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.
Last edited by PKay; 03-04-2018 at 03:38 PM.
Reason: yes
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
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
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
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
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
