NGC6302 Ha work in progress

[Shiraz]

Hi.
had some really nice seeing last night and got some good Ha data on NGC6302. This is the first processing attempt, stretched enough to show some faint extensions of the nebulosity (and also the spider diffraction from the very bright core - never had a diffraction pattern from a nebula before!). This is going to take a lot of time to do right, since it has a huge dynamic range. Was so pleased with the data though, that I just had to post it in this early form - very little patience I guess :P. Thanks for looking. Regards Ray

250f4 Skywatcher with RCC1
SX H694
NEQ6

about 5 hours of 2, 3 and 5 minute subs, 6nm Ha

[multiweb]

Already incredibly detailed. :thumbsup:

[RickS]

Great stuff, Ray! A lovely view of a tiny target.

Cheers,
Rick.

[marco]

Impressive details! Can't see it completed with all the remaining RGB colors :thumbsup:

Clear skies
Marco

[Paul Haese]

Heaps of detail already. A few more nights and the image is going to look pretty interesting.

[Shiraz]

thanks a Lot Marc


Hi Rick - thanks


thanks Marco - just hope the clouds clear for long enough.


Thanks Paul. Would be great to get more data, but sub 2 arcsec seeing doesn't come along too often - especially with no cloud - but we live in hope.

regards Ray

[strongmanmike]

Yep, lookin good Ray, being so bright most of the outer features of this neb show up in rather short exposures but the solid amount of exposure time here has helped to reveal the few very faint features like the perpendicular ray emanating form the core and when the seeing cooperates it is always a bonus too. You seem to be getting lucky with the seeing lately :thumbsup:

Mike

[Octane]

This is going to be amazing!

Ray, you mention you're using 2, 3 and 5 minute sub-exposures. Is this to preserve dynamic range (I'm just thinking about your other thread, with regards to getting a specific ADU for your camera)?

H

[Shiraz]

Hi Mike. Yep, have had a two good seeing sessions - in amongst 4 arc sec nights of course.. Am finding that Skippy Sky does a pretty good job of predicting seeing.



Hi H. Yes, this thing is very bright, so the core saturates at anything longer than about 2 minutes on my system. I should have used much longer subs to get the dimmer bits, but the seeing was coming in patches with wobbly bits going across a few times an hour and messing up the subs. I was able to use most of the 5 minute subs, but would have had to discard much more of the data if I had used longer subs - better to put up with some extra read noise.

Regards Ray

[Octane]

You confirmed my suspicions, thanks! I'm looking forward to this weekend where I will set up my old STL-11000M with the FSQ-106N and see how long it takes to get the appropriate ADU. :) How short should the short dark frame be to get the bias read out? Looking forward to where you go with this image. H

[Shiraz]

I don't think it is critical for working out sub exposure - maybe a second or so - or whatever the shortest practical exposure is.

[Bassnut]

Wow, given the gear and size of this, thats is a fine effort indeed!. Very detailed.

[Octane]

Many thanks, Ray. :)

H

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Great work as usual Ray!:thumbsup:

Look forward to the final version.

Cheers,

Justin.

[Shiraz]

Thanks Fred. it was a bit undersampled for this level of seeing, so think it will be worth a drizzle stack.


thanks Justin.

regards ray

[atalas]

Looking really good!

[graham.hobart]

That's going to look great Ray
It's brilliant already- nice one!!:thumbsup:

[Stevec35]

Only just saw this one Ray. It looks really good!

Cheers

Steve

[Shiraz]

thanks Louie.


Hi Graham - thanks. hope we get some clear sky sometime in the next few weeks to finish this off


Thanks very much Steve.

regards Ray

[astronobob]

Extraordinary stuff Ray, amaizing details and structure showing