SGL 2023 Challenge 8 - Novice deep sky imaging

[MartinB]

This competition is for members who have started deep sky imaging within the last 12 months i.e.  not before 1st August 2022.  If you are submitting an image towards the end of the challenge period you will have had some extra weeks to gain experience!

"Started" means the first time you managed to have photons from a deep sky object arrive at a camera sensor.

"Deep sky imaging" relates imaging of any celestial object outside the solar system.  

Please include information about how you went about producing your image including equipment used along with software.

Start date 1st August 2023

End date 31st October 2023 

Images submitted after the end date will not be accepted

As previously the winner and runners up will receive an SGL challenge mug showing their image along with a virtual medal-of-honour for their SGL signature.

Please post entries directly into this thread

To keep the thread manageable for the judges please do not post comments about entries, emoji reactions are welcome of course.

--

RULES

All data must be captured and processed by you (no collaborative entries). 
Data must be captured during the challenge start & end dates. 
Multiple entries are allowed but please make a fresh post within the thread.
Multiple submissions of the same image, processed differently, will not be accepted.

[AstroMuni]

On 01/08/2023 at 12:56, MartinB said:

"Started" means the first time you managed to have photons from a deep sky object arrive at a camera sensor.

Does this mean planetary imagers qualify as novices too?

[MartinB]

1 hour ago, AstroMuni said:

Does this mean planetary imagers qualify as novices too?

Yes.  It is a challenge for novice deep sky imagers.

[Ags]

Can we have a competition for those of us with no talent?

[Mark2022]

Taken yesterday evening 7/8/23 into early this morning 8/8/23. 

Camera: Nikon D5500 DSLR, ISO 800, 59 subs @ 40 seconds each.

Mount: Skywatcher EQ5 Pro (No guiding)

Scope: SVBony SV503 70ED with 0.8x flattener

Stacked in Siril with some pre-processing

Final processing in Affinity.

 

 

[OK Apricot]

My first proper astro image came about in Sept 2022 so I think I qualify 🤞. With July being a complete no show, having only got 4 hours of imaging time, I was keen to get back out 6th August. Being a work night I had to consider set up and tear down time, and with a new adaptor for it, the mini rig was the weapon of choice. It would be the first time I could test out this adaptor which is essentially bypassing the rotator that my reducer comes with. Having done some investigation I believe the poorly shaped stars I was getting was a few months ago was something to do with the rotator. I know it's bad practice to change two things at once as you can't pin down where any improvements or detriments may have come from, but I went with my gut anyway and got an OAG again and fitted it at the same time as my adaptor. Both fitted, sensor appropriately spaced, image train nice and snug, the frames coming through showed a huge improvement!

To my inexperienced eyes the sky was a good B5 and seeing was actually quite decent, maybe a 7/10. I captured 42x300s frames, tossing one through trailing, then ignoring another few selecting best 90% from DSS, drizzled 2x. Total time for this image is 3hrs 5mins. Shot with the mini rig - Sharpstar 61EDPH II @ F/4.5, ASI533MC-Pro, L-Enhance, Star Adventurer GTI, ASIAIR Plus, EAF, 120MM-Mini/OAG.

Not completely satisfied with the processing - It seemed hard to bring out the OIII this time for some reason. I'm keen on at least doubling this exposure time, so bring on the clear skies....

Edited August 12, 2023 by OK Apricot

[sHighlander]

Started imaging December 2022 with DSLR, acquired additional equipment over time:

 

Altair Astro Starwave 80 ED, 0.8 reducer/flattener
Altair Astro 26C TEC cooled, Altair Astro Triband filter V2 CMOS optimised
Alatair Astro 50 mm guide scope and 130 M cam
Pegagus FocusCube
109 90 sec subs, darks, flats and dark flats with NINA
PHD2 guiding
Gain 100, Offset 250, Temperature: 5C

Processed in DSS and Siril

Loughton, UK, Bortle 6
Captured and processed: 07/08/2023
 

Edited August 14, 2023 by sHighlander
Additional information

[Springles]

Started imaging April 2023 with an ASI224 on a C8 (wow, that was difficult to find anything with!). Since then I've added more equipment (including a reducer and an ASI533 camera).

The Bubble Nebula was taken on the 7th of August from Edinburgh, UK.

Celestron C8 with a 0.63x reducer, on an AZ-EQ6 Pro mount, ASI 533MC Pro with Antlia Triband filter and guided (PHD2) using an Askar OAG with ASI 174MM Mini.

13x 900s Lights (Gain 100, Temp -10C), 50 Flats, 10 Darks (not sure I needed those with the 533, but it hasn't hurt), 50 Dark Flats and 50 Bias.

Taken with SharpCap and Processed in APP and Photoshop.

[Leti Theobald]

I've started my Astrophotography journey after receiving my first Telescope on Christmas. In the last 8 months has been a steep learning curve and a bit more money than I would like but I think I have a nice equipment now.

This is only my second image taken with a mono camera. So here is the Wizard Nebula taken over three days in August processed with Pixinsight

[Leti Theobald]

I'm also going to post my last one which I only processed yesterday of The Bat Nebula in the Eastern Veil Nebula. Processed on Pixinsight.

[Lucas M]

I started Astrophotography in May 2023 when I got a SA gti to use with my mirrorless camera and lenses... well and truly got bit by the bug and made a few "investments" to help me along, I have only attempted 4 targets so far, trying different settings, new equipment etc. but this is my latest (and I think best image) and the first time trying to image Andromeda.

M31 the Andromeda Galaxy Taken early August

• William Optics RedCat 51
• ZWO ASI 533MC Pro (gain 101, cooled to -10°C)
• UV/IR cut filter
• SVBONY 30mm guide scope
• ZWO ASI 120mm mini guide cam
• ZWO EAF
• ASIair mini
• Star adventurer gti
• Bortle 5 sky (just south of Blackpool, UK)
• 46x 180 second lights (2hr 18mins total) (dithered every 2 subs)
• 30 each flats, darks, bias
• Stacked in Siril (drizzled)
• Processed in Siril, photoshop and GraXpert

Edited August 18, 2023 by Lucas M

[MonsterMagnet]

I started in November 2022 with totally unsuitable equipment, you can see my first attempt here (it's utterly shocking);

 

The Butterfly Nebula + Sadr.

Taken yesterday evening 5th Sep 2023.

42 @ 300 seconds in Bortle 9 London skies.

William Optics Z73 III, Skywatcher AZ GTi, WO Flattener ZS73, ZWO ASI224MC, SVBony 50mm Guidescope, ZWO ASI553MC Pro, Asiair Mini, Optolong L'Extreme, ZWO Electronic Focuser.

Processed using Siril, StarNet, Affinity, NoiseXT.

MM.

Edited October 4, 2023 by MonsterMagnet
Uploaded incorrect image

[MonsterMagnet]

M31 - Andromeda

Taken on the 22nd Aug 2023.

2 panel mosaic with each panel having 100 exposures @ 60 seconds in Bortle 9 London skies.  I find galaxies harder to capture in London given filters don't really help with the light pollution in these cases.

William Optics Z73 III, Skywatcher AZ GTi, WO Flattener ZS73, ZWO ASI224MC, SVBony 50mm Guidescope, ZWO ASI553MC Pro, Asiair Mini, ZWO Electronic Focuser.

Processed using Siril, StarNet, Affinity, NoiseXT.

MM.

[OK Apricot]

As in my first post I started out and got my first DSO image in September 2022.

03/09/23 - 05/09/23.

Just settling down to sift through the 18hrs of data, organise my folders etc, opened DSS to stack the data to be greeted with a warning that some data set gain doesn't match light frame gain. I was very confused as I hadn't knowingly changed anything, but sure enough my light frames have all been shot at Gain 0 😔. New territory for me as I usually shoot at Gain 101 so wasn't sure what the outcome would be here. Stacked the three separate nights of light, dark, flat and dark flat frames anyway and here was the result...

Skywatcher 80ED @F/6.3, EQ6-R Pro, ASI533MC-Pro, Optolong L-Enhance, SVBony 30mm f/4, ASI120MM-Mini, ASIAIR Plus, EAF. 

216x300s, stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop. Fairly straightforward on the processing with some arcsinh curves, G+B curves to make the bubble pop a bit more, selective colour adjustments. StarXTerminator to separate and desaturate the nasty dual band star colour, slight reduction and blueish hue, screen blend and final crop to get rid of stacking/dithering artefacts. 

 

[MonsterMagnet]

SH2-157 - The Lobster Claw Nebula

Taken on the 1st Aug 2023 whilst on holiday in Spain in much better skies than I usually have (Bortle 4 instead of Bortle 9), however it was around the time of the supermoon.

William Optics Z73 III, Skywatcher AZ GTi, WO Flattener ZS73, ZWO ASI224MC, SVBony 50mm Guidescope, ZWO ASI553MC Pro, Asiair Mini, ZWO Electronic Focuser, Optolong L'Extreme.

Processed using Siril, StarNet, Affinity, NoiseXT.

MM.

Edited October 4, 2023 by MonsterMagnet
Forgot to include the filter in the list of equipment and decided on different photo.

[Killpond]

M31 taken on the 12/09/2023

Askar FRA400, ZWO 533MM Pro, EQMount, ASIAir + Pixinsight

Full story leading up to it :

[labtech1122]

HI, this is my first proper galaxy shot I took using my skywatcher 72ed and an asi183mc pro. I can't remember how many subs but was 120s and about 3 hours I think 

Edited September 16, 2023 by labtech1122

[MonsterMagnet]

IC1396 - The Elephant Trunk Nebula

Data collected on 15th Sep 2023.

59 @ 300 seconds in Bortle 9 London skies.

William Optics Z73 III, Skywatcher AZ GTi, WO Flattener ZS73, ZWO ASI224MC, SVBony 50mm Guidescope, ZWO ASI553MC Pro, Asiair Mini, Optolong L'Extreme, ZWO Electronic Focuser.

Processed using Siril, StarNet, Affinity, NoiseXT.

MM.

Edited October 8, 2023 by MonsterMagnet

[Bluesboystig]

M33 Triangulum Galaxy on Friday 22/09/2023. This is only my 4th go at astrophotography, quite chuffed with it to be fair. 

Acquisition: 104x100", ISO 800, 20 Darks, 20 Bias frames, 25 flats.

Equipment: WO z61 with flattener, SA GTI unguided, Canon 2000d (unmodded), Optolong L-Pro.

Processing: Siril: crop, background extraction, photometric colour calibration, stretch, green noise removal. GIMP: contrast, stretch, curves. 

[Shiv Ganesh]

The Lagoon Nebula, a celestial masterpiece in the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, beckons us to gaze upon its ethereal beauty. Nestled among the stars, this cosmic wonder spans an astonishing 55 light-years across, a testament to the boundless grandeur of the universe.

Imagine a stellar nursery where new suns are born, bathed in vibrant hues of crimson and cerulean. The Lagoon Nebula's swirling clouds of gas and dust give birth to stars, painting a canvas of creation across the cosmos. It's a reminder that even in the vastness of space, life's most breathtaking moments happen when matter and energy collide in magnificent explosions of light and heat.

Peer through the telescope and be transported to a realm of wonder. Each glimmering star within the Lagoon Nebula has a story to tell, a journey through time and space. Some may have planets orbiting, where the dance of life could be unfolding, just as it has on Earth.

The Lagoon Nebula is a cosmic fountain of inspiration, reminding us of the endless possibilities that await discovery in the universe. It challenges us to dream, to explore, and to seek answers to the deepest questions that drive humanity forward. Let its radiant beauty be a beacon of hope and curiosity, a symbol of our quest to understand the mysteries of the cosmos.

 

Date : Aug 31st, 2023

Tech Specs

Scope : Celestron 90GT, f/10, 910mm

Mount : Celestron computerized Alt Az

Camera : Canon Rebel T6

ISO: 3200

Integration : 30s x 180, Total acceptable by DSS - 1hr 20mins

Calibration Frames : 40 Dark, 50 Light, 50 bias

Software : SIRIL, DSS

Filter : SVBony UHC Filter

Edited September 30, 2023 by Shiv Ganesh
Update the date this was taken

[Shiv Ganesh]

NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula

Tech Specs

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses: Celestron NexStar 90 GT 
Imaging Camera: Canon EOS 1300D / Rebel T6 
Filters: SVBony UHC 1.25"
Software: Adobe Lightroom · Adobe Photoshop · Luc Coiffier DeepSkyStacker (DSS) · Siril Team Siril · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)

Date: Sept. 10, 2023
Frames: SVBony UHC 1.25": 127×30″(1h 3′ 30″)
Integration: 1h 3′ 30″

[Lucas M]

IC1805 the Heart Nebula Taken over 2 nights mid-late August.

Now the 5th target I have attempted, I am very comfortable with equipment set up/acquiring the various subframes, calibration frames etc.  Being a mechanical engineer by education and profession understanding the "mechanics" of AP has come very easily, however processing the images is a whole different ball game and one that I feel will take a life time to master (which is good because learning is one of my favourite parts of any hobby).

I realise multiple submissions of the same image processed differently is technically against the rules of the competition, but I wanted to submit this anyway as I feel the below image completely captures where I am as a beginner astrophotographer and how I imagine a lot of people new to the hobby feel... which is that I have no idea which of the processing techniques below is a "better image",  I love them all, I enjoyed the process of gathering the data and enjoyed the hours of "trying stuff" during processing to see what effect it had on the image and I enjoy looking at them, so here they are, my almost certain to be disqualified collection of Heart Nebula images 😜

• William Optics RedCat 51
• ZWO ASI 533MC Pro (gain 101, cooled to -10°C)
• Optolong L-Extreme Filter
• SVBONY 30mm guide scope
• ZWO ASI 120mm mini guide cam
• ZWO EAF
• ASIair mini
• Star adventurer gti
• Bortle 5 sky (just south of Blackpool, UK)
• 73x 300 second lights (6hr 5mins total) (dithered every 2 subs)
• 30 each flats, darks, bias
• Stacked in Siril (drizzled)
• Processed in Siril, photoshop and GraXpert

 

[Shiv Ganesh]

Yesterday( Oct 6th, 2023) evening I used my Canon Rebel T6 to shoot Andromeda Galaxy from fort Bragg's.

I used 10 second exposures with 6400 ISO without a tracking tripod. I collected around 20 minutes worth of images out of which 99% for a used by deep sky stacker to stack. I still need to calibrate the image but thought of sending it off before calibration as it looked really nice after post processing.

[Leti Theobald]

I've got a couple more that I've managed to take over the last month or so.

The first one is Andromeda in HaLRGB with 11 hours and 15 minutes integration time. This was my first image using LRGB filters.

 

[Leti Theobald]

My next one took one month to get the data as skies in the UK have been dreadful but managed to finish yesterday

Soul Nebula in SHO - 14 hours processing time

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by Leti Theobald
wrong image