Sombrero - Now in colour

[marc4darkskies]

I said before when I posted the Luminance only version, this object needs focal length!! My Tak at 1760mm isn't quite enough, but I went ahead and added some RGB anyway ... for the heck of it!

Full res crop:
www.pbase.com/gailmarc/image/149662924/original (http://www.pbase.com/gailmarc/image/149662924/original)

Unlike a many other renditions, I tried to show the extended, giant elliptical like halo.

Admittedly, it may not be one to write home about, but I think it's a presentable image. Cant wait to have another go at it with 2900mm though!! :D

Cheers, Marcus

[IanP]

It's beautiful, Marcus.
Thanks for sharing !!!
:thumbsup:

(My next target)

[RickS]

Still a very nice image, Marcus, but I'm looking forward to the version at 2900mm!

[E_ri_k]

Very nice. Love the halo around it :) Look forward to seeing your next shot at it at 2900!
Erik

[SkyViking]

That's a stunning image of one of the most beautiful galaxies in the sky, excellent work Marcus :)
Now you need to check how many of its globulars you picked up, I'd imagine quite a few!

[iceman]

That's rather stunning. The wide version really puts it in place in the universe.

[Nikolas]

Can you explain your workflow? that is a stunning image!!!

[Draco]

amazing. this is my next target using my 4.5" reflector .. don't laugh now :D I know it will be tiny but just to be able to get the satisfaction that I located it with my telescope is enough of a reward for me :astron:

[Peter Ward]

That is a *superb* image. :thumbsup::thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[alpal]

That's a top image Marcus & there are plenty of other galaxies there too.
Yes - this galaxy needs long focal length but you still managed to pick
up some detail in the dust lanes.

cheers
Allan

[Larryp]

Great image, Marcus

[DJT]

Great image again Marcus. :thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

A sensational image Marcus. Only thing was the colour splotch noise in the background is just a tad too much. Lightroom 4.4 has a very good colour noise tool.

Do you think that halo is made of stars or is the glow from the galaxy?

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Actually and I know you (quite rightly) have high hopes for it buuut I think you will be hard pressed topping that with the OS RC360Pro...without placing it on a high mountain in Chile :shrug: :thumbsup:

Yeh you have pushed the outer halo hard and so there is a some splodgyness I guess...but no harm IMO :thumbsup: Great resolution in the sky around it, it's one thing to extract detail out of the dust lane but getting high res in the outer areas without ruining the look is the holy grail (I couldn't do it as well with my version) so well done there :thumbsup:

Nice job Marcus the judges give it 9.5, 9.7, 9.4, 9.0 :P

Mike

[astronobob]

M104 is a sight in any right, This is awesome Marcus, plenty of mind blowing plus factors throught ! Magestic details and depth, lovely ! !

[Ross G]

A beautiful galaxy photo Marcus.

I love the detail and colour.

Like the wide composition as well.

Ross.

[broca]

Well done Marcus. It feels like you are looking at it through a portal from a ship. Nice work!

[marc4darkskies]

Cheers Ian!



Thanks Rick, me too! :) It can't come soon enough!



Thanks Erik!



Thanks very much Rolf! Yes, looks like I got a few globs ... but I think I'll let someone else count them!! :)



Thank you Mike! I'm glad you liked it mate! BTW, this is a 50% (at least) crop. In the full frame it's positively tiny.



Thanks Nikolas! Explain my workflow eh ... Got a few hours! :D I use TheSkyX to control everything (mount, camera, guider, focusser, dome), CCDAutopilot to automate sessions, CCDStack to do my calibration, master creation and decon and Photoshop for a day or two to do final processing.



Thanks Niv! No laughing here - go for it mate! :thumbsup: - but be quick it's almost out of season.



Ah you're too kind! Thanks Peter, much appreciated!



Thanks Allan. Yes, I was pleased to get some detail, but I'm obsessed about getting more!! :scared2: ;)



Cheers Larry!



Thanks David



Thanks Greg. You right mate - a wee bit blotchy and imperfect, but it shouldn't really be thaaat visible on a properly calibrated monitor :question: I've just tweaked it a little bit though.

Yep, they're stars! Cool huh!



Thanks a lot Mike! Your score was the 9.7 right? ;) I scored it an 8.9 myself :P ... but I'm my own worst critic :help:

In practise, my current camera / scope (F11.7) combo can never resolve better than about 2.5 arcsec (thanks to Mr Nyquist). This is born out empirically via close inspection of my F11.7 images. When I'm lucky, my best local sky conditions yield 1.8 arcsec. With the RC360 and the same camera I'll be correctly oversampling on my best seeing nights and be able to resolve down to 1.8 arcsec. This means up to a 30% improvement in resolution. Sure it won't be easy - good nights aren't common - but under best local sky conditions it will certainly be better! On top of that my exposure duration will be 25-30% less! :)



Cheers Bob - glad you liked it mate!



Thank you Ross!



Thanks Steve - I like that thought ... "Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning. "

[naskies]

Beautiful effort! I don't usually see the extended colour and so much detail/colour in the surrounding background - well done!

[RobF]

Incredible effort Marcus. My first impression was "really being there" looking out the spaceship window. Tightness detail, suggestions of colour in the galaxy arms, colour in background objects.
One of the best I've seen, and I like the wider view too actually.

[cybereye]

Very, very noice!! :thumbsup:

I know this might sound strange but my initial reaction was "Frisbee in Space"! I just had this sense of movement, almost seeing the galaxies moving away from each other. A wonderful image....

Cheers,
Mario

[marc4darkskies]

Thanks for that Dave!



High praise - thanks Rob!



Cheers Mario! Hmmm ... sense of movement eh? Too much vino Italiano perhaps? ;)

[marco]

I really like this one Marcus, excellent details despite you are using a relatively small telescope as I do. I am always surprised by how sharp your images look, your skill is very good!
2900mm? Are you goint to upgrade to a 17" class telescope or thinking about stacking barlows ? :D:D

Clear skies
Marco

[Shiraz]

Beautiful image Marcus - right up there with the very best. regards ray

[marc4darkskies]

Many thanks Marco! Refractors punch above their weight, that's for sure. I'll be adding an Officina Stellare RC360 to my armoury - hopefully late in August!



Thanks Ray!

[David Fitz-Henr]

MMMMarcus !! A great job showing the outer halo and nice detail in the dust lanes. I agree that you may be hard pressed to improve much on it when your new scope arrives; maybe start with another object :lol:

[marc4darkskies]

Thanks mate!



Hehe ... you just wait and see Mr Fitz-Henry! ;):D If I can't do better than this with a 14" RC at 2900mm, I'll sell all my gear and take up stamp collecting!

[Paul Haese]

Nice rendition of this object. Missed it myself this year but it is nice to see someone got onto it well. Saturation is really delicate and even in my opinion with good detail through out the galaxy.

[johnnyt123]

Great image Marcus.

What was the total combined exposure time?

John.

[marc4darkskies]

Many thanks Paul! Yes, I like vivid colour but this field needed a gentle touch - even with the stars so as not to upstage the hat.



Thanks John. 7 hours - you'll find more detail under the PBase image.

[Leonardo70]

Stunning image Marcus.

All the best,
Leo

[marc4darkskies]

Thanks Leo!