Half of Andromeda with half a scope

[coldlegs]

I like to thank the "Xspurts" for this discussion
"To Mega up or not"
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=114109
(deleted because it got too hot?)

as I've finally decided I want to have fun instead of worrying
about how many hours can be obtained or how noisy an image is.
Here's an example. I didn't think it was ever going to be possible
to photograph the Andromeda galaxy from my location (Adelaide)
as it is so low and the field of view is chopped in half by the side
of the observatory so my 10” scope becomes a 5” half
circle. The galaxy sits between two trees and just above a neighbors
house two doors down which had their lights on (red area bottom right),
it was twilight (9-10.30pm), gusty wind gave PHD a hernia keeping track
and I suspect a significant amount of light was reflecting of blocking side
of the observatory fuzzing thinks up but I could actually
see Andromeda for the first time.

Now that was FUN!

I figure if I chop off another six inches off the observatory and wait until
early October next year at about 12pm when the neighbors go to bed I'll
get about 1.5 hours of capture and produce a “noisy but nice image” that I
will love.
Cheers
Stephen

[Shiraz]

fun?? you're not allowed to have fun....

good point though, most of us would have started out looking through some odd scope at something we only vaguely understood - but it was captivating fun. That's all too easy to forget in the increasingly techno driven side of the hobby. thanks for the post.

[TimberLand]

I agree fun is not allowed, hang on that is why I first started in this hobby, thanks for reminding me.

Technical headaches can take the fun out of it, but the end results put it back. I do like the well defined dust lanes lifting out of the sky/roof/neighbour/horizon/tree glow.

That image is worth it just for bring this hobby back to earth.

Justin

[gregbradley]

That's actually pretty good as its really quite a closeup shot of a low object through light pollution.

Greg.