Horsehead and NGC 2023

[MartinB]

I've wanted to image the horse head framed with NGC 2023 for some time. The small reflection nebula is over shadowed (literally!) by it's dramatic neighbour and gets a bit lost on wide field shots.

Date Ha 30th Jan, RGB 31st Jan

Scope: 10" LX200R

Camera: QSI 532 with SX Active optics and Lodestar guider

Filters: Baader 7nm Ha and Astronomic Type II RGB

Exposures: Ha 13x1200 secs, R+G each 20x150 secs and B 20 x300 secs.

Captured and calibrated with Maxim. Registered, combined and deconvolved in CCDStack and finished in PS. The colour image is HaHaRGB and the mono is Ha.

The full moon was adding about 200ADUs to the 20min Ha exposures, so not too much of a problem, but about 600ADUs to the blue over 5 mins. The colour suffered pretty badly from the moon and I have struggled to keep the noise down. Another big problem was flexure with the long image train which meant it was't possible to line my chip accurately for the flats.

On the plus side, with careful framing I was able to get Altinak on my Lodestar. This meant the active optics system could really do it's stuff - averaging 13 guide cycles per second. The seeing was mediocre especially on the second night but the AO helped to tighten things up quite a bit.

I'm a bit disappointed with NGC 2023 but I do like the Ha stuff especially all the dimmer mix of Ha and dust below B33.

[SteveL]

Oh my... WOW ! Not sure I have words that describe just how good that looks...

[Doug]

Martin

this picture is just fantastic, I am now thinking of taking pic my self

I have a Meade Lx90 8" ACF do you think I could get picutres like this ? have you any more pics to show us

well done,

Doug.

[anthony]

Very nice Martin,

Love the fine detail

Anthony

[Ford Prefect]

Now that is GOOOOOD!!!!! Lovely image Martin

Jon

[MishMich]

Fascinating picture. Not least because of the effort that it must have taken to get there. Interesting to see what was involved,

Thanks.

M.

[CELESCOPE]

Very nice indeed Martin and an unusual approach to this one , makes a pleasant change , top drawer stuff as usual .

[Euan]

Wow...the best one I've ever seen on here, and there has been some good ones!!

[steppenwolf]

This is a wonderful, delicate image, Martin - love it!

[lunator]

Martin

Excellent image

Cheers

Ian

[jgs001]

Excellent result Martin... lovely.

[peter shah]

a stunning result, so much detail and pretty deep too!

[barkis]

Almost within touching distance here Martin.

Much more come into view with this deeper delve.

AO did a great job as you said.

Ron.

[RobH]

That's about the crispest HH I've seen Martin, great detail.

The AO really was working well, and is a big poke in the eye for those who disparage Meade scopes...their mounts may be a bit iffy at times, but nothing wrong with the optics

Cheers

Rob

[ashenlight]

Martin, that is just beyond words, I feel quite moved by it actually, it is so beautiful.

Nice work:)

[James]

Wow, just look at that detail! Beautiful images.

James

[kev 102 42]

Top Banana WOW...............kev

[roundycat]

well done Martin, lovely detail on the Horse and some good star colour creeping in. If you want to improve the reflection neb for a mono shot do some B exposures and blend the two.

Dennis

[Shibby]

Wow, that truly is stunning. I love the impression of depth, particularly in the B&W image.

[FLO]

Beautiful, I bet you are chuffed to bits!

[arad85]

Are you on commission for the AO? If not, you should be - that's stunning....

[Dean]

Thats a really great image. I do like the wide field shots but this framing really shows off the horse head and NGC 2023.

Dean

[MikeD]

Stunning Result Martin, one for the mags me thinks.

Mike.

[JCJC]

Awesome image Martin!

Jordan

[Fay]

Fantastic Martin, so smooth lovely colour, nicely framed!!!!! 1200 secs subs!

Fay