M13 - if only they were all so easy

[derrickf]

This was captured during a gap in the clouds when I was learning to colimate the Toscano (don't look too closely at the star shapes ). Processing was a doddle - auto combine in Maxim, 3 applications of non-linear stretch in Photoshop (curves) and save as JPEG. Now I don't claim that this is a great image but I think it is a nice result for a total time investment of about an hour and a half all-in (excluding photon transit time from M13 to the scope ).

L=R=G=B= 5 x 300s

ST10XME

Toscano 8" F/9 RC

AP Mach1 GOTO

Derrick

[GazOC]

(excluding photon transit time from M13 to the scope ).

Now that made me chuckle!!

Nice image!!

[MikeD]

Nice star colours, nice result.

Mike.

[barkis]

A sense of humour and a lovely image too, A great way to start the week.

Ron.

[arad85]

Nice image

[moocher]

Nice and simple but a great image!!!!

Alan:)

[derrickf]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments.

The object I'm currently working on is M109 which is at the opposite end of the surface brightness scale - it's really taxing my mostly forgotten processing skills to do justice to this galaxy.

Derrick

[moocher]

Can`t wait to see M109, its one of my favorites.....hoping to have a bash at it myself with the VC200L....

Alan:)

[derrickf]

Alan,

I really like barred spirals and M109 is a great example - but it is fiendishly difficult to capture well. Not only is it a very low surface brightness object but we have to deal with the reflections from gamma Ursae Majoris (phecda) that intrude even with really well baffled scopes. That said M109 is a great match to the FOV of the 8" Toscano (same FL as your Vixen) so I'm hoping to make a reasonable stab at it. I'll look forward to seeing your version if you manage to image it.

Regards

Derrick