The Heart of The Heart

IC1805, The Heart Nebula.

 

This is a large extended object and is really too large for my field of view without using a focal reducer, so this is really The Heart of The Heart or Melotte 15. This was 10 exposures of 300 seconds in each of RGB filters.
Taken with the Atik383L+ through my Avian Starseeker 100mm ED APO. I Used MaximDL 5.21 to do the imaging and also the guiding with a QHY5 camera snd the telescope guidescope.
MaximDL was also used for the calibration and stacking and the image was post processed in Photoshop CS3.

:)

Chris

First Image of the 2012/2013 Season

I tried something different for the first image of the new season.

M13, the Hercules Cluster.

I did this on Friday night, using MaximDL 5 for the guiding (first time I've used it, have been using PHD previously) and image taking.

It is LRGB, 20 off 120 second exposures in each filter, stacked and calibrated in MaximDL 5 and post processed in Photoshop CS3.

Everything worked OK on the evening, so I'm off to a good start.

:)

Chris
 

Summer now over, ready for the new season.

I've upgraded the Observatory PC this summer. It now has Windows 7 instead of Windows XP, so i've been slowly testing everything out to make sure it all still works.

It got a new graphics card, more memory and a new monitor.

I've had to redownload the drivers for a lot of the kit, and the last one was for the LX200 just last week. Now I have the guiding working again I'm in positioin to start imaging for the new season.

Then Virginmedia wanted to upgrade my broadband modem. Once they'd left I'd got a good internet connection, but the wired network in the house and out to the Observatory wasn't working.

I ended up installing a 2nd network card into my PC to provide the internal wired network. Took me a couple of days to sort that one out.

Anyway I'm in business again, so watch here and the website for my latest images.

:)

Chris

Soul Nebula in narrowband

I had another go at narrowband imaging on the 28th October. It wasn't a bad night, but I did get one or two interruptions from low cloud. I managed to get started early and got the flats done before 8 p.m.

Three hours later I'd gotten all the data (1 hour in each filter, 12 off 5 minute exposures).

Here's the result,

:)

Chris

First foray into Narrow Band imaging

It was clear last night, but there was a bright moon washing out the sky. So I decided to have a go at imaging something in narrowband filters (Ha, OIII and SII).

IC1396, The Elephant Trunk Nebula was the chosen target.

This is seven exposures of 480 secs in SII, Ha and OIII. Stacked in Maxim DL5, then processed in CS3 using Bob Franke's techniques as explained here,

http://bf-astro.com/hubbleP.htm

My tracking wasn't too good at the high northerly declination so I had to do a gaussian blur to try and get the stars roundish and they have suffered a bit, but for my first go at NB I'm really chuffed.

Atik383L+, through Avian Starseeker 100, piggybacked on 12" LX200 and guided with QHY5 and 50mm finderscope using PHD.

 :)

Chris

1st September, Comet Garrad and Coathanger

It was clear(ish) for the first time in a long while on Thursday night, so I took the opportunity of imaging Comet Garrad as it a approached the Coathanger (Brocchi's Cluster), the image also captured NGC 6802.

This is stacked from 10 off 60 second exposures in each of RGB filters with Maxim DL. The comet moved considerably in the 40 or so minutes that it took and it's image is streaked.

So, I also made an animation from the individual red frames.

This clearly show the movement.

:)

Chris

Getting ready for the new season.

Well, following the usual break from imaging during the summer I've been getting things ready for the new season.

First up was the addition of a permanent guidescope. The Antares 50mm RACI finder that I was using has been permanantly converted for guiding and mounted on top of the Avian Starseeker. A new antares 50mm RACI finder was purchased for visual use.

Then i sent teh Atik383L+ back to Atik for cleaning. They did a great job and no charge which was a bonus.

At the weekend Cymbeline Observatory got treated to a good hoover and clean up. Got rid of all the summer cobwebs and spiders.

Next to do is get the new finder aligned with the LX200 and the guide scope aligned with the Avian Starseeker. Followed by a bit of drift aligning to get the polar alignment as good as I can.

Then I'll just need some clear nights!

:)

Chris

Dawn Mission: News & Events > Image of Vesta Captured by Dawn on July 31, 2011

 

I’ve been keeping a watch on this site for the Dawn mission for a couple of weeks now. It’s very interesting and real great that NASA are continuing their solar system exploration going.

Chris

Dawn Mission: News & Events > Image of Vesta Captured by Dawn on July 31, 2011

Back at New Mexico Skies

Well, I'm back in New Mexico, spending 4 nights at New Mexico Skies. So far the nights have been magnificent. I've been imaging from 21:30 to at least 2:30 and I'm getting about 5 targets per night.

Here's one I took on the 2nd night (did this at about 3:00 a.m.). This is only roughly processed, as I don't have my full facilities with me, once I get back I'll work on it some more.

:)

Chris

Last one from home before August?

Kind of traditional (well did it last year with the DSLR - and it was my last from home before August).

But this year I'm going to make a special effort to keep going over the summer if I can.

The Leo Triplet. Clockwise from the top, NGC 3268, M65 and M66. One of my favourite groupings and imaged well into the summer galaxy period. I hope to do some others this year.

3 off 8 minute exposures in each filter (LRGB) using the Avian Starseeker 100mm EDO APO. I lost a green exposure to double stars and re-did two of the blue ones because of drift. Guided with PHD, QHY5 and my finderscope. Imaged with Atik383L+ and SXUVW-2S filter wheel fitted with Baader LRGB filters.

:o)

Chris