SH2-129: The Flying Bat Nebula - Advice please

[AstroGS]

I started last night - without much planning tbh as i just wanted to test the new EQ6R-Pro - to capture 300 sec frames with my ASI533MC, Optolong L-Extreme and WO GT81 + flattener. Ended up with 30 frames. My thought was to build on these over the next few days/ weeks and try to get with this setup 25-30 hours in total and see if the squid nebula will be decently visible.

Nevertheless, at this FL i cannot capture the whole flying bat nebula but, the frames i already got look very good.

Question 1: since i am shooting with an OSC, should i drop the target?

Question 2: shall i swap the WO GT81 for the Redcat51?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by George Sinanis

[alacant]

3 minutes ago, George Sinanis said:

at the end with 30 frames

Hi

Maybe process what you have already and base your decision upon those findings? 533mc, so a UHC may help may help isolating the blue/green squid bits from the red mush.

Cheers and good luck.

[Bibabutzemann]

If you want to go for such a long project with a dim object, i would use something like the N.I.N.A framing tool, to see which focal length and angle fits better.

Since you are using the L extreme, i dont see the benefit in additionally using an UHC filter.

But for prettier star colours you could add some RGB data. 

[alacant]

45 minutes ago, Bibabutzemann said:

additionally using an UHC

additionally instead of using the l-e.

Cheers

Edited April 22, 2022 by alacant

[Bibabutzemann]

30 minutes ago, alacant said:

additionally instead of using the l-e.

Cheers

 

This is an O3 target. The l extreme should give a better contrast and because of the narrower band less light pollution gradient to deal with.

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Bibabutzemann

[AstroGS]

2 hours ago, Bibabutzemann said:

If you want to go for such a long project with a dim object, i would use something like the N.I.N.A framing tool, to see which focal length and angle fits better.

Since you are using the L extreme, i dont see the benefit in additionally using an UHC filter.

But for prettier star colours you could add some RGB data. 

I have abandoned NINA for ASIAir Plus 🥺 - practicality won here..... but, even with NINA it would still be out of the frame part of the flying bat nebula due to FL.

I think the above suggestion is the best - i will take a few more hours today (weather able) process them and then see what i have got. Based on the data, i might swap the GT81 to the RedCat51 to capture the wider part of the nebula.

 

[alacant]

58 minutes ago, Bibabutzemann said:

l extreme should give a better contrast

Hi

Having tried both, just a personal preference.

Edited April 22, 2022 by alacant

[newbie alert]

It's a big target but dim... Elephant trunk not too far away and much brighter

[carastro]

You won't get the Squid without a decent Oiii filter, dark skies and loads of data.  But the bat is doable.  I am not even sure a coloured camera with Oiii filter would even be sufficient for the Squid.  

Carole 

Edited April 22, 2022 by carastro

[Bibabutzemann]

1 hour ago, George Sinanis said:

I have abandoned NINA for ASIAir Plus 🥺 - practicality won here..... but, even with NINA it would still be out of the frame part of the flying bat nebula due to FL.

I think the above suggestion is the best - i will take a few more hours today (weather able) process them and then see what i have got. Based on the data, i might swap the GT81 to the RedCat51 to capture the wider part of the nebula.

 

I didnt mean that you should use NINA for capturing. Just the handy framing tool. You can use it on your normal PC without connection to your gear. 

Of course its always wise to view your data afrer few hours to see if its worth it.

But before that i would still check framing, especially proper angle, so you dont need to start all over again.

 

@alacant  i would be interested to see comparison images with same gear on different targets. 

With such dim objects i doubt that the uhc would perfom very well, but im happy to be proven wrong.

 

@carastro there are some good results in astrobin done with the l extreme and a colour camera.

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Bibabutzemann

[alacant]

25 minutes ago, Bibabutzemann said:

i doubt that the uhc would perfom very well

Try it!

We have posted several UHC images on this site. Here's the first one I came across. It's with a dslr and 72ed. It doesn't get much more basic. With the OP's 533, I'm sure it would be spectacular.

Cheers

 

[AstroGS]

2 hours ago, newbie alert said:

It's a big target but dim... Elephant trunk not too far away and much brighter

Have done it and it was really great with the GT81/L-Extreme/533 and i will definitely do it with the redcat too. You are right, probably i am too optimistic for the SH2-129....but, i will give it another try, gather a bit more data and see if there is any chance

 

[AstroGS]

1 hour ago, alacant said:

Try it!

We have posted several UHC images on this site. Here's the first one I came across. It's with a dslr and 72ed. It doesn't get much more basic. With the OP's 533, I'm sure it would be spectacular.

Cheers

 

Checking the differences between L-Extreme and Astronomik UHC - would it make a significant difference vs the L-Extreme? I am only asking as in the product description, it seems that both filters transmit more or less the same wavelengths of emissions. 

UHC: H-β 486,1nm | OIII 495,9nm | OIII 500,7nm | H-α 656,3nm

L-Extreme:  H-α (656.3nm), H-β (486.1nm), OIII (495.9nm) and OIII (500.7nm)

[AstroGS]

2 hours ago, carastro said:

You won't get the Squid without a decent Oiii filter, dark skies and loads of data.  But the bat is doable.  I am not even sure a coloured camera with Oiii filter would even be sufficient for the Squid.  

Carole 

I think you are probably right...... 🙂

[alacant]

26 minutes ago, George Sinanis said:

both filters transmit more or less the same wavelengths

You can process either to look like the other. The graphs look similar too. Another consideration -for us at least-  was that one costs 10 times more than the other. But that's just lines and numbers. The cheaper one gave better blue/green.

A factor we didn't take into account however was light pollution. The Optolong may just give better results if that's an issue for you.

As we say, personal preference. Have a look at what you have and go from there.

Cheers.

Edited April 22, 2022 by alacant

[AstroGS]

23 minutes ago, alacant said:

You can process either to look like the other. The graphs look similar too. Another consideration -for us at least-  was that one costs 10 times more than the other. But that's just lines and numbers. The cheaper one gave better blue/green.

A factor we didn't take into account however was light pollution. The Optolong may just give better results if that's an issue for you.

As we say, personal preference. Have a look at what you have and go from there.

Cheers.

Many thanks for your input - really appreciate it.

Since i own already an L-Extreme, i was wondering if a UHC filter will make sense. The 2" Atronomik one, costs approx £180.

 

[alacant]

Yeah. That's €silly. Here's an alternative which will fit the t2 throat adapter on your 533. Or any astro club would lend you one. 

Cheers.

[alacant]

3 hours ago, carastro said:

not even sure a coloured camera with Oiii filter would even be sufficient for the Squid

Hi

Easily within reach of modern colour cameras. He's an example taken with the same camera as the OP.

Cheers

[tomato]

Here’s a thread on this target w.r.t. minimum integration time needed to capture the squid. 72 mins with a RASA8/QHY268 OSC/IDAS NBZ dual band filter made it just visible.

 

[AstroGS]

1 hour ago, tomato said:

Here’s a thread on this target w.r.t. minimum integration time needed to capture the squid. 72 mins with a RASA8/QHY268 OSC/IDAS NBZ dual band filter made it just visible.

 

Still, it is beautiful - good job! I will try to get a couple more hours today and get close to 5 hrs and see what i can get out of it through PI. Then i will decide if i will continue with this setup or swap to the redcat51. Later this year i will invest in a ASI1600MM+Filter Wheel+ZWO filters to have the ability to be more flexible on the way i approach my targets.

 

 

[AstroGS]

2 hours ago, alacant said:

Hi

Easily within reach of modern colour cameras. He's an example taken with the same camera as the OP.

Cheers

This is beautiful indeed - 15+ hours but, with a RASA. This is why i agree with you - i will see what i get from the subs i have already and then decide how to proceed. 

 

[AstroGS]

Out of 30 frames (from 1st night) i managed to keep 27 and used some darks and bias (no flats).

Just cropped, quick DBE and stretch in PI - no further processing right now.

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by George Sinanis

[AstroGS]

Taking now 600 secs of subs for as long as we will have clear skies tonight.