NGC 3521 Bubble Galaxy Reprocess

[Startrek (Martin)]

We currently have inclement weather on the east coast for a week or two so decided to do a reprocess of an image I captured on a clear stable night back in May, NGC 3521 Bubble Galaxy, an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Leo. Although quite dim at around magnitude 9.5 its spiral core is fairly bright with an unusually large halo extending out way beyond the spiral arms like a bubble
Captured with my 8” f5 Bintel GSO newt on the EQ6-R Mount
Canon 600D stock DSLR
ISO 800
About 2 hours of data ( 5 minute dithered guided subs and darks )
PHD2 guiding
Goto and tracking EQMOD, StellariumScope and Stellarium
Frame, focus and capture with BYEOS
Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker
Re processed in Startools V1.5 Linear data set
Cropped more of the image to achieve a cleaner wipe of gradients
Tweaked AutoDev stretch
Tweaked Life module 2 x gamma
Adjusted colour
Tweaked noise reduction a bit more

Comments most welcome

Thanks for looking

[PKay (Peter)]

Quite an amazing result M.

You really have pushed the Canon to it's limits.

Imagine what you can do with your new camera!

[xelasnave]

Looks fantastic. I bet a non downsized image must really be something.

You really should bite the bullet and give narrow band a go...if you can achieve that with a DSLR I expect you will be amazed with what you will achieve if you go for a dedicated astro camera. I have not done much narrow band with my eight inch but when I did I could not believe the difference...
Anyways a really great result.
Alex

[Startrek (Martin)]

Thank Peter
I’m eagerly waiting arrival of the new 2600MC. I’ve decided to use APT to run the new camera so spending a bit of time on the desktop learning its features etc...
I’ll still use the old DSLR as it’s a great planetary camera when using BYEOS

Thanks Alex
I will be trying OSC narrowband as I’ve bought a ZWO duo band filter for the new 2600MC camera when I’m in Sydney to fight through all that muck
When down south at my weekender I don’t really need narrowband unless the moons full as the skies down here are nice and dark

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Thank Peter
I’m eagerly waiting arrival of the new 2600MC. I’ve decided to use APT to run the new camera so spending a bit of time on the desktop learning its features etc...
I’ll still use the old DSLR as it’s a great planetary camera when using BYEOS

Thanks Alex
I will be trying OSC narrowband as I’ve bought a ZWO duo band filter for the new 2600MC camera when I’m in Sydney to fight through all that muck
When down south at my weekender I don’t really need narrowband unless the moons full as the skies down here are nice and dark

Cheers

Very soon I won't have to come to Sydney at all and will just be living in the caravan...I love it as when I move about I always have something to hold on to..big deal for me as a fall is a death sentence often at my age...maybe just live in the new roll off observatory actually ..but not having to come to Sydney means I can set up on a permanent basis...I will end up hopefully with four scopes set up and housed...12, 8, 115 mm and 80mm. But that's enough I don't want to go overboard...but I do have a perfect spot on a hill for another...how does this duo band filter work??? OSC with HA? That would be perfect cause all those filters takes time..I hope to be able to use all scopes to form one image..don't know if there is any point really but I really want to maximise captures when conditions are perfect as it's rare..and I can't expect many more years being realistic..and when not going back and forth I can get things set up..having to pack up every two weeks just does not let you get things set up well..as you know I have not got auto guide in the mix basically because I have to leave things pretty trim ...you must know the feeling and at my age my mobility just sorting small things becomes a big deal...still I am happy with all I got done in the last twelve months..two observatories, a site, a van..and in two week I will have my park.
Anyways you are going great I look forward to seeing your latest effort...
Alex

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Very soon I won't have to come to Sydney at all and will just be living in the caravan...I love it as when I move about I always have something to hold on to..big deal for me as a fall is a death sentence often at my age...maybe just live in the new roll off observatory actually ..but not having to come to Sydney means I can set up on a permanent basis...I will end up hopefully with four scopes set up and housed...12, 8, 115 mm and 80mm. But that's enough I don't want to go overboard...but I do have a perfect spot on a hill for another...how does this duo band filter work??? OSC with HA? That would be perfect cause all those filters takes time..I hope to be able to use all scopes to form one image..don't know if there is any point really but I really want to maximise captures when conditions are perfect as it's rare..and I can't expect many more years being realistic..and when not going back and forth I can get things set up..having to pack up every two weeks just does not let you get things set up well..as you know I have not got auto guide in the mix basically because I have to leave things pretty trim ...you must know the feeling and at my age my mobility just sorting small things becomes a big deal...still I am happy with all I got done in the last twelve months..two observatories, a site, a van..and in two week I will have my park.
Anyways you are going great I look forward to seeing your latest effort...
Alex

Alex
I’m glad you still have your 8” f5 newt in your list of scopes , it’s a great all rounder. At 1000mm focal length and using an APS-C sensor it covers an extensive list of DSO’s that fit in the FOV. My 8” f5 is a keeper
Narrowband Duo band filters only allow a certain wavelength of Ha and Oiii light onto the sensor which make up a majority of gases in Nebula and other objects, so it helps restricts or filters out moon glare , light pollution and artificial light like house and street lighting. Does that make sense !

My new ZWO 2600MC Camera is still on back order so I’ll be using the DSLR for a little while yet.When this bad weather moves on , and I get some time, I’ll capture some more objects and post more images

Keep well
Martin

[xelasnave]

There is still a lot to do for my 8 inch..baffles or flocking, I plan to add support around the focuser and almost certainly replace the focuser or rework it somehow..probably more support for the tube..the tube is the weak point..its like a tin can..I hate that seam and want to add an alluminium flat strip at least maybe four every 90 degrees...still havent lined up the optics would you believe...I have additional tube rings (4 all up) and an extended baffled dew tube..it may even get a new eq6 6 in time...the old eq6 is over ten years old but I have blue printed it..hypervtuned? ..but I have not looked to see if I can update the firm wear..but when it's working it tracks near perfect for a short fl..I polished all the gears with tooth paste and a tooth brush blue printed the crown and would run it with only light oil..no grease..never used the motors to move it that was always manual .
It may end up carrying just two or three dslr for wide fields if I can finally auto guide it.
Alex