By the light...of the silvery moon...

[LewisM]

There are times when you just say just go do it, in the face of all the usual sound advice.

Last night was one of those nights - lovely sky, wonderfully illuminated by the Sun reflecting off that pimpled rock at near 3/4 full.

Then, despite using an OSC CDD which is REALLY bad ju-ju under moonlit conditions, you see the TINY stars in the images rolling onto the screen, and you say "KEEP GOING!"

Yes, it's got gradients and colour noise (this is 3hrs total - of YES 10 min subs), but it is what it is

https://www.astrobin.com/full/367699/0/?nc=user

It's a cigar, but it's not smokin' :)

[LewisM]

UPDATED - used the correct dark file library this time (time to delete old carp on this computer!!!)

Voila: https://www.astrobin.com/full/367699/B/

Yeah, it's still only 3 hrs with a 4" refractor, but....

I have also FINALLY tracked down the source of my double diffraction spikes in the right top (3 different scopes but same camera means it HAD to be the camera) - its a very tiny smear of what looks like grease on the window. Will disassemble and clean that off.

[RB]

Sorry...
Can't hear you Lewis...
Did you say something about.... a Cigar??

:D

[LewisM]

As noisy as a drunk Greek :P

[RB]

Well, maybe if you stack it with your 'Canopus mystery', it'll look like it's blowing smoke rings....

:rofl:

[LewisM]

You go blow smoke out your ring... :P

[RB]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/csxv8gl2fbsmtg9/cry%20baby%202.gif?dl=0

[LewisM]

......

[RB]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ifgj0cbs2elh4g3/8uFzvpE.gif?dl=0

[strongmanmike]

I think I see the Running Chicken Nebula in there :question:

[cometcatcher]

That's great for a faint galaxy near an 80% Moon Lewis! Same problem here, clear skies and bright Moon.

[LewisM]

:thumbsup:

Need to find the fish head nebula now....

[LewisM]

I was surprised how bright it was actually. My Lodestar saw it easily for framing with my usual guiding 2 secs. Screen stretch of the individual subs within the constraints of the histogram bell curve in MaxIM also showed it easily.

Trying to add H-alpha this week with the mono

[strongmanmike]

Found that:

Fish head (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/140710554/original)

and even the Cigar (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/159328044/original) (top left corner of image)

:P

[gregbradley]

I like it.

Greg.

[LewisM]

Thanks Greg.

I am actually QUITE happy - well, not with the noise and gradients etc, but with the scopes performance especially given that it is hand focused. Again, this really was a continuing test after the Helix goof the other night, so now, with the moon nearing full, only H-alpha with the mono H674 now.

This was dithered for 3 pixels per sub, with a guider settle plus a 5 second pause after guider settle between each sub.

[willik]

Its smoking hot :eyepop:
Martin

[Placidus]

Amazingly, there are at least half a dozen tiny galaxies visible amongst all those pinpoint stars.

The cigarillo-carp-chook nebula came out very well too.

[LewisM]

Ta muchly M&T