And now for something completely different NGC5897

[cometcatcher]

Why NGC5897 in Libra you may ask? Because it's where the scope was pointed. :P NGC5897 is a little globular, mag 8.6 and about 12.5 minutes of arc in size. Just to the right of Saturn at the moment.

I've just retro-fitted a new GSO crayford focuser to my old 6" F5 Newtonian. The old PVC pipe focuser was giving me "endless frustration" (not the words I want to use ;) ). This new focuser is so smooooth to use I feel spoiled. I don't have a coma corrector for it yet so pleeze egg-scuse the coma. ;) The scope minus the focuser is 25 years old, using Meade optics. The scope uses a hexagonal wooden tube. It needs a repaint too.

Details, a crop of the full frame to get rid of some coma, 35 frames of 30 seconds each at ISO 1600, 6" F5 newt, Pentax K-x, unguided. I will have to revisit this object when the Moon is clear of the area.

[lazjen]

Nice - I like seeing different things like these - I wander around a bit and shoot random things too sometimes. Mostly on purpose, but not always. :)

For this image, I'm not sure if it's the result of the forum restrictions, but it looks quite black. Maybe you pushed it a bit hard?

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Chris. According to the histogram it's not clipping and seems okay on my monitor? To me it's grey with noise.

[lazjen]

And I can see that now and it's ok. Yet another mystery to me, but all's well, so no worries. :)