So, a clear night at last!

[perfrej]

Bought my Skywatcher Explorer 250 end NEQ6 in November and have, so far, just gotten to know the stuff. Last night I did a careful alignment on the balcony and fired away. Got some good data, but I do need to learn so much more about the processing part.

The attached image of M51 is the first image attempt that I am somewhat pleased with (needs more processing - I know;)).

17 x 15 minutes at ISO 400 with a 1000D without filter. Skywatcher's coma corrector and LPF, Orion autoguider with PHD Guiding. Capture was done with Nebulosity 2. At about 1 a.m. I went to bed with the stuff set to do 20 exposures, but I was awakened when the camera battery was drained and the main battery for the scope was low enough for the guiding to miss - dong - dong - dong... Temperature during the night was -22°C and everything survived the night!

I have just squeezed it through Nebulosity's stacking with drizzle and then torn the curves to pieces. When I learn to do even the simplest thing in Pixinsight (yikes, what a user interface) I will re-process and see what I can do.

[SlipperySquid]

There's loads of detail there mate! Just the processing needs sorting out! also save the image as a jpeg to keep the size down when you are posting it, as some people don't have fast internet connections and will take and age for them to see the image.

Looks good, I'll have a tinker with it and see if I can get rid of the gradients!

Matt.

[swag72]

Once that image goes through the DBE tool in PixInsight, that gradient will be sorted and you'll have a nice image there. If you watch the tutorials on the PI website and have your PI open at the same time, it's easy to follow the steps and learn them.

[ollypenrice]

I agree with Sara. I'm a bit surprized by that blue/green central part though. I think flats would be a big help.

Olly

[Jannis]

I'd say it's a very nice pic with lots of details. Even lots of colour details in the stars.

[perfrej]

Sara: I'll do just that the next time there is a time window that does not include much of anything...

OllY. Yes, I need flats. Haven't gotten around to producing any yet.

Generally, I am quite pleased with the equipment as such, especially the tracking with autoguider. I have re-built the NEQ6 a bit as the altitude bolts actually slide off the metal they are to push against as you pass about 56°N (I'm above 59).

Great fun!

Thanks for your replies!

/per

[MikeWilson]

Hi perfrej,

This is my attempt at tidying up your image (very quickly as it's late and I have work tomorrow morning!).

It's a good image and would be made into a very good image with the use of flats as Olly has already recommended . You didn't say if you took darks or not, however if you're working at -22 I wonder if you would need them at all!

[Pete Presland]

nice start well done -22 where do you live the north pole!

[perfrej]

Haha!

I live 17 km due SE of Stockholm. It's at 59° 18'N. Dark season starts in mid to late August, and before that it's just light all night. Right now we get darkness at about 17.00 which is good. And as for the temperatures... Well, it was a bit of a cold night and we've had those for a week now. Normal would be -5 to -10°C - still good for CCD work. I have a Meade DSI II that I try to use every now and then. It usually stabilizes at around -4°C for the CCD itself regardless of ambient temperature.

And for the record: I have set foot on the North Pole

[msinclairinork]

Great image! as said; Loads of detail!!

Could that be dew/ice problem their with the graidient?

Thanks for sharing,

Michael

[Shibby]

Very nice, you have some really sharp detail there! It's this kind of image that gives me aperture fever

[perfrej]

Hmmm...

Come to think of it, there was a bit of frost on the finder scope, and the morning after, as I carried the stuff back inside, I did notice some on the main mirror as well. I'll have to check on that.

But flats... Yes indeed!

Weather service says next possible clear night is weeks away.

[MikeWilson]

Did you use dew strips at all or any other method to keep the ice and frost off the guidescope or the primary mirror of the newt? (Is it a productive idea at all to induce some warmth into the tube to keep the frost and dew out?).

[perfrej]

Did you use dew strips at all or any other method to keep the ice and frost off the guidescope or the primary mirror of the newt? (Is it a productive idea at all to induce some warmth into the tube to keep the frost and dew out?).

I believe it is a bit too cold for that, but i'll give it some thought... Hmmmm...

[johnh]

Thats very fine detail you've picked up in M51.

John.