M42 and Crab, 01-02.12.2022, ASI533MC-Pro

[cloudnine]

Despite the visibility being forecast as poor all night, the local sky didn’t agree. I’m still in the exciting discovery phase of my relationship with the ASI533MC-Pro, and am enjoying the experimentation with the toys to hand. I’ll be posting raw (not stacked or processed) shots for the time-being as I don’t have the set up just yet. I quite like the lazy ‘natural’ look. Rest assured I’m taking multiple subs and multiple exposures so I can do computer work in the future.

Here are two shots, M42 with middle blown out (I have shorter subs for future merging), and M1.

 

M42: single 600s exposure, auto guided, gain 100, esprit 120 + flattener, uv/ir cut filter. Air temperature -2degC, camera cooled to -10degC

M1: single 300s exposure, gain 360.

 

With a field of view 0.9x0.9 degrees, and a whole sky of over 41000 square degrees, I need to get a move on if I want to start a cloudnine deep-sky survey!

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by cloudnine

[Neil_104]

Very nice pics - I have the 533 as well, I really like the unique square images it gives, it makes a nice change from the usual aspect ratio. I'm proper envious of your stars in the corner of the frame 🙂 Have fun!

[cloudnine]

Thanks. I know the images are in the raw compared to the results from some of the accomplished people here, but I like the aesthetics. When I got the Esprit I also got the field-flattener with it, although I wasn't sure it would have much impact on the corners of a 15mm sensor. Given I haven't imaged without it, I thought round stars everywhere was normal 🤣

The 533 is ace. Totally agree about the square images. The lack of amp-glow is a game-changer for me. I also have the 385 (uncooled) for planetary which I tried for deep-sky last month but was immediately frustrated by the amp glow. Am not getting any younger so took a punt on the 533 ... dead chuffed with how it's turning out.

[Neil_104]

21 hours ago, cloudnine said:

I thought round stars everywhere was normal

Not in my images unfortunately  but then I'm not making things easy for myself and currently imaging with a C6 with the f6.3 reducer, which I think is as much a hinderance as a help at times.

Amp glow shouldn't be too difficult to deal with with decent stacking software (I use APP), but I agree it's nice not to see it there in the first place.

Would love to see your final images once stacked and processed. I know from my own efforts that if individual subs look good then the final image is gonna be great!