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An unexpected result

Froobyone

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Froobyone

Froobyone

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Hi all,

Well the skies cleared just enough this evening for me to drag the C8-NGT out to see if I could get the thing to focus with my 60D. It had failed a couple of nights ago and I'd ended up trying to image M42 through a C80-ED, unguided.

The results weren't very good, but I was pretty pleased with it, considering it was the first time I'd had a real go at imaging. I mean, you could see it was a nebula of some description. I posted my final image in the other deep sky section by mistake.

Much to my joy, I figured out I had to attach the camera directly to the focuser, as opposed to using the t-mount nose and it focused ok, considering the seeing. Once I realised I was in business, I really roughly polar aligned then two star'd the GT. Given that I was using the camera live view for fine tuning the alignment, I was pretty pleased when it slewed to Betel and wasn't far off.

Ok, Orion is still pretty low in the sky at this point, but I'm just itching to throw some extra aperture at it. The scope hasn't even started to cool down yet, in fact, it hasn't even realised it's outside.

Luckily, M42 is bright enough in live view to be able to centre it and I zoom in to check focus. Heh, it looks like lots of people with torches jumping up and down on a bouncy castle.

I start taking subs. 6 seconds @800 iso. I take about 12 and because I know the seeing is terrible and I'm really just testing the scope works, I slew up to M45, as it's quite high in the sky and there's less LP. I do about 10 Subs 6 secs @800 and 1600iso. Then go searching for some clusters. Wasn't impressed, so I went back to M42.

The big Newt has cooled a little now so I check focus again and it still looks like the Diddy Men at a rave. *sigh* So I snap some more subs, about another 20 6 seconds @ 800 and 1600 iso. On whim I decide to look for M81, I think I've found it and snap some subs. It lookes like a smudge with a lighter bit in the middle. It'll do. It's my first go with the C8. At the edge of the screen there's another smudge...

Clouds are starting to roll in, so I decide now's a good time to pack up.

So I head to my computer to upload everything and run them through DSS. I wasn't expecting anything good, in fact I was expecting the same as the other pics I posted. All my pictures come out light gray and I had to mess with them so much, everything gets lost.

I sit waiting patiently for the raws to crunch. I didn't to any darks, because I was using in camera noise reduction and was making darks and subtracting as I went.

Waiting for that image to appear is like waiting for a baby.

When in front of my eyes appears this.

I nearly fell of my chair!

OrionNebulaC8NGTjpgsedit.jpg

For about 10 minutes I was convinced a real photo of M42 had somehow got mixed up with mine.

Ok, I know it's nothing like the quality of some of the amazing images that grace this site. But when you're sat waiting for a duck and swan comes along, well, it just about makes your day.

Here's M81 and a sneaky M82 trying to get in on the act. Next time I'll throw a lot more subs at thse two.

Galaxies.jpg

For some reason, I'm not seeing any nebulosity from M45. Why would that be do you think?

M45.jpg

While I'm at it, all my processed images are pretty much greyscale. How do I get them to capture the colours? Or better still, how can I change the colours after the fact?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Frankly I'm blown away by M42, for only my second attempt.

Roll on more clear skies.

Regards

Frooby

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James4

James4

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Hey Frooby, that's what we all live for - that moment when either brilliance or rubbish appears out of DSS. Its great when its brilliance!

I also use a C8 on ASGT (CG5 with GoTo) mount. But just picked up a fast Newtonian (F/4) to allow me to capture more nebulosity in less time.

Image processing helps too. If you have curves in Photoshop or Nebulosity etc, you can double/trible the amount of Nebulosity that shows from your orginal image. Great work. Go for longer subs next time out. I shoot 60 secs on everthing, as that's as long as my CG5 will track accurately without guiding.

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Froobyone

Froobyone

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Hi all,

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.

I've tried all sorts to add colour, including Anjals How-to. But I'm only getting grey or false colour. It might just be a case of my subs aren't long enough.

We've got some clear skies later tonight, so I'll head out again and have another try.

Thanks again.

Best Regards

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Photosbykev

Photosbykev

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very nice when it all comes together. I think you need to seriously increase your exposure times to really pull the detail out even at iso 1600. Most of my attempts are a mix of 30, 60, 120 and 240 second exposures @ iso 1600 with an aperture of F4. 5-10 minute exposures are quite common from the big boys in astrophotography

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Photosbykev

Photosbykev

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Well done ... nice start on a selection of different targets which will provide a range of challenges... :D

And some of the ickle ones... although post crimbo....:)

Billy...

I'd love to know if my rig is even capable of getting 5-10 minute subs but I've yet to have a decent night to sort out drift alignment and then push the photographic limits on the 600mm prime lens

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SlipperySquid

SlipperySquid

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Froo...I'm also in Hull, If you need any help or pointers drop me a pm matey, I'm in the East of Hull and image as much as I can. I was using a dslr and have just bought an Atik 16hr so I'm going RGB. It's a lot easier to sit and show some one how to process an image then it is to read up on it!

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