IC1396 in broadband and an open cluster filled frame in Cassiopeia

[geeklee]

I captured 5h on this while the moon wasn't too intrusive.  Sharpstar 130HNT (361mm) + 533MC Pro.

I like the rich background of Ha contrasting against the dark dust and busy star field.  The yellow/orange hue in the top right is due to Mu Cephi.

With the moon close to full it was also clear so I try not to waste any chances.  I turned my scope to easier stuff with some open clusters in Cassiopeia - NGC654, NGC659, NGC663 and IC166.  From other images I've seen, there's some nice dust and Ha in the background but no chance of that showing here with just 3h integration and such a bright moon.  Same scope and camera as above.

Both captured with the ASIAir, pre-processed in APP and processed in PixInsight.

Thanks for looking.

Edited Saturday at 10:06 by geeklee

[TiffsAndAstro]

Very nice especially considering the moon has been like a lazer of light pollution last few nights

[geeklee]

24 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

considering the moon has been like a lazer of light pollution last few nights

Thanks @TiffsAndAstro  No matter how many times I keep shooting with one out, I'm somehow always shocked by how detrimental a big/full moon (or close to one) is 😅

[TiffsAndAstro]

47 minutes ago, geeklee said:

Thanks @TiffsAndAstro  No matter how many times I keep shooting with one out, I'm somehow always shocked by how detrimental a big/full moon (or close to one) is 😅

im just starting to get a handle on it. far away from moon and very bright targets might be ok, but not convinced

[Adreneline]

Nicely done Lee. I especially like the open clusters with the range of different star colours. The 533MC looks like a great match with the 130HNT; presumably the extended dew shield helped mitigate some of the Moon glow.

[geeklee]

11 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

im just starting to get a handle on it. far away from moon and very bright targets might be ok, but not convinced

I'd agree, nothing is OK with broadband and a very large moon - even far away from it.  Of course, narrowband is affected to much lesser extent, with Ha typically faring best (but even that is still noticeably washed out in my experience).  Then add in your own local light pollution   It's definitely interesting to shoot the same framing next time its dark and compare.  

On Tuesday night when the second image above was taken, it was a 99.42% moon.  When I got outside to set up, it didn't seem too bad, even after setting the scope off.  I then got my Dob out for a quick hour of visual observing - I took in the moon, Saturn, NGC 457 and the brightest stuff from the second image above.   By the end of this it felt like daylight outside - easily seeing colour in the garden in places!

[geeklee]

12 minutes ago, Adreneline said:

presumably the extended dew shield helped mitigate some of the Moon glow.

Thanks Adrian.  The underlying background was still a mess of swirls and bad colour 👎

[WolfieGlos]

A lovely pair of images Lee, I do like a good cluster image, lots of colour and great looking stars.

Did you capture IC1396 in broadband or narrowband? The reds of the Ha and orange from Mu Cephi are really nice.

[geeklee]

8 hours ago, WolfieGlos said:

Did you capture IC1396 in broadband or narrowband?

Thanks Chris 👍  It was broadband - just the UV/IR cut filter in front of the 533MC Pro.  

[CraigT82]

Both very pleasing images especially with such short integration times…. That Sharpstar is a really photon hoover 

[geeklee]

17 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Both very pleasing images especially with such short integration times

Thanks Craig, it's hard to waste a moon filled night if it's clear! (although IC1386 wasn't as much moon)