Whoo-Hoo! An image at long last - IC405

[old_eyes]

I have recently added a side-by-side bar to my rig with a Canon 200mm F2.8, QHY168C colour camera and Optolong L-enhance filter.

I haven't been able to do any imaging at all since Xmas because of the continuous rain and the perpetual clouds. Last night there was a small gap predicted, so I went out to finish setting up, check focus, balance, guiding etc. Having done that, there were still some gaps in the cloud towards the zenith, so having been focusing on Capella, I switched to IC405 and started some data capture. I got 46 mins in 2 min subs before the cloud rolled over, so here is a crude and quick process and crop. Not worth sweating too hard as it needs a lot more data. A bit gruesome, but after what feels like a very long break, it's an astrophotograph! Yay!

Just need more imaging time now.

[Tommohawk]

Looking pretty good I'd say! More data always going to help - BTW have you calibrated with darks and offset/bias?

[old_eyes]

Yes it was calibrated, but I may have screwed colour balance by stretching too far and not doing well enough on gradient and background neutralisation. I don't think it is worth going overboard in an attempt to to produce a better image. I'll wait until I have more data. Judging from the HFR measurement and star count for the subs, there was some wispy cloud or high level haze around. Just pleased to get anything, and how hearing about storm Christoph about to spend the rest of the week dumping hugea mounts of rain on us it may be some time before the next session!

[MartinB]

It is most definitely an astrophotograph, which has not been an easy thing to produce recently, well done!  

[Louis D]

Forgive me, but I couldn't resist.  I downloaded your image and ran it through my 20 year old copy of Photoshop Elements 2.0.  I did color/levels auto corrections followed by a manual levels adjust and increased saturation.  It loses a bit in the faint areas, but gains a nice punch in the brighter areas.  I'd say you've got a "bright" future ahead of you in astro imaging. 😎

[MKHACHFE]

Lovely work mate. And I feel your pain regarding the weather. I got a new mount and guide camera/scope over Xmas and have only had a few brief breaks in the cloud to play since then... very frustrating.

Anyway..great image. 

 

Cheers