Hickson 44 ( gravitationally bound galaxies)

[MikeD]

A nice little group of galixies.

From last night, conditions were not great (I had to throw the first 13 subs, as the Lp was too strong) so I have thrown in a few from last year to help smooth things out a bit.

34 @ 5 mins through my 10" newt and HX916 CCD.

Mike.

[dogfish]

Nice. Doesn't look an easy target. That's one gravitationally distorted galaxy!

Martin

[JAO]

Mike

Excellent image of a great group of galaxies. I have twice observed this group but my view did not take in all the components you have captured. I just about saw 4.

Thanks for sharing

Adrian

[shaunster]

Great stuff

I dont suppose you could post up one of your single 5 min subs to see what they look like?

[MikeD]

Here is a single sub from the run, calibrated and very roughly processed.

Mike.

[RobH]

Interesting and unusual shot Mike....another one for the target list!!!!

[steppenwolf]

That's a lovely group of galaxies, Mike - excellent image.

[MikeD]

Thanks guys.

Mike.

[Uhwaz]

nice one Mike

[ollypenrice]

Little beauties, putting the 'deep' into Deep Sky!

Olly

[FranckiM06]

It is excellent and so nice image.

Also great process.

Franck

[LukeSkywatcher]

This is just a great image. Well done.

[MartinB]

That looks pretty deep Mike. Nicely framed grouping

[S.A.M]

Nice pictures Mike, maybe some day I will get close to you for great pictures?

[RobH]

Just spent the last hour trying for this one, but the scope had other ideas....guiding was terrible, so I gave up.

Slewed to the Leo Trio and it's all running perfectly....gremlins!!

[MikeD]

I tried for more too, but clouds were my problem, they moved in just as I was ready to run.

[MikeD]

Nice pictures Mike, maybe some day I will get close to you for great pictures?

Hi Peter, thanks.

[Starflyer]

That's a cracking image Mike, it's certainly deep, there's dozens of fuzzies in there

[MikeD]

Another 50 minms added to this last night bringing the total subs on Hickson 44 to 44.

better background with the background galaxies showing better and the outter shell of ngc3185 (bottom) is just starting to show.

Mike.

[MartinB]

Deeper that Nietzsche. The extra time has really paid dividends. So smooth and detailed. I bet it was a joy to process.

Just spent the last hour trying for this one, but the scope had other ideas....guiding was terrible, so I gave up.

Slewed to the Leo Trio and it's all running perfectly....gremlins!!

Time you forked out on a decent mount Rob Actually it is so reassuring to hear this!

[sheri_barri]

A lovely little group. Very nicely framed!

[Fenriz]

Great image Mike, I have a question, is there any reason why many deep sky images are shown in B&W? Does it make imaging easier or is more equipment needed to get good colour images?

So about the question but only just about to start my journey into astrophotography.....

[MikeD]

Hi Fenriz.

Ihave a mono( black and white) Camera.

To produce a colour image I first shot the luminance data (the black and white image you see above) and then still with the mono camera I shot new sets of data with colour filters, Red, green and blue.

This gives me 4 mono images one with no filter (Luminance) one mono image that has only recorded blue light that has passed through the blue filter, one mono image that has only recorded green light that has passed through the green filter and so on with the red filter.

The red, green and blue mono images are then put together with software to produce an RGB colour image this will provide the colour for the final result while the Luminance will provide the detail in the final image (an L-RGB image).

So to answer your question, The Black and white image here is part of the process of producing a colour image but many mono images you will see posted are mono narrow band filter images (e.g Hydrogen alpha targets) which only allow very specific wavelengths of light through to the camera and in the process block out moonlight and light pollution.

I hope that makes sense.

One shot or colour CCD camera are i think less expensive ( because you don't need to buy a filter wheel and filters) but I find a mono camera more versatile.

There is now a colour version of this shot.

Here

Mike.

[Uranium235]

Superb capture!

Have you thought of going after any of the Abell clusters? You could probably have a crack at a couple of those with your 10".

[MikeD]

Thanks.

I have a list of galaxies as long as my arm that I want to shot but I do like galaxy clusters so I may have a pop some time.

Mike.