M42 close up

[John Hothersall]

SPX350 F8.8, Mintron 12V6HC (GStar-Ex), Baader RGB, Astronomik UHC filters. 3100mm FL.

On a breezy night thought I would try the Trapezium stars and bright gas in the centre of M42 at half a sec exposure helping to cut through seeing and breeze. Short exposures with this sensitive CCD usually used as a guidecam mean no guiding. At only 8bits it is still capable at extracting decent detail.

Registax selects the sharpest images so I can remove any wind damaged or recentred star movement images from the sharpest. The UHC filter gives better detail and contrast compared to the luminance filter and has similar detail compared with the Ha filter but is much brighter.

Thought I would align a HST downsized image to compare the detail - HST image is the second one, just flick from my first one to the other (HST) for blink detail. The lower left detail around the bright star and down the red wall looks best in my image in comparison.

UHC-3000x0.5sec
RGB-500c0.5sec.

Thanks for looking, John.

[RickS]

Nice comparison, John. I like your rendition of the Trapezium stars the best. You definitely win overall in terms of bang per buck :)

[LightningNZ]

Ain't lucky astronomy fantastic? Quite impressive details you've captured John. Well done!

Cheers,
Cam

[RobF]

Yes - someone better tell the Hubble crew they "blew the Trapezium!" :lol:

What a fantastic and original image John. LOVE IT! :thumbsup:

[matt_rego79]

Looks fantastic, well done.

[gregbradley]

That's a great shot.

Greg.

[multiweb]

Really nice close up. Top shelf. :thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Very impressive John!

Cheers, Marcus

[SkyViking]

Great resolution and colours, a really beautiful close up John!

[Octane]

Is that the bow shock we can see in your image as well (bottom right)? Fantastic!

H

[Meru]

Cool John, I had no idea you could get DSO's with your method! Very nice and keep up the good work

[strongmanmike]

Nice result John, a cool time filling project that one :thumbsup:

I like the Hubble comparison too and as Rick says good bang for buck there ;)

Mike

[John Hothersall]

Thanks for the comments.



I noticed the bow shock bottom right too which is clear in the HST image, and my image shows only a faint hint. I may try trapezium again at a longer FL if breeze is present to get more detail.

John.

[Ross G]

An amazing closeup photo John.

Looks great.

Ross.

[Octane]

Top stuff, John. Look forward to your Trapezium. :)

H

[Ric]

Great image John

Top stuff.

[bkm2304]

Love the "bow wave" around the star at bottom right

Richard

[Bassnut]

Nice 3D effect, different.

[FranckiM06]

It is really great result that you have done :thumbsup:. I like always what you do and it is very iteresting to learn differents ways.
But I didn't knew that we can use Registax for the deep sky.
Franck

[marco]

FANTASTIC John! Really a lovely closeup, now please don't remove the camera from the focuser 'till next fall that I want to see a similar close up of the keyhole as well ;)
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Clear skies
Marco

[E_ri_k]

Great comparison! You have done well :)

[Leonardo70]

Amazing result.

All the best,
Leo

[Paul Haese]

Nice detail John, colour is very pleasing too. Very 3D.