M45 and part of the Molecular Cloud in Taurus

[smr 751]

This is the best widefield of M45 I've ever seen. Fantastic. I seem to remember a Horsehead Nebula image of yours, Peter, being the best I've seen too? Think you posted it last year, have you got a website or link to a gallery?

Altair have just announced their version of the QHY268 and ZWO 2600, the IMX571 is a superb sensor.

[peter shah 1,995]

14 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

What are your thoughts on the 2600 Peter?

Its a great camera....good points are no amp glow low noise high QE. Bad points are small pixels, you are not able to do Narrow Band effectively, poor cooling and be prepared to have to handle lots of subs..... is it worth the money?....absolutely

[peter shah 1,995]

3 minutes ago, smr said:

This is the best widefield of M45 I've ever seen. Fantastic. I seem to remember a Horsehead Nebula image of yours, Peter, being the best I've seen too? Think you posted it last year, have you got a website or link to a gallery?

Altair have just announced their version of the QHY268 and ZWO 2600, the IMX571 is a superb sensor.

Thank you....I have to confess at first I was not totally convinced with CMOS....but now ....they're just amazing.

I do...here is my website http://astropix.co.uk/ or im on astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/asteroidbelter/ 

[Allinthehead 3,979]

3 minutes ago, peter shah said:

Its a great camera....good points are no amp glow low noise high QE. Bad points are small pixels, you are not able to do Narrow Band effectively, poor cooling and be prepared to have to handle lots of subs..... is it worth the money?....absolutely

I have one too, managed to get an early one in January. You find the cooling poor? I have no problem getting to -20 in winter and -10 in summer, I find it really only needs -10 as the subs are so clean. How have you been calibrating? I found darks are not needed, so I use my master dark flat as a dark.  

[peter shah 1,995]

Just now, Allinthehead said:

I have one too, managed to get an early one in January. You find the cooling poor? I have no problem getting to -20 in winter and -10 in summer, I find it really only needs -10 as the subs are so clean. How have you been calibrating? I found darks are not needed, so I use my master dark flat as a dark.  

When I say poor cooling maybe I am being unfair, Im used to cooling -25 and as you say -10 is about it when it's hot and you quite rightly pointed out the darks are barely needed....so a small point in grand scheme of things

[ParallaxPete 68]

Wow, that is an outstanding image! I would never have believed that was taken in the UK given how poor our skies tend to be. M45 is something I want to image this winter as I have never managed to do it justice before, you have set the bar incredibly high!

[Allinthehead 3,979]

4 minutes ago, peter shah said:

When I say poor cooling maybe I am being unfair, Im used to cooling -25 and as you say -10 is about it when it's hot and you quite rightly pointed out the darks are barely needed....so a small point in grand scheme of things

When you're used to -25 then -10 is a poor result I suppose. I wouldn't discount narrowband with it either. I shot the veil with mine and a duo band filter and it turned out okay. 2 panel mosaic at 4hrs per panel.

[tooth_dr 8,040]

6 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

When you're used to -25 then -10 is a poor result I suppose. I wouldn't discount narrowband with it either. I shot the veil with mine and a duo band filter and it turned out okay. 2 panel mosaic at 4hrs per panel.

Lovely Richard. How do you incorporate the filter into the imaging train?  

[Allinthehead 3,979]

4 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Lovely Richard. How do you incorporate the filter into the imaging train?  

Thanks, I use a zwo oag, and screwed into that is my zwo filter drawer. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo_fd_m42.html

[peter shah 1,995]

33 minutes ago, ParallaxPete said:

Wow, that is an outstanding image! I would never have believed that was taken in the UK given how poor our skies tend to be. M45 is something I want to image this winter as I have never managed to do it justice before, you have set the bar incredibly high!

Thank you ... It was not taken in the UK was under Spanish skies......although to be honest my skies are just as good in Mid Wales bordering on bortle 3 and M45 would be achievable like this from here....

Edited September 19, 2020 by peter shah

[peter shah 1,995]

19 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

When you're used to -25 then -10 is a poor result I suppose. I wouldn't discount narrowband with it either. I shot the veil with mine and a duo band filter and it turned out okay. 2 panel mosaic at 4hrs per panel.

a great result, superb....I did wonder how good the dual and triband filters were....it really does work well on the Veil

[Allinthehead 3,979]

11 minutes ago, peter shah said:

a great result, superb....I did wonder how good the dual and triband filters were....it really does work well on the Veil

Thanks, yes the the Veil really suits a duo filter. 

[peter shah 1,995]

2 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

Thanks, yes the the Veil really suits a duo filter. 

Because this rig runs remotely in Spain it would be difficult to swap filters, plus I am not sure there would be the room for a filter wheel with the astromechanic focuser... 

[Earl 1,283]

On 17/09/2020 at 20:28, peter shah said:

I havent posted for a while its so good to finally get going again..... Ive been wanting to image a wide field of M45 for years.... managed to get tenough over the past 4 weeks now it is rising early in the morning.......total 12hrs  comprised of 300s, 180s and 60s exposures. Imaged with a  105mm 1.4 Sigman lens @ f2 with an ASI2600 OSC. Cmos

Processed in Pixinsight, Photoshop,and lightroom

Thanks for looking

Peter

looks Awesome Peter so busy need to mosaic is much bigger to the belt !!

 

[peter shah 1,995]

2 minutes ago, Earl said:

looks Awesome Peter so busy need to mosaic is much bigger to the belt !!

 

Thank you.....now that would be amazing

[ollypenrice 29,179]

Late to this party but it's a great party!! Stunning image. I do love a wide M45 because it all makes so much more sense when you see the lot.

And, as others have said, it's a treat to see you back, Peter.

Olly

Edited September 19, 2020 by ollypenrice
Typo

[smr 751]

3 hours ago, peter shah said:

Thank you....I have to confess at first I was not totally convinced with CMOS....but now ....they're just amazing.

I do...here is my website http://astropix.co.uk/ or im on astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/asteroidbelter/ 

Great! I just had a quick browse of your website, will have a better look tomorrow. I envy your skies. I know how amazing the skies in Wales can be as I had a holiday a few years ago where I booked a lodge with a hot tub in a Bortle 3 location and I was utterly spellbound by the skies and how many stars I could see. It was sheer amazement for me as I'm so used to Bortle 6/5 skies.

[peter shah 1,995]

28 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Late to this party but it's a great party!! Stunning image. I do love a wide M45 because it all makes so much more sense when you see the lot.

And, as others have said, it's a treat to see you back, Peter.

Olly

Thank you Olly....

[Jkulin 1,603]

And Image of the day on Astrobin Peter https://www.astrobin.com/a77z7d/