I have always wanted to image this amazing area of very faint molecular dust in Chamaeleon and while the well know bright nebs were in my targets, this is the sort of field I really got the FSQ for ...so, Voila! It is certainly a challenge to render well due to its extreme faintness and for me the fact that it moves through my worst part of the sky, the upper regions of the Canberra light dome, didn't help ...never the less, my skies are still dark enough to return a respectable result, so I am happy with how it came together and as usual, t'was perfect guiding and no clouds for the four nights, so no dud subs out of the total of 102..love it
Centered at 80deg South, this 4deg X 4deg field, of very faint dusty molecular material, forms part of the much larger Chamaeleon Molecular Cloud (or "complex"). This dusty material fills the constellation of Chameleon and beyond, in the far southern sky, not far from the South Celestial Pole.
A compelling and fascinating image - makes one realize that star forming regions arn't always bright nebs.
Is that due to age? Gravitational forces? Hmmmm....
Sooooo much dust - now I've washed my face I can really appreciate the huge scale, given what you have already shown us with previous, well known targets.
IMO this is a bit of amateur science, far more than just a pretty picture (which it is as well)
Both deep and meaningful! I'm guessing it's broadly like the Pleiades, or Rho Ophiuchii, but with no extra-bright blue stars immediately nearby to light it up, just a general ghostly glow. Superbly executed and processed.
That qualifies as a dirty picture.. cough.. cough.. cough..
Very cool though. Quite a challenge to process faint stuff in widefields.
It is indeed a challenge to image faint stuff, careful stretching is the trickiest bit, gradients too but luckily they actually weren't too bad in this case.
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Originally Posted by atalas
...is very good
Thanks Louie
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Originally Posted by DJT
Noice! Certainly different at this time of year.
Yes, not imaged often at all Dave
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Originally Posted by Bart
Crikey, Mikey! That is very nice!
Glad you like it Bart
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Originally Posted by RickS
Love it, Mike I've always wanted to do part of this cloud.
Cheers Ricki, I probably should have waited a couple of months and imaged it moving into the other side of the meridian as that would have put it further out of the Canberra light dome...buuuut I was impatient
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy01
A compelling and fascinating image - makes one realize that star forming regions arn't always bright nebs.
Is that due to age? Gravitational forces? Hmmmm....
Sooooo much dust - now I've washed my face I can really appreciate the huge scale, given what you have already shown us with previous, well known targets.
IMO this is a bit of amateur science, far more than just a pretty picture (which it is as well)
These sorts of areas make me think of the stuff we are all made of and how it was before it all evolved into us over billions of years.....and what we will all eventually be part of again billions of years from now.....ready to make new us's
Quote:
Originally Posted by Placidus
Both deep and meaningful! I'm guessing it's broadly like the Pleiades, or Rho Ophiuchii, but with no extra-bright blue stars immediately nearby to light it up, just a general ghostly glow. Superbly executed and processed.
sorry but i want more at the bottom and more at the top, its like watching a movie and walking out with 20min to go. Far too good to pass up, fantastic with 2 academy awards......
Hey Mike that is an outstanding image. One of the most beautiful images I have seen - such variety in space, it is mind blowing.
Cheers,
Tim
Wow, that's nice to hear Tim, thankyou so much
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Originally Posted by h0ughy
sorry but i want more at the bottom and more at the top, its like watching a movie and walking out with 20min to go. Far too good to pass up, fantastic with 2 academy awards......
I hear ya Houghy, I hear ya, bit like the LMC, hard to decide which bit to frame, so many cool bits everywhere
Quote:
Originally Posted by SimmoW
Definitely poster material Mike! Nice original work, well done
...so, Voila! It is certainly a challenge to render well due to its extreme faintness and for me the fact that it moves through my worst part of the sky, the upper regions of the Canberra light dome, didn't help 
...never the less, my skies are still dark enough to return a respectable result, so I am happy with how it came together and as usual, t'was perfect guiding and no clouds for the four nights, so no dud subs out of the total of 102..love it 
...is very good 
I can really appreciate the huge scale, given what you have already shown us with previous, well known targets.
