M101 with new scope and mount

[Sterrenland]

I've only been doing astrophotography for about 6 months from my semi-rural garden a few miles from Dover. I started with just a DSLR and lens, then got a Skywatcher Star Adventurer to use with the camera and have just this week scraped the pennies together and received my HEQ5 Pro and Skywatcher ED80 refractor. I'm currently using an unmodified Canon 650D.

Last night was a perfect night for first light...no cloud, the wind had dropped and the seeing was pretty good.

All I can say is wow! What a difference the mount and scope have made. I tried M101 some months ago (see below) and the result was not too brilliant...though I was still amazed to have captured it. Last night's effort was a vast improvement...stars were generally rounder and no longer the shape of Star Wars Tie fighters ( I still have to get the FF for the ED80, but everywhere is currently awaiting supplies ), the spiral arms are much clearer and well-defined, many fainter magnitude stars visible and the mount held M101 dead centre in the image. As everything was a bit of a new learning curve with the HEQ5 and scope I'm pretty chuffed to get what I did. Software-wise I did the basic tweeking (stacking, etc.) in Pixinsight and further adjustments in Photoshop. It's pretty rough and ready, but getting into Pixinsight is another learning curve!

Lights 45 x 120sec

Darks 30 x 120sec

No flats.

[tooth_dr]

Really nice, huge improvement and the kit you now have will give your years of enjoyment!  I’ve had my ED80 10+ years and I still use it all the time.

Processing is the hardest bit but you’re off to a great start. 

[MarkAR]

Huge improvement, well done.

[astro mick]

Exerllent image,and well done.You have some good kit with what you have chosen.

Mick.