From 1st June 2023

[M40]

Another nice clear sky definately a bit bright. All taken with Stellamira 85mm, zwo asi290mm, heq5, asiair and simple screen shots.

M65 gain 110, 10 x 30 seconds. About 35M light years away. Definately coming back to this one when the nights are a bit darker.

M66 gain 110, 10 x 30 seconds. About 31M light years away.

M106 gain 110, 20 x 10 seconds. About 22-25 light years away. Played with the histogram with this one as the sky was just too bright.

M39, gain 110, 1 x 5 seconds. Open cluster about 1000 light years away containing 15 bright components of which there are 6 or more double stars.

And lastly for this night, it had to be done M40, the messier mistake, gain 110, 1 x 5 seconds. About 1000 light years away.

 

 

 

[PeterC65]

It's interesting to see some monochrome images. I've been considering getting a monochrome camera to tease out detail in galaxies and maybe nebula, but can't decide whether I would be happy with the lack of colour, or which camera would be best. I currently have an IMX585 based OSC camera with 2.9um pixels.

I like the shot of M106 with the darker background sky. For me getting the right balance between a dark background sky and the detail in the object is always the tricky thing.

 

[M40]

15 hours ago, PeterC65 said:

I like the shot of M106 with the darker background sky. For me getting the right balance between a dark background sky and the detail in the object is always the tricky thing.

👍

I also took a picture of M106 on the 20th May, the difference in the brightness of the night sky is quite astounding and shows how the nearly full moon and mid summer affects things.

I don't usually play with the histogram as I like to compare things on an as is basis, but I just couldn't see M106. It didn't help where just about every cluster on my list  seemed to be low to the horizon so they were scrubbed. This time of year is pointing towards clusters and doubles for me with the odd M101 thrown in to playspot the difference