M78; revenge of the CCD!

[ollypenrice]

After taking 5 hours at 5 mins and 5 at 10 mins in the OSC I ended up using only the brightest parts of the 5 min run. Shame. But 10 mins is the thing for this faint object. Last night I switched to the mono 4000 for Lum and gave it 15x5 mins to ensure I had a decent star layer, then switched to 10 min lums. (I got about 23). Never done that before. When I came to process I didn't use the short lums at all so could have had a few more long ones instead. You live and learn.

A computer glitch means I am temporarily without my best noise reducer but this is no longer too bad, is it? Nearly all M78s are noisy, it seems.

What I will do is shoot it again probably next year in the Tec 140 and combine them. You need HOURS for this thing but it's nice and spooky.

Olly

[jgs001]

Aye that it is Olly... nicely done.

[dark knight]

Wow Olly, what a great image, loads of detail and I don't think I've seen this one imaged before, awesome..

Carl

[Jupiter Martin]

very nice Olly

[philj]

Super picture, almost 3d the way the dark nebula stands out against the light. Well worth the effort.

Philj

[ollypenrice]

Cheers all. A bit of attention to the gamma and star sharpening (using Martin B's star layer while Noel is down the pan.)

Olly

[adamsp123]

Superb picture Olly, a bit different, that nebula has sort of got an evil look about it

[Catanonia]

Lovely image Olly, had a quick 30mins on this with my 7.5 ED120 900mm and got it last night after seeing this image. Just need to have a proper go at it. With my new OAG going to hit it with 15min subs for the cores, then the majority, 5+ hours at 30min subs on a 1000D.

Can't wait if the clouds will let me

Here is 30mins in 2 15 min subs at ISO 800 in bad conditions...

[ollypenrice]

Be warned, Catatonia, think of a number and double it! This thing is a noise monster... I think you are right to go for those subs. I will just shoot it again one day and double up but for now I am going to move on. Great object, though, if you can get it to work.

Olly

[Catanonia]

Be warned, Catatonia, think of a number and double it! This thing is a noise monster... I think you are right to go for those subs. I will just shoot it again one day and double up but for now I am going to move on. Great object, though, if you can get it to work.

Olly

cheers for the advice mate, gotta keep the DSLR side up now don't we