NGC 300 - not one for the suburbs I think

[Stevec35]

I haven't imaged this one for a long time so I thought it was time to give it another go. I had terrible light pollution from surrounding lights and the seeing was never better than average but I hope I salvaged something acceptable. It really needs a dark sky I think.

Cheers

Steve

http://members.pcug.org.au/~stevec/ngc300_STXL11002_RC14.htm

[TimberLand]

Not for the suburbs, I agree, but what an effort. Great colours, but I see what you mean with the background being a bit bright.

Justin

[gregbradley]

That looks quite good despite your light pollution.

Greg.

[Stevec35]

Thanks Greg. Wish I had a dark site like yours.



Thanks Justin. I perhaps need to tweak the background a bit.

[Paul Haese]

It's not bad despite the light pollution. Heaps of detail visible. Maybe more integration will give you a level of brightness. I suspect it would require around 30 hours worth to obtain that.

[RickS]

A very nice result, Steve! As Paul said, with enough data you could compete with a dark sky rendition but it takes a lot of exposure time to get the noise from the sky glow under control.

Cheers,
Rick.

[Stevec35]

Thanks guys. I might return to it when the moon goes away again. The best image I've seen of it is this one that used a 32" telescope at CTIO in Chile with 28 hours exposure.

http://www.chart32.de/index.php/galaxies-m

[LewisM]

Despite the problems, it is a really nice image.

I have resorted to H-a imaging ONLY whilst in Suburbia. No point TRYING to fix LP'd images.

Now to buy an Astronomik 1.25 OIII filter.

[Stevec35]

Thanks Lewis. Unfortunately I'm tied to my suburban location so have to make do with what I have. It is slightly easier these days though with some pretty good LP software tools around.

[Kunama]

Very nice image Steve,
Canberra certainly has become light polluted in the last 25 years,
I have five tall streetlights surrounding my house in Garran. (wife chose the house :shrug::mad2::shrug: )
How I miss Jindabyne now!

[Peter Ward]

Maaaaate.... just look a those beautiful, perfectly shaped, little stars to the edge of the field... that RC is a pearler.

Just double the L exposure and it will be *the* NGC 300 of the year :thumbsup:

[Stevec35]

Thanks Peter. I don't think it's that good although I did get a favorable response from Johannes Schedler which is rare.



Thanks Matt. I'm in Theodore so I'm not too bad toward the South but the Tralee development has me worried. I did get the local government to change a particularly bad street light so I don't know if that's an option for you.

[strongmanmike]

That's great Steve, love the details and background galaxies, the core area could probably be a bit brighter I recon as it looks a little flat and dark as is, still, a great result though despite the suburban glow :thumbsup:

MIke

[Stevec35]

Thanks Mike. I'm still playing around with it but so far haven't come up with a better version than the one posted.

[naskies]

Nice work, Steve... imaging galaxies under light pollution shows dedication :)

[alpal]

Steve,



Hi Steve,
Wow - no one seems to be getting better than pics than them.
The pics look like they are from the Hubble.

Maybe longer exposures would bring your picture out?
Have you tried any different processing to brighten everything?
Anyway - it's a good sharp pic.

cheers
Allan

[Shiraz]

That's an excellent image Steve.

With such a his res system, you are completely at the mercy of the sky for detail and sensitivity - no way round that but to find a site as good as the one in Chile. Regards Ray

[multiweb]

Still got some very good details and colors. Well done.

[Stevec35]

Thanks Marc



Thanks Ray. It does depend to some extent on the target of course. There are far easier galaxies to image than NGC300.



Thanks Allan. I'm still playing around with it but so far haven't produced a better image. Of course longer exposures would help - perhaps I'll get some more data when the moon goes away.


Thanks Dave. I live in hope that maybe lighting authorities will install better lighting fixtures but in general the whole light pollution situation is getting worse. There's a new development starting up to the south east of Canberra that will probably kill my last reasonably good sky.

[alpal]

Steve,



Hi Steve,
I hope you don't mind me having a go at your image?
What about this version which is a bit brighter & a few other tweaks?

[astronobob]

Looks awesome Steve, such a rewarding hobby when results & works like yours are posted, A classy image, in my books :thumbsup:

[Stevec35]

Thanks Bob. I do appreciate nice comments like that.



No problem Allan. I'm still fiddling with mine but yours looks very similar. One of the things I wanted to do is minimize the orange halos about some of the bright stars which shouldn't be there. Probably post mine tomorrow.

[Ross G]

Beautiful galaxy photo Steve.

I love the colour.


Ross.

[Stevec35]

Thanks Ross. I just posted a more colorful version so hopefully you might like that too.