M42 - Modded 350D First Light

[samtheeagle]

Clear skies last night at long last! I feel like I've been living is a cloud bubble for the last week or two. People at work keep telling me "it was really clear last night" just to rub it in, it certainly hasn't been in my back garden!

Anyway, clear skies and a newly acquired 350D with the IR filter removed meant much fun to be had! It was just a quick test session as the Canon battery really doesn't last long, and I still need to get a power tank of some desription (I have the mains battery gizmo already). When funds allow that's next on the list.

16 x 60 seconds subs @ISO400, 5 x Darks and 20 x Flats. Very pleased with the detail that has come out, not so pleased with the star bloat, but I'm using a cheap refractor... This is a cropped image of the more interesting part

[Psychobilly]

Nice firstlight

A UV/IR cut filter (or visible pass) will sort out most of the star bloat...

Peter...

[narrowbandpaul]

again, good start!

a minus-violet filter will help take awayy some of that chromatic aberration

[samtheeagle]

Thanks chaps, but that IS with a Baader UV-IR cut filter Any other ideas?

[MikeD]

Sorry I can't help with the star bloat, but it's a nice image as is.

Mike.

[samtheeagle]

Thanks Mike, yeah I'm very pleased with it as it's just a quick test effort. Got a fair bit of detail in there already, certainly a load better than any of my previous attempts at that target.

To be honest I'm very tempted to pick up another newt OTA, I like the look of a 150P or 150P DS, then I will no longer suffer the chromatic aberration! I could try and upgrade my old 150PL to a 2" focusser to handle the DSLR with filters, but by the time I've paid for that, and had the tough job of accurately cutting out a larger hole etc. I think a new OTA is looking like a reasonable option.

Getting good glass in a refractor is expensive! So maybe I'll stick with my newts? Any major reason why people image with refractors a lot? Is there any special advantage, other than not getting diffraction spikes?

[narrowbandpaul]

you get higher contrast mainly.....but a good newt also looks very nice.....

and refracs usually dont required touched with regards to collimation