Iris & Ghost

[Budgie1]

Clear nights are really few & very far between up here this season, payback for building an obsy over the Summer I guess! 

So, a couple of clear nights beckoned this week and I decided to revisit the Iris Nebula because I didn't image it last year. I'm not normally one for target hopping but with so few opportunities, I figured I would make a start on Sh2-136, The Ghost Nebula, on the second night. 

The first night was plagued with high cloud and I lost about 30 minutes worth of subs to it. The second night was clear but I still lost subs, only this time to dew on the lens. My own fault for not having the dew heaters turned up high enough. Lesson leaned on that one. 

Anyway, these are both work in progress, with just 3h30m on each target to date. Taken with the ASI294MC Pro at -10°, gain 200 and offset 30 with just a UV/IR cut filter. Stacked & processed in PI.

There's a lot more to be had from both of these targets and I'll update this thread as I add more data.

C's & C's welcomed, as always.

[MartinB]

Too absolute beauties, superbly processed.  Just about the wettest place in the country.  I once had a look at cloud data across the world and discovered that the UK is the cloudiest of the lot, except for a small island in the south atlantic.  So well done indeed!  It looks like you have a decent sky when the clouds do clear though.

[Budgie1]

24 minutes ago, MartinB said:

Too absolute beauties, superbly processed.  Just about the wettest place in the country.  I once had a look at cloud data across the world and discovered that the UK is the cloudiest of the lot, except for a small island in the south atlantic.  So well done indeed!  It looks like you have a decent sky when the clouds do clear though.

Thanks Martin.

It's a temperate rainforest around here and my weather station has recorded 229mm of rain so far this month. So, yes, it's a bit damp. Although, saying that, my annual rainfall figures for 2022 are well below average at the moment, currently reading 1400mm, when the average for the year is 2185mm.

Still, like you say, when it is clear, it's really clear with Bortle 2 where I am. Just far enough away from Fort William that the LP isn't an issue.

[simmo39]

That looks brilliant, puts my effort to shame. 

[Budgie1]

2 hours ago, simmo39 said:

puts my effort to shame. 

I don't know it does. You've got plenty of detail for the wide FOV on your image and your second process shows both these targets well and their close proximity.

I was thinking of using my Evostar 80ED DS Pro, so I could get both in frame but went for single object framing for now. Maybe later in the year.

[Budgie1]

Finally a clear night!

I didn't know how long it was going to last, so I decided to get some more data on these two images.

Both now have around 5h30m on each and have been reprocessed in PI. I think I've managed to get a lot more background dust in both of them.

[geeklee]

8 hours ago, Budgie1 said:

Both now have around 5h30m on each and have been reprocessed in PI. I think I've managed to get a lot more background dust in both of them.

Both super images Martin and great to get more data on targets that demand so much!  Colour balance also looks better to my eye on the updated ones.

More planned on these? (should a clear night appear again!!)

[Budgie1]

Thanks Lee, 

Yes, I took out a bit more of the green, especially from the Ghost, which has made a difference to the images. 

I'll maybe get some more data on the Ghost if I get another night where it looks like it may cloud over after an hour or two but with the lack of clear nights this season so far I want to get some other targets on the go. 

I've also just taken delivery of a mono setup I want to try out on my Evostar 80ED DS Pro. I've got an Atik 428EX CCD with Atik EFW2 and LRGB + Ha, Oiii & Sii filters. So much to play with and few clear nights!  

Edited November 15, 2022 by Budgie1

[geeklee]

3 minutes ago, Budgie1 said:

I'll maybe get some more data on the Ghost if I get another night where it looks like it may cloud over after an hour or two

I've got my eye on both of these but have been shying away from the recent moon/moisture filled nights.  Not something that you can afford in the UK really!

4 minutes ago, Budgie1 said:

I've got an Atik 428EX CCD with Atik EFW2 and LRGB + Ha, Oiii & Sii filters. So much to play with and few clear nights!  

🤣 Always the way!  That'll be a cracking addition to your kit though.

[ollypenrice]

Very good indeed.

I've edited this post because I scrolled down too fast to see your revisions.

Olly

Edited November 15, 2022 by ollypenrice
As explained.