M82 and another M42

[Adam1234]

So I finally had a clear night on Friday so I was given the opportunity to test out the QHY Polemaster I bought last week. After spending over an hour fighting with the Polemaster software, finding that it has massive lagging issues, I discovered that it works a lot better if you play a video in the background 🤔🤔 

In the end I won and achieved far better polar alignment than I have previously been able to achieve with the polar scope. Despite the moon, and since I already had the scope out I decided to shoot M42 Orion Nebula and managed 27 x 60s subs at ISO800 before it went behind a tree. I stacked these with DSS, along with subs from 2 nights imaging earlier in the year, followed by a bit of processing in photoshop. The image is made up of a total of 66 x 30s subs, 49 x 45s subs and 27 x 60s subs with darks and bias frames taken on each night. I think ISO was 800 on each night.

After Orion went behind the tree I turned my gaze to M81/M82 Bodes Nebulae and managed 89 x 60s subs. Processing in photoshop was proving a tad difficult due to some vignetting and weird colouration on stretching so I have cropped to show just M82. 

 

M42 Orion Nebula - 66 x 30s, 49 x 45s, 27 x 60s at ISO800

 

M82 Cigar Galaxy - 89 x 60s at ISO800

 

Hope you like. 

Clear skies to all.

 

Adam

[geeklee]

15 hours ago, Adam1234 said:

After Orion went behind the tree I turned my gaze to M81/M82 Bodes Nebulae and managed 89 x 60s subs. Processing in photoshop was proving a tad difficult due to some vignetting and weird colouration on stretching so I have cropped to show just M82. 

Nice Adam.  You must be pleased with M82 - some good detail starting to come through with the integration times creeping up.

Edited March 9, 2020 by geeklee

[Adam1234]

7 hours ago, geeklee said:

Nice Adam.  You must be pleased with M82 - some good detail starting to come through with the integration times creeping up.

Thanks! Yes I am very pleased,  a few months ago I never would have thought I could get images like these, especially with the 3 streetlamps facing into my garden. I can't wait to eventually get out into a dark sky site, or at least to somewhere not surrounded by streetlights on all sides!