My First M101 Pinwheel Image: Please Help!

[cloudbuster]

Hi Guys & Gals:hello2:

Please can u kindly tell this here newbee, where i am going wrong, with this, my first M101 image?

Failand 12.6.10 1st attempt at imaging M101

Orion 150 6"

Canon 300d

800 asa

10 subs 60 seconds

10 subs 90 seconds

12 subs 120 seconds

darks as above

17 bias 1/4000th sec

stacked in DSS

cheers

Bob

[Demonperformer]

Bob

I'm no expert, but looks to me as if you have the beginnings of a wonderful photo - you are beginning to get the arms nicely. I would say just keep getting more subs and it will be great.

Or is there a specific reason you think you might be going wrong?

[roundycat]

looks like you have two main problems, not enough exposure (by a long, long way. M101 is a dim sucker) and star trailing possibly due to your two minute exposures and imperfect polar alignment/tracking/guiding.

It cleans up a bit in PS and there is more there than you are showing. You are on the right road, now's the time to knuckle down and put in a lot more time.

Dennis

[cloudbuster]

Thanx 4 that, DEMONPERFORMER & Dennis (ROUNDYCAT), much appreciated. Right, tonight looks good, so Im gonna take more subs!

cheers guys

ps. Dennis...can u please tell me how u improved on the image? cheers.

[LukeSkywatcher]

This looks like it is off to a really good start.

[Psychobilly]

Yep good start...

As Dennis said M101 is a dim blighter... and the rapidly lightening skies dont help this time of year...

Just give it as much time as you can... watch the sub lenght more shorter subs with less trailing will give you a better image than fewer longer trailed ones... around the darkest period it might be woth trying grab some subs at ISO 1600...

Peter...

[cloudbuster]

thats great advice Peter...many thanx

[cloudbuster]

this is the best i can do in ps6....hopeless aint it!...any further advice pleez!

[Psychobilly]

It's not hopless at all...

M101 is a real PITA....

The tracking error will lose any finer detail in the galaxy... gradients... can be sorted and this time of year they are more prevelant...

I would just keep getting more data thats what it really needs...

Peter...

[ollypenrice]

M101 is no Las Vegas. Time, time and more time...

Olly

[SlipperySquid]

Nice image fella I'm soooooooooo jealous that you are getting clear skies! and I know something must be wrong with my mount as I can't nothing like the sub time you are getting without major star trails so it may be a strip down and regrease for me!

[Digz]

How jealous am I!!! Looks like a promising start - keep at it. I can only hope to get some images as promising as that on my first attempt!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Better than I ever managed. M101 is hard enough to spot, its surface brichtness is so low.

Keep at it and it will become great!

Cheers

Michael

[cloudbuster]

Thanx 4 ur great advice & encouragement guys....gonna give M101 (& possibly M51) another go tonight!

cheers

bob