M51 L-Ha/R-G-b

[MikeD]

Hi All.

I had a tough time getting the colour for this with only around three hours of dark skies a night when it is clear.

The image was taken with my HX916 CCD and 10" newt.#

L = 55 @ 5 min's

Ha = 22 @ 5 min's

RGB = 22 @ 5 mins (each)

Around 12 hours in total over seven nights.

Mike.

[Euan]

Wow... that's one of the best I've ever seen

12 hours well spent!

[zedds]

Wow. I`ve not attempted any DSO`s yet but that`s a fantastic image. Wonderful colours.

[paul11]

That really looks excellent,,,Paul.

[blinky]

Thats really nice Mike - one of the best I have seen

[Tim]

Very nice Mike, I really like the colour rendition especially the use of the Ha data to accentuate the star forming regions, it looks very natural indeed.

[steppenwolf]

Time well spent, Mike, it's a gorgeous colourful image.

[Beyond_Vision]

Running out of superlatives Mike that ticks all the boxes for me. A real text book image

Regards

Kevin

[Catanonia]

That sir is a corker and well worth the 12 hours.

Loving it

[barkis]

Ace Image if ever I saw one Mr D.

One of the finest Whirlpools I've seen too.

Got to be in with a shout this one mate.

Ron.

[cloudbuster]

a lovely pic Mike! I just photographed my first M51....i'm a newbee (see album), but something tells me that an image of this quality will always be beyond my reach.

I salute your fine effort!

cheers

bob

[RobH]

Superb

Masterful blend of the Ha

Cheers

Rob

[Darth Takahashi]

Really, really nice capture, I've been waiting for you to complete this image for a while now, well actually I've been to Japan and back :-). As good as the image is you must have the patience of a saint, I can't image imaging a target for 12 hours...WOW

To me that about a month...I know is it 2 weeks since you had the Luminescence finished. Anyway its a great result.

[adamsp123]

Super image, colours look excellent and the detail superb.

[russ]

Stonking image Mike. Simply incredible detail.

[MikeD]

Thanks all for the very kind comments, they are very much appreciated.

a lovely pic Mike! I just photographed my first M51....i'm a newbee (see album), but something tells me that an image of this quality will always be beyond my reach.

Bob that is a fine first effort.

Don't be so sure that you will not equal or even surpass my image, have a look at my first M51 from 2005 taken with a SAC8 (webcam based CCD)

Mike.

[ollypenrice]

Quite superb, well done. As Rob said, the Ha is introduced seamlessly. Lovely resolution.

I think OO might like a copy of that one. Nothing wrong with the scope that captured that!

My only thought is that there might be a touch more blue to be had? But who cares, that is a really classy pcture.

Olly

[peter shah]

i would say probably your best image to date mike........outstanding

[MikeD]

I think OO might like a copy of that one.

My only thought is that there might be a touch more blue to be had? But who cares, that is a really classy pcture.

Olly

who's OO?

Re the colour, I am sure I will be playing with the data again.

Mike.

[malp]

Nice one, and great colour, very smooth.

[Coco]

Wonderful image... very nice indeed..

Guy..

[ollypenrice]

Woops, sorry Mike! I thought your Newt was an Orion Optics (Sorry Skywatcher, too.)

The image scale and resolution look as if they have come from a scope costing thousands. It makes me wonder why more of us don't go for a setup like yours. Mind you, imaging with a big Newt has complications of which you seem to have made light work, as usual.

If ever you wrote a piece on getting the best out of an imaging Newtonian I'd be the first to click on it...

Olly

[MikeD]

With you now Olly.

Thanks very much for the complement.

I love the image scale I get with the newt so much so my poor 80ED hardly gets a look in.

Mike.

[kris h]

Mike 12 hours well spent amazing image

really looks the dogs b######s