Ngc253

[cometcatcher]

Have been collecting data on this for about a month. It's taken this long just to get 4 hours worth with all the cloud. Mostly taken out the kitchen window. :P

Galaxy NGC253 was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783 during one of her systematic comet searches. It lies at a distance of 11 million light years.

Bintel 8" F4 Newtonian, 500 x 30 seconds, HEQ5 Pro unguided, Baader MPCC MKIII, Pentax K-5. Stacked in DSS, processed in Photoshop. Bigger at Astrobin. http://astrob.in/197213/0/

[topheart]

Good one Kevin!!

Tim

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Nice work Kevin!:thumbsup:

Still amazed what you do with such short exposures.
What program do you use to reduce colour noise?

Cheers,

Justin.

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Tim!



Thanks Justin! Short exposures are not such a problem if there are enough of them. Before DSLR I used a frame integration video camera. The longest integration time it would do was 2 seconds. But stack 1000 frames or more and it worked out very well. At least for comets.

My photoshop skills are improving (slowly) but am starting to get the hang of layers and masks. These work very well when processing the background with the main object of interest protected. And I've learned a bit about processing stars from you. :P

Basically I work on three things in the image to balance- 1) The main object of interest, 2) the background and 3) the stars. And I have to be in the mood to do it well lol.

[RickS]

Nice result, Kevin!

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Rick! It's okay for out the window lol.

[rustigsmed]

Nicely done Kevin!
how big is your kitchen window! I guess it would solve dew issues!

Cheers

Russ

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Russ. The window gives 50 minutes per night or 100 x 30 seconds. So 5 nights for the above image. Yes no dew problem at the window lol. Don't have to pack up the gear, just park the scope. Very simple and lazy.

[LewisM]

Picture says it all :)

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Lady Penelope, I mean Lewis. :)

[jase]

Oh man, its NGC253 time of the year again! Comes around fast. Great image Kevin. The white kitchen ceiling flats are serving you well!

[Rex]

Hey that's pretty good Kevin. Out the kitchen window???????? Now that's convenient. You could cook some bacon and eggs while your imaging, how cool is that!!!!!

[cometcatcher]

Yeah I know, these things come and go so fast. I often run out of time until next season. Especially if a comet interrupts me. ;)



Thanks Rex. Lol it's not quite like that. I live in a high set house and any movement on the floor boards nearby would smear the image. No cooking I'm afraid, but I do mess about on the computer while imaging.

[lazjen]

That's a pretty good result. I need to give this galaxy another go sometime, perhaps using a lot of short exposures like you've done.

[Somnium]

i am doing astronomy all wrong if you can get images like that from your kitchen ...

[lazjen]

Or he's got a really interesting kitchen? :)

[cometcatcher]

This is with the 10" out the window. It's not ideal, but the laziness factor is highly attractive. :)

[el_draco]

LOVL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nearly pissed myself.
One of the better shots I've seen of that little beauty. BRILLIANT :bowdown:
Gawd that's a laugh I really needed.....

[Rex]

Wow now I'm dissapointed Kevin. No bacon and eggs? Still a nice image though.

[cometcatcher]

Hehheh, thanks Rom.



No bacon and eggs. And no walking around while shooting. There had to be some drawback.