a while...

I went a bit wild with the colour saturation.  Not quite sure where the yellow came from in the end, but it looks pretty.  I was using various Ha and OIII combinations for a green channel and it just dropped in to say hello - unfortunately I didn't record what I did and can't replicate it! ...

[Jkulin]

Hi, I think you'll find this is The Packman Nebula - NGC281, the Eye of Sauron is the Helix Nebula as per this link: -

https://www.astrobin.com/378608/E/?nc=user

[alan potts]

Yes looks like the Pacman to me too, a very nice image i have to say, love the colours.

Alan

[Hallingskies]

2 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Hi, I think you'll find this is The Packman Nebula - NGC281, the Eye of Sauron is the Helix Nebula as per this link: -

https://www.astrobin.com/378608/E/?nc=user

I don’t care for the “Pacman” moniker so I gave it my own!  I then found that “Eye of Sauron” is actually a colloquialism attached to a rather dim galaxy NGC 4151 in Canes Venatici.   My blog (see signature) explains all.  I was aware of it being used for the Helix - but the Helix is an appropriate and long-standing nickname and not many folk know of its other labels.

Edited December 5, 2019 by Hallingskies
typo

[astro mick]

Bobby dazzler.

Nice.

Mick.

[geoflewis]

Superb image, why would you even think of packing it in when you produce goodies like this? I know, just frustration speaking. Great blog post BTW and enjoyed a quick trip through a few of the many other superb images on your website. Cheers, Geof

[tooth_dr]

That’s a fantastic image but Im really curious as to why you are so disgruntled with the pacman name? I read your blog there and you clearly aren’t happy about the PacMan name!

The eye of Sauron? That’s a bit more niche and even more naff lol

 

 

[Hallingskies]

3 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

That’s a fantastic image but Im really curious as to why you are so disgruntled with the pacman name? I read your blog there and you clearly aren’t happy about the PacMan name!

The eye of Sauron? That’s a bit more niche and even more naff lol

 

 

Each to their own.  I just think naming a deep sky wonder after a naff eighties computer game is a bit déclassé.  It deserves something more dramatic.

[Hallingskies]

8 hours ago, geoflewis said:

Superb image, why would you even think of packing it in when you produce goodies like this? I know, just frustration speaking. Great blog post BTW and enjoyed a quick trip through a few of the many other superb images on your website. Cheers, Geof

Thanks.  I think old age and IT woes are getting to me.  Why doesn’t stuff just work?!

[MartinB]

Despite your guiding problems it has come out very nicely.  To my eye the background has a slight green bias which is easily fixed.

The guiding issue may well have been due to a hot pixel or another star in the guide frame.  The software can intermittently take a liking to the rogue bright point and severely mess things up.

[Hallingskies]

11 hours ago, MartinB said:

Despite your guiding problems it has come out very nicely.  To my eye the background has a slight green bias which is easily fixed.

The guiding issue may well have been due to a hot pixel or another star in the guide frame.  The software can intermittently take a liking to the rogue bright point and severely mess things up.

I think the guiding problems were down to my old Vista laptop not liking my new WiFi range extender.  It seemed to hang for a few seconds every now and then and this appeared to throw the guiding.  When I disconnected it for a later session, that seemed to stop the hanging and the wild swings, although guiding still wasn’t brilliant.  Think I will have to run some Cat6 down if I want to use Remote Desktop.

[tooth_dr]

20 hours ago, Hallingskies said:

Each to their own.  I just think naming a deep sky wonder after a naff eighties computer game is a bit déclassé.  It deserves something more dramatic.

I think you are on very much on your own on this one 😉