Last gasp M42.. whilst convalescing

[TakMan]

It's been a troubled few months!

Tripped on the pavement leaving AstroFest in February and took the skin off both forearms, and got an infection in one arm...

...this somehow spread into my chest a few weeks later, and I woke up at 1 in the morning with chest pains - thought I was having a heart attack:icon_eek: nearly gave the other half one though!

Thankfully (after an ambulance ride and a stay overnight in hospital for tests - partly due to having a heart murmur), I can say that I appear to be on the mend - apart from a cold that I've not been able to shake off for 10 days.....(and I'm only 38!!!!)

Now the cats at the vets having her broken leg pinned today!!!

At least it's given me some time to process this M42 form a few weeks ago. Just 12 x 5min subs and 4 x 1min for the core.

FSQ106-EDX with focal reducer, EM400 and OSC ST4000 self guiding camera and IDAS LP-2 filter. Library darks and flats used. Drizzle stacked in Nebulosity2 and (over) processed in CS3 utilising Noel's Actions and GradientXterminator..... a 'warm' and slightly 'cool' version for your perusal.

Focus is woefully bad I know! So (after chatting to Ben Ritchie at AF), I've decided to (walk before I can run!), take off the focal reducer and get better at manual focusing with my (Stayfocused supplied) Bahtinov Mask!

With the weight of the EM400 being slightly restrictive at the moment I've also planned out my own version of a scopebuggy which I'm hoping a chap at work can make up for me. This should cut down set-up times and also allow me to wire everything up into a 'portable/permanent unit! I can also then spend more time getting better at focusing!!!

I've been enjoying the visual side instead with the TSA102 on the William Optics EZTouch mount... I know it's not in the right forum thread, but attached is my first go at drawing at the eyepiece (6mm Ethos) - Around 8.30 on Saturday night. 20 minutes worth whilst waiting for a friend to turn up. Drawing is not something I've done in probably a good 15 years, as even though I work in graphics - it's all Mac based... so it's been another learning curve to master (especially having to nudge the scope at the same time as sketching!

As a sub note (the inset shot was from fellow forum member

'lukebl' see: Moon mosaic 28th March 2010 - 09:59 AM, so a big thanks to him for naming up the craters!

Hope the rest of you are well and enjoying 'Galaxy Season'!

Damian

[gary1968]

Very nice, I like the 2nd M42 as it is a bit brighter, just my opinion though...... Both are cracking images though and the sketch is awsome, I like the 'face' in the main crater near the top......

Gary

[Catanonia]

Excellent for the time spent on it. Really nice colours and I like the 2nd better.

Well done

Sounds like you had a rought month or two..

[Beyond_Vision]

Time well spent indeed both the images and the drawing are superb. Sorry to hear about your troubles Damian get well soon

Regards

Kevin