DSLR Elephant Trunk

[astro_john_palmer]

I had a go at the elephant trunk nebula.

I feel a bit ridiculous posting pictures like this on here when I see all your incredible images. But I'm certainly improving with a long way still to go.

This was 2hrs 15 mins of 180 sec exposures. Canon 50D on a Celestron C8N. I need to get myself a coma corrector as I have to cut away half of my image to remove the really fat stars.

Anyway, I was semi-proud of this image, so here we are!

 

[Stuart1971]

Nothing to feel ridiculous about here....Excellent..... 👍😀

[astro_john_palmer]

7 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Nothing to feel ridiculous about here....Excellent..... 👍😀

Thanks! 

[steppenwolf]

I'm with Stuart, nothing ridiculous here and you have some lovely separation on those two very close bright stars!

[astro_john_palmer]

1 minute ago, steppenwolf said:

I'm with Stuart, nothing ridiculous here and you have some lovely separation on those two very close bright stars!

Thanks Steve. 🙏

 

[Kinch]

28 minutes ago, astro_john_palmer said:

I feel a bit ridiculous posting pictures like this on here

Nobody should ever say that on a public forum. We all start from the same level and we all have to learn at our own pace and with the equipment we have. You have made a great start here and and you have every right to be proud of it....it is a lot better than the 1st images I put out in public 👍

[teoria_del_big_bang]

John,

I know the feeling well about the fear of posting images when there are some unbelievably fantastic images posted by some great astro-photographers on this site. I too was the same and still am to some extent

But any recognisable DSO image is a great achievement anyway and for sure your image is definitely one to be proud of it's a great image 🙂

The only comments I have received on this forum are ones of praise and help with great advice of how I can improve both the data acquisition and the processing, So continue to post it is exactly what the imaging section of SGL is all about.

Steve

Edited July 26, 2020 by teoria_del_big_bang

[astro_john_palmer]

Just now, Kinch said:

Nobody should ever say that on a public forum. We all start from the same level and we all have to learn at our own pace and with the equipment we have. You have made a great start here and and you have every right to be proud of it....it is a lot better than the 1st images I put out in public 👍

Thanks Kinch. To be fair, I can't claim it is the first image I have posted (those were much worse).

There was however a gap between not knowing they were not very good, and then feeling I was up to a standard which I was more happy with.

[astro_john_palmer]

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

John,

I know the feeling well about the fear of posting images when there are some unbelievably fantastic images posted by some great astro-photographers on this site. I too was the same and still am to some extent

But any recognisable DSO image is a great achievement anyway and for sure your image is definitely one to be proud of it's a great image 🙂

The only comments I have received on this forum are ones of praise and help with great advice of how I can improve both the data acquisition and the processing, So continue to post it is exactly what the imaging section of SGL is all about.

Steve

Thanks Steve,

I agree comments on this forum are always very helpful and encouraging. I wouldn't say I was afraid of posting, for exactly those reasons. It was more that I thought it's a bit pointless. 🤣

[Kinch]

6 minutes ago, astro_john_palmer said:

I agree comments on this forum are always very helpful and encouraging. I wouldn't say I was afraid of posting, for exactly those reasons. It was more that I thought it's a bit pointless. 

You have just contradicted yourself............if the comments are helpful and encouraging.........then posting cannot be pointless!                   Just sayin'   🤓

[teoria_del_big_bang]

1 minute ago, astro_john_palmer said:

I agree comments on this forum are always very helpful and encouraging. I wouldn't say I was afraid of posting, for exactly those reasons. It was more that I thought it's a bit pointless. 🤣

Maybe me then that was just initially worried about posting my images. I tend to think that most astro imagers are quite self-critical anyway and think they can always do better, just seems to be par for the course to achieve perfection.

But certainly not pointless. I think it is really helpful to hear the comments and it often leads to you re-processing the same data with better results. Also it's good for everyone to see how others frame certain targets and I love looking at what other people are targeting and sometimes prompts me to think must give that one a go. So I think it is helpful that we all post images from time to time.

Steve

[rubecula]

What they said!

[Sterrenland]

As someone who uses a DSLR himself, that's an awesome image! I'd be more than pleased with that!

 

[sloz1664]

Really nice image, well captured, framed and processed.

Steve

[astro_john_palmer]

28 minutes ago, Sterrenland said:

As someone who uses a DSLR himself, that's an awesome image! I'd be more than pleased with that!

 

Thank you! Don't get me wrong, I am pleased with a lot of my images, but like Steve said (below) I am self-critical and know I can improve. Especially when you start comparing to some other incredible imagers!

 

3 hours ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Maybe me then that was just initially worried about posting my images. I tend to think that most astro imagers are quite self-critical anyway and think they can always do better, just seems to be par for the course to achieve perfection.

But certainly not pointless. I think it is really helpful to hear the comments and it often leads to you re-processing the same data with better results. Also it's good for everyone to see how others frame certain targets and I love looking at what other people are targeting and sometimes prompts me to think must give that one a go. So I think it is helpful that we all post images from time to time.

Steve

Yes it's fair to say I take inspiration from others posts here, and maybe mine can do the same.

 

3 hours ago, Kinch said:

You have just contradicted yourself............if the comments are helpful and encouraging.........then posting cannot be pointless!                   Just sayin'   🤓

Fair point! I guess I meant more for other people than myself, but you are right it always nice to get some encouragement and critique.

[astro_john_palmer]

28 minutes ago, sloz1664 said:

Really nice image, well captured, framed and processed.

Steve

Thanks Steve!

[Hals]

Fantastic work. I'd be extremely happy if that were mine.