IC405, IC410, and Comet C/2020 M3 (ATLAS)

[Buzzard75]

I learned a long time ago to never post your first edit. After staying up late the night before and working all day, I began processing my data. It wasn't terrible, but I wasn't thrilled with it. After getting a much better night's sleep than the previous night, I decided to give it another go this morning. I am much more pleased with this result. I used my WO Redcat and a set of ZWO narrowband filters. For such a small scope and cheap set of filters, the data turned out exceptionally well. If you include the luminance data, I captured over 9.5 hours of data on this region in a single night. It was the longest single session I've ever done. I don't normally leave my equipment set up outside over night or unattended because anywhere I set up is plainly visible from the street. We have an inordinate amount of crime for such a small, sleepy town. Mostly people getting into unlocked vehicles and breaking into sheds to steal whatever they can. I chose to risk it and leave everything set up and image as long as I could. I used the narrowband data to create the image and the luminance data to create the animation of the comet. I'm extremely happy with the comet animation even if I was frustrated during the process of making it. You can actually see the tail and the comet appearing to "side slip". The comet did contribute to the narrowband image in that there is a blue smudge in between the two objects. I like it and think it contributes to the image so chose to leave it alone. I think leaving everything out all night paid off, I just don't know that I'll do it again. I did not sleep well that night knowing all my equipment was outside. I may get a camera that I can setup and remotely monitor from inside the house just to keep an eye on it.

I'm still struggling with getting images to come out looking exactly like they do when I'm working on them in Pixinsight. I know it's a color space management issue with browsers, Windows, etc., but I don't know what else to do about it. For now, it is what it is and I hope you all like them.

Image data:

ZWO ASI183MM Pro, Unity Gain
ZWO Narrowband Filters
WO Redcat 51
iOptron CEM40EC, unguided
48x180s each (Ha, SII, OIII), 7.2 hours total
40x Darks, 80x Flats and Dark Flats
Captured in APT, Processed in Pixinsight

Animation data:

Same equipment, used a Baader Luminance filter, 48x180s exposures captured at 12 minute intervals.

[geeklee]

Great work @Buzzard75  The image looks great and the animation is awesome - nice seeing wider view between targets and the close up.

[Buzzard75]

1 hour ago, geeklee said:

Great work @Buzzard75  The image looks great and the animation is awesome - nice seeing wider view between targets and the close up.

Thanks! I wanted to give the wider view so you could see where it would have been in the overall image and then, of course since it's so small, I thought a close-up would be good too.

[happy-kat]

Love the animation, really shows the comet motoring

[happy-kat]

I've just looked it is in another lovely placement Saturday but the forecast just changed again.