April Comparison – LMC

[PKay]

3 votes – Large Magellenic Cloud wins. Democracy at work!

This thread is for the novice and the experienced to post their success’s or failures.
We learn from our crappy attempts, and there is always someone more experienced to give advice.

There is a lot to be seen in our neighbour galaxy, and probably one could spend a lifetime imaging it alone.

It would be a good time to look at the images from last month. Quite a variety of equipment and settings used.
I think it’s different for each of us.

So time is probably best spent taking less subs (a stack of 30 works well enough) and trying more variety in settings. In this way you will soon see what works for you.

Work on good focus, arguably the hardest thing to get right.

And most importantly…have fun!

Edit: Rowland has jumped the gun - see below.

[xelasnave]

Thats great Peter but how does one find it?☺
Alex

[raymo]

I never know when you are joking, Alex, but for the people that don't know,
the Southern Cross is laying on its side at the moment; the two lower stars of the cross point directly at the LMC about 4-5 times the distance between the two stars, to the right[SSW] of the cross, in the middle of an apparently
starless area of sky, just like a puff ball. If you then turn right about 80degrees you will come to the SMC.
Here's an early effort of mine to start the ball rolling. 50mm 6x30secs
@f3.2 ISO800.
raymo

[Atmos]

One of my early shots with my Sigma Art 85mm F/1.4 @ F/2.8.
It was taken at the beginning of this season so shot at 4am when it was still rising... Not setting as it currently is :P

85mm with my Nikon D7200.
37x180s ISO400

Large Magellanic Cloud (https://www.astrobin.com/full/304742/0/)

[kosborn]

What a great shot. I really like the panorama of the whole LMC with the colour and the detail.

Kevin

[ChrisV]

They are great !! Magnificent in wide field.

Alex- it's easy to find. Currently about 10deg above my neighbour's chimney. Look there.

[xelasnave]

I know where it is but my thinking is that for some folk starting out they may not know and may not wish to ask.
Alex

[PKay]

Well done Chris, Raymo

Interesting how both shots bring out the blue stars.

Regards setting LMC.
It is an 'early' target being at about 45 degrees altitude just after dark.
That would suit Alex well :)

[xelasnave]

I cant get it until I move the house☺
Hopefully I go North for some dark sky but after my last trip and just rain and cloud I wont hold my breath.
Alex

[ChrisV]

Here's my first shot at the Tatantula in the LMC. Its been hard as I only get about 1 1/2 hours per night before it gets close the the neighbours roof and I get all sorts of light artefacts.

Captured with 80mm refractor and ASI071 (as in my signature) with APT and processed in PI.

- The first pic is 130x 1min subs with a UV/IR filter

- I then wanted to see if I could boost the H-alpha by using a filter for it on my OSC camera - thanks to Colin's advice on another thread. The second pic is the above plus 13x 10min subs with an H-alpha on this camera. Processing was a stab in the dark and first time I've used pixelmath!! This mix might not be the best, I'll have to go through it all again and check. There's a lot of background light in this direction from my backyard - so might try for more subs if the weather gets better.

[PKay]

Amazingly GOOD Chris!

The best Tarantula seen in this forum I'll bet.

Maybe even more time might bring out the hairy legs :)

[doppler]

Still pretty frustrating weather for astro up here, clear days but plenty of clouds and sea fog rolling through at night. I've managed to get a couple of hours imaging this month but only short bursts.
Here's my effort so far on the LMC. All with an un modded canon 1100d.

50mm 60 secs iso 800 single frame wide field, my view between the trees, the edge of the Mackay light dome to the left and trees lit up by street light below.

135mm 30secs iso 1600, x40 subs.

10" F4.8 newt 120 secs iso 800, x18 subs.

[PKay]

Three great images Rick :thumbsup:

Lots of legs showing on the spider!
Interesting how your camera pulled out the blue.

Imagine if you could do the photoshop thing and create a montage of the ferns in the foreground and the Milky way?

[xelasnave]

Great captures Chris and Rick well done.
Alex

[ChrisV]

I really like that wide field Ken. And you are sucking in some photos with an Unmodded dslr. Nicely done.

[Atmos]

One thing I am coming to learn is that I think we need to do both Ha and OIII. You’ll notice that with just the Ha added it shows the Ha signal well while suppressing everything else. Now that’s good for showing the Ha but you loose all of the OIII signal within the centre of the Tarantula which does emit stronger in blue than red.

This image (https://www.astrobin.com/full/324394/B/) shows both the Ha and OIII signal and more closely resembles your original RGB image where as the HaRGB is very red.
This is the mistake I made with my Running Chicken and what I learned from it. Processing wise it’s the same as I do with the Ha but I do it with the OIII signal as well and add that to the G&B frames.

After LinearFit of the Ha, OIII, R, G & B frames you could.

R: Max(R,Ha)
G: Max(G, OIII)
B: Max(B,OIII)

I believe this is what I did with the HaOIIIRGB Tarantula.

[ChrisV]

Thanks Colin, and that's a beautiful Tarantula. Hopefully I can get some OIII before it disappears behind behind the house next door.
Its been an interesting exercise doing this.

[PKay]

Nearly the end of the month, so had to do something.

Another spider, although mine looks like it has been stepped on :)

Am thinking I can't do any better unless move to narrow band.

[xelasnave]

The reason I captured the LMC was to put it in this thread and so although I initially stuffed up on my follow thru and in an effort to see our monthly comparrison threads continue I now place it here.
Alex

[xelasnave]

Great image Peter.
And after narrow band what next a radio telescope?
What is it about astrophotography sees us never content?
Lately I am thinking to get another scope and another camera and the irony is I have not exhausted what I have yet to do with what I have...
Alex

[xelasnave]

I think my next bit of astro gear should be a van in which to live in the desert for a while and work with dark dry sky.
Alex

[xelasnave]

And what to do for May...wide fields of the Milky Way would be good☺
Maybe the Cats Paw as it should be a nice object for many local lengths...
And we need more raw beginners so if you are watching join in next month.
Alex

[PKay]

This is interesting.

The first image (see above a few posts) of NGC2070 is comprised of:

130 subs. 120s Gain = 70

The 2nd image 30 subs at the same settings.

Both using the exact same processing.

From my study, there is no discernable difference.

Attached is the 30 sub version.

And thanx Alex for encouragement :)

[ChrisV]

They are both really, really excellent Peter & Alex.
A nice way to top off this month's object.

Alex's suggestion of the cat's Paw for the next month is a good one.

[Icearcher]

I like the idea of the Cats Paw, should be a good target for even shortish focal lengths.

Also, the whole area presents a great target for beginners with tripod mounted cameras.

This might be the first target with my new Evostar 72ed that coming mid may. :)

Now if only the weather could come to the party and not mess up our nights fun than that would be great.

[Saturnine]

Thought I'd put in an entry for Aprils' LMC.

Canon 550d Zuiko 50mm @ f4 20 X 60sec exp.

[PKay]

Well done Jeff :thumbsup:

Once again the camera has caught the overall blue caste.

Finding, focusing and framing targets can be a real challenge not to mention the nightmare of processing!

And don't forget the darks, flats and bias images.

Imaging the 'cats paw' for the first time will be fun!

[Saturnine]

Thanks Peter, I know the focus is a bit soft and I do minimal processing as I get bored spending hours on images trying to eke out detail, colour , contrast etc.
There are, (all are ) many excellent images presented for this LMC month, can't but not be impressed.
Hopefully will get the clear skies etc to do the Catspaw or I could sneak in an image I took last year, is that cheating, are there any rules or criteria involved.

[xelasnave]

Hi Jeff
Thank you for joining in a posting a very respectable image.
And I look forward to see what you can do with the Cats Paw.
May I ask how was the camera mounted?
Alex

[Saturnine]

Hi Alex
Thanks for your comments, I have been following your astrophoto travels and enjoy your observations and insights, most entertaining.
The mount used for that image was a stock standard EQ5, non Go To but dual axis drives, polar aligned using the inbuilt polar scope. Camera was attached to a ball head, attached to an vixen style dovetail. I have found over the years that for widefield astrophotos the mount tracks well enough for up to 10 min. subs though now I usually do 30 / 60 sesc. subs depending on the target.

[xelasnave]

Hi Jeff
I am happy I am entertaining you it is my hope that I can encourage and uplift others.

I was forced to go for short subs because of the poor polar align...I cant see any stars through my polar scopes...and yes I turned the mount around and took the lens cap off☺...anyways I cant manage bending down unfortunately.
Alex