Horsehead and Flame from Bortle 8

[Domain105]

 

Hello,

Image Details:

• Skywatcher 150PDS
• Skywatcher Coma Corrector
• Canon 450D modded Camera
• QHY5 Guide scope
• HEQ5 Pro (Rowan Belt Mod)
• 30 x 240sec lights @ ISO800
• 20 x Flats
• 40 x Darks
• 15 x Bias
• CLS Light Pollution Clip In Filter
• Bortle 8 
• BackYard EOS - Camera control
• Gimp / Photoshop / Lightroom to process

This is my first image outside of the 'Getting started With Imaging' section 🙂. This was a bit of a struggle. I was hoping to have a lot more subs but forgot about the meridian flip so off I went to watch TV a the flip occurred but it didn't continue to guide and the scope was pointing in the wrong place. May need to look into NINA for auto flip / PHD2 and plate solving once flipped. By the time I realised what happed, I had lost about 2 hours 😞 I also couldn't get PHD2 to work with BackYard EOS for dithering so used the ASCOM dithering option in BYEOS but I don't think it did anything. Tested BYEOS and PHD2 today and its working fine now. 

I think with my camera and processing tools, this is about the limit of what I can squeeze out of very light polluted skies and a non dedicated Astro Camera. 

I'm wanting to move to the RisingCam IMX571 and NINA soon with PixInsight to process. Just need to save a bit first!

Please let me have your thoughts on how to improve. I think with my setup, there is not much more I can do (other than more integration  time!). I appreciate colours may be off. It's not easy getting these right with me being colour blind.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Domain105
incorrect IMX camera sensor name