This is an updated version of the Helix nebula with more data and RGB stars. It's not dramatically different to my last posting but a bit deeper and smoother. It also shows many of the tiny galaxies in the area. To do this object complete justice requires darker skies than I have.
It is looking better than the previous one Steve, not as deep as Mike and Trish's but yours is in colour
Thanks Colin. Never intended it to be like M&Ts. I think my sky conditions wouldn't allow that anyway. Just wanted a nice clean helix, something that has eluded me in the past. I assume M&T will be producing colour at some stage - that's going to be some image.
Improved contrast and signal by the looks of Steve that fainter out shell needs a lot of signal to smooth out.
Ive captured 40 hrs of Ha with the 10" and I'm still not happy with the s/n.....I need a faster bigger scope
Thanks Louie. This started out as an experiment to see how well the 16200 would record this thing at full resolution. If I had binned 2x2 I would have done better. A Riccardo Honders is what you need for this thing.
Thanks Rick. This is basically just HaOIIIOIII with 40 minutes of RGB all at 1x1 which is massively over sampled at .37" per pixel. I just wanted to see how it would turn out with my seeing and I think the end result wasn't too bad. Normally with Sakib's planetary nebulae I do 2x2 all the time.
I do always find the colour a bit difficult with this thing. I tried the PI photometric calibration but it didn't work saying there was insufficient data.
Ha! The seeing was good the other night out at Wallaroo and I almost pointed my scope at this bloody thing... buuuut resisted the temptation. Glad I did, looking at all the versions being posted here is almost as much fun anyway... and I am now imaging another very rarely image but cool object instead