First 'Proper' DSO Imaging - Report and Images

[Digz]

Well, the cloud departed last night and I finally had the chance to try some 'proper' DSO imaging. When I say proper I mean doing everything by the book and accurately.

Polar Alignment - Check;

MPPC - Check;

DSLR - Check;

Finder Guider - Check;

1 Star Alignment - Check, sort of. The scope was quite a way out and I needed to strip down the DSLR and use a wide EP to find the intended target.

Tonight I wanted to make sure that the subject was suitably framed, accurately focussed and all my kit was used to its fullest potential.

It would also be my first time guiding with my Atik Titan on my Finderguider using PHD. At this point I would like to say a big thanks to everyone here for the wealth of knowledge which meant my guiding setup and calibration went with a breeze resulting in a rather flatish graph as below:

My finder guider was set up using an adapter piece supplied by Bern at Modern Astronomy. A nicely turned piece allowing the Atik to be screwed into the finder to the required depth to achieve focus.

Before guiding I wanted to ensure that my setup was accurately focussed on my target. To do this I used Icarus Camera control for Mac. My DSLR was switched to PC mode and a series of 2 sec exposures made tweaking the focus each time once. Icarus allows tethered shooting but does not currently support Bulb so it was a useful tool to check focus on my laptop screen.

After accurately focussing I turned to PHD. Calibration took a couple of minutes and I was soon guiding.

So, what shall I try first? Well I plumped for a 600 second expisure firing my DSLR with my wireless remote and coming back in 10mins time. I reviewed the image on the screen and was pleasantly greeted with round stars

Everything was working so an hour after going outside I was ready to start my imaging run.

I wanted to primarily try M42 as my first attempt at this was in less than ideal conditions!

Scope: 250p DS

Camera: Nikon D200

Finder Guider: Atik Titan

6 x 600s subs, 4 x 600 Darks, Bias, no Flats

For the core I composited on two images. A 30s shot for the wider core and a 2sec shot for the trap.

Stacked in DSS and finished in Photoshop using a great tutorial:

Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum • View topic - Superb Processing Tutorial

In PS, various curves adjustments were done to tweak the colour balance and bring out the nebulosity. High Pass sharpening LAB sharpening were used to bring out some of the more subtle detail.

Before I got to this stage, I did try a 5min sub with no MPCC and it was quite apparent that there was coma at the edges. The MPCC has nicely sorted this out.

Second I wanted a quick bash at M45:

Scope: 250p DS

Camera: Nikon D200

Finder Guider: Atik Titan

3 x 300s subs, 3 x 300 Darks, Bias, no Flats

By this time the power was going in both my laptop and Powertank.

You can see some nebulosity coming out, but there is still some noise visible. A lot more subs needed for this one. Also it is apparant that the stars are not quite as round as in M42, not quite sure why this is, but for my first attempt I am very pleased.

Hope you enjoy the read and images, any comments / critique is more than welcomed.

[Psychobilly]

Superb result and well written report... it's great when everything falls into place you much be chuffed and rightly so

Billy...

[Digz]

Cheers Billy, I am well chuffed

[RikM]

Love the M42 shot. The colour is perhaps a bit magenta, but it's nice and sharp with plenty of detail. You should be happy with that for a first 'proper' image.

[leenewtoastro]

i have to get my jaw fixed now

not perfectly round stars but dam its good

[m_j_lyons]

Very nice...looking forward to more.

Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk

[Digz]

Thanks for the comments guys. Im itching to get out again following the success above

[Digz]

Love the M42 shot. The colour is perhaps a bit magenta, but it's nice and sharp with plenty of detail. You should be happy with that for a first 'proper' image.

Rik, Id love to see your take on the colour....

I had a play tweaking the hue of the magenta but dont really know which way to take it. I suppose its ultimately down to personal taste.

[Uranium235]

Congrats on getting the finderguider up and running! Did you have to focus it at all? Ive been looking at getting one of those adapters too, it would be a better fit than the plastic and masking tape arrangement I have at the moment!

Splendid M42 by the way

[Penfold]

Superb stuff, and an excellent write up... That's not ISS passing through is it?

[Digz]

Hiya matey, thanks for the comments Cant wait to get back out there are get some more data, maybe some 20min subs

For the finder guider, I needed to twist the front element a bit to achieve focus. One issue I did have with the adapter from MA is that there is no kind of 'stop' to it, meaning that it can be screwed into the finder to varying degrees. I did use a T spacer as a stop but couldn't achieve focus. I ended up losing the T spacer and screwing the adapter in almost all the way and then focussed the front element on the finder.

As there was no stop I was worried that the guider could twist and move but it appeared to remain steady.

Hope that makes sense.

I did try a hack with toilet roll before I got the adapter but I found it was very susceptible to vibrations as it was not a firm fitting - something you don't want when guiding.

[Digz]

Hi Penfold, if you are referring to the streak at the bottom left this is a diffraction spike from a star just out of the frame.

[Penfold]

Hi Penfold, if you are referring to the streak at the bottom left this is a diffraction spike from a star just out of the frame.

I was as it looks very long, like something passing through.. I would have used it as a talking point /*cough*/ even if it wasn't

[Digz]

lol, talk away my friend, talk away......

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Digz,

Wonderful images, so vibrant and superb detail. For someone to produce such good work and give me encouragement after posting my humble images just sums up the ethos of this forum

Thanks

[Digz]

Steve, you are more than welcome. Believe it or not I was at your stage not too long ago and with the help of the forum members here I have managed to develop my skills. It only feels right to put something back in by encourage beginners.

[astroimpulse]

Lovely clarity.

I'd be well chuffed with that. Grinning for days!

[Digz]

Hi Sy, I am still grinning now

I keep going back to the image and thinking I didnt take that, did I? Oh yeah I did

Sorry, Ill get my coat, lol

[astroimpulse]

I can totally imagine

'Lovely' was an understatement by the way

More beautiful in my opinion

[roebuck]

Excellent image........

As totally new to this can you tell me how you achieve difraction spikes on stars.

Mike

[Rossco72]

Well if that's your first go then we can expect great things in future...

A really nice first image

[Digz]

Cheers Sy, Mike and Stuart.

Mike, the diffraction spikes are natural and caused by the support on my reflector for the secondary mirror. They can be manually added to an image which some people do quite successfully. There is a great set of editing actions which I just purchased last night from Noel Carboni (Astronomy Tools Action Set by ProDigital Software) which automate this process.