My first galaxy

[LAW]

Pretty much everything was conspiring against me last night, my trial period of Backyard EOS expired on the first clear night for weeks, my laptop seems to have done some sort of partial system restore and removed a lot of my shortcuts, the laptop also didn't feel like talking to my orion guider or DSLR so I had to do everything the 'old fashioned way'. On top of all this my desktop computer died last week so I can't do any image processing except what DSS spits out :(

I managed to get nearly an hour's worth of 30 second unguided exposures before Orion rose over my back fence and I switched targets. I'm quite happy with the result considering how much went wrong in the setup. I really wasn't expecting to be able to make out so much detail from 30 second subs, once I get the guiding sorted and my full Backyard EOS license comes through I'll be set.

http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/ngc253sculptor-1.png

[jjjnettie]

:) that's beautiful. :)


Have you tried down loading The Gimp or Irfanview. Both are quite powerful image processing programs (freebies) Just until you get your desktop back online.

[LAW]

Thanks J!
I'll check out those programs but I don't have much faith in my little netbook to be able to run them without boiling a processor :D

[LewisM]

The best DSLR app in my opinion:

http://www.ideiki.com/astro/

The demo never expires, only limits SOME "fancy" features. I more than happily paid Ivo the SMALL fee to fully unlock it (12.70 Euro, which was $17 Aus when I bought it).

Never had an issue with it, recommend it to everyone, and the developer is a member here too.

[LAW]

Thanks Lewis, I'll have a closer look at that one tonight.

While I was fiddling with DSS I found where it had hidden all my colours!

So here's M42 in Orion
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/M42Orion.png

And Sculptor mkII
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/ngc253sculptor-2.png

On top of being unguided, more or less unprocessed and limited to 30 second subs my 'scope is in desperate need of collimation too. Luckily there's a package from Catseye with my name on it somewhere over the ocean. :D

[WingnutR32]

I'll back Lewis on that one... Purchased APT as well, it is fantastic for my DSLR! Ivo is great!

[MGTechDVP]

Great images.. especially the Orion Nebula...