Getting there...

[Peter Ward]

The trials and tribulations I have had recently with my imaging gear may also be of interest to other SBIG CCD users.

Having recently migrated to a FW-7 and a complete AstroDon LRGB SII Ha and OIII filter set, I needed new flats. Due to a firmware problem I was also finally compelled to migrate to MaxIm (from CCDops).

But while my new STX guider FW-7 combo made finding guide stars a doddle....no matter what I tried I was left with a very non-uniform sky background after image calibration....and strongly suspected an expensive hardware design stuff-up was to blame. Thankfully not so.

To cut a long story short: calibration frames taken with CCDops are not compatible with light frames taken with MaximCCD!!

With this technical hurdle finally solved...conditions in Sydney were remarkably good for imaging last night, hence a push to get some more data (new! improved!) on that perennial favourite of mine: NGC253.

I'll also give MaxIm it's due...it locked onto the guide-star and automatically captured a 10 minute sub, saved it, allowed the guider to settle and repeated the process all evening, with no intervention from yours truly other than checking that the *possums were well fed, keeping away from the telescope and all was running as scripted.

This image is a mere 2 hours of Luminance data, and weather permitting, colour to follow.

I was amazed to see so many faint background galaxies.

The image link is here (http://www.atscope.com.au/BRO/gallery385.html)

Checking with the SIMBAD database, there are about 20 or so uncatalogued galaxies in this image...not bad for a backyard 'scope in the burbs :)

....in fact, dare I say, does it compare well with that Uber-telescope+location Chart 32 image of NGC253 :question: Maybe! :)

*I'm not joking...as per attached image

[alpal]

Hi Peter,
so much detail that it's amazing.
I've never been outside at night taking star pics without possums watching everything I was doing.

cheers
Allan

[multiweb]

That's an incredible picture Peter. Really something. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[RickS]

Looks pretty schmick, Peter. Hard to tell how well it compares with the Chart32 image without some full res data ;)

Cheers,
Rick.

[Peter Ward]

Ta...but my position on full res-data is firm due the rip-off's that pop up on the web all too often. The Chart 32 set-up I figure is the gold standard, hence if I can produce an image in comparison that doesn't look like it was done in crayon, I'm happy.:thumbsup:



Thanks Marc...hopefully the colour channels won't be far behind.



Ta. We have a family of Possums that like to visit... keeping them happy and far away from the observatory is working well so far.

[RickS]

I respect your reluctance to make the whole image available at 1:1 but it would be interesting to see a smaller portion.

Cheers,
Rick.

[Peter Ward]

You'll have to be happy with this 87% crop...to keep the image IIS friendly and without too many .jpg artifacts, plus I wanted to show some of those deep and faint fuzzies I was on about :)

[silv]

it's teeming with life! WoW!



the big one is a great photo.
I am repeating myself (because I'm still astonished that I should prefer b/w over colour, nowadays) but: the fine detail is much more obvious to my perception in your b/w version than in the "crayon colored" ones.

I wonder whether it would be philosophically and morally just - and technically feasible - to only add color to for example the back half of the galaxy?

Or maybe only just a tiny little bit of color overall?
Out educated brains imagine the rest of the color anyway due to all the NGC253 pictures we've seen already.

[silv]

and doing your own "interpretation" would also protect your copyright a bit more. You picture would stand out. :)

Technically feasible: of course it should be. Process the color version to its end product.
Add both as layers in PS.
Lift the colored layer for the lower part and up to a diagonal cut through the galaxy.
WOuld very much like to see the result ...

[Atmos]

Very nice resolution Peter! Certainly puts my 5.1" straw to shame :lol:

[RickS]

Thanks, Peter.

[RobF]

Quite stunning.

Its also an eye opener to see how many faint "stars" are actually resolved as galaxies (or even glob clusters) in very high res images from quality/bigger scopes.

Would also like to swim around in a full frame sometime, but probably just as well - not vulnerable to envy that might follow.....:scared2:

[Peter Ward]

Thanks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a great 5" refractor :thumbsup:



Humm... let me think about it.



Thanks...I've "discovered" many galaxies since getting this 'scope.

Seriously.

But the professional Astronomers were nonplussed. Seems there are millions of them that will likely remain "uncataloged" unless they become "interesting"



No problemo :thumbsup: