Thank youuu Siberia!

[Vega]

Massive thanks go out to Siberia for sending us some of their crisp cold air . I took full advantage. It was however not plain sailing. Many expletives were shouted at my kit as I firstly had trouble with my USB hub cutting out. I also had a torrid time trying to frame these targets with the previous days imaging data (in order to avoid meridian flop, the scope was positioned on the opposite side to last time. I now realise the camera orientation has to be reversed to frame it DOH!) Aside from all that I nearly lost my hands to the cold ... messing about with laptop keys, thumbscrews and focusers in -7 degrees temps aint fun! Anyhow here's the result of 2 tireless nights imaging this week .

250px, 400D, CLS Filter Clip

PHD Guiding

Darks taken on the fly via camera

Captured/processed in Images Plus, Tweaked in PS, Pixinsight & Paintshop

Crab Nebula - 25x 5 mins

Bubble Nebula - 39x5 mins

Thanks for looking!

[Catanonia]

Very very nice work, esp the Crab.... Well worth the pain eh ?

[Tim]

Very nice images Matt, esp. the crab. The background is perhaps a little too black though? Great work with a DSLR!

[Vega]

Cheers guys

I've reprocessed the bubble to remove some of that noise. I agree with the background on the crab. Not sure what Im doing in my processing to cause it

[Catanonia]

Cheers guys

I've reprocessed the bubble to remove some of that noise. I agree with the background on the crab. Not sure what Im doing in my processing to cause it

Moving the black point to far to the rightin levels.

Are you using automated light polution software routines such as Noels Actions, as these tend to do this alot.

[Tim]

You might find it helpful to manually set the black point for each colour with a dslr, the data will probably start to spike in different places. Just go a little easier when pulling up the black point, and dont bring it into the data at any stage.

Its nit picking though, very nice shots.

[Vega]

I have no clue how you set the black point with a dslr. Im not sure what you mean by dont bring it into the data at any stage. Sorry for my ignorance lol. I'll have a look at levels with the original tif's again.

Cheers

Matt

[James]

Nice images Matt - I don't know about you but the air in Taunton is very hazy/misty/bright orange... I'm thinking the Siberians can have it back now

James

[lunator]

Matt

Can't help you with the processing, but the images are very good

Cheers

Ian

[Vega]

Hi James

Clouds have rolled in over Bridgwater tonight. In a bitter sweet way, I'm relieved, Im not sure I could handle getting THAT cold 3 nights on the trot! lol

Dont know if you noticed my Dew strip order frm FLO. Thats for the ED80 when im next going for more widefield DSO shots . The 250px / EQ6 Synscan is simply incredible. The mirrors haven't misted or dewed up once this week and the EQ6 has worked flawlessly in -7deg temps, even during allnighters (I do use a 10" astrozap dew sheild for the 250px but never needed heater strip running for it). Another testiment to this great scope ;-)

Matt

[Tim]

what software are you using to process the pics Matt?

[Vega]

Hi TJ

I use Images Plus.. I may be sliding the digital development bar too far in there. After that I do use levels in PS too

[Tim]

ah, I never get on well with the DDP, in PS you have much greater control of the transition it seems to me. Might be worth skipping the DDP step and jumping straight to PS to see how you get on?

When you open levels in PS, if you click CTRL+1, CTRL+2 etc it will give you the option to change the level for each channel. When you drag up the black point to the data spike, dont be tempted to get too close at first. Its very easy to lose a whole load of info this way, stuff that with a bit of stretching goes a long way

[beamish]

Well done Vega, love 'em !! esp M1 !! Mind you bubble ain't bad either

[MartinB]

Well done Vega, they look great. As for the thanks to Siberia, I take it you don't live on the north east side of the country!!

[Vega]

Good point Martin. No i'm in the cosey South West. We're getting balmy -1 deg daytime temps down here lol. That easterly wind is gonna pick up over the coming days. Thats gonna feel baltic :-S

Matt

[MartinB]

The cold's ok, it's the cloud blowing in off the North sea that's been a real pain, it just gets as far as Chesterfield before fizzling out over the Pennines. Not solid, just enough to spoil many an evening.