More of less

[LewisM]

And less of more.

Just for giggles...first time able to image in 3 months (:eyepop:), and of course got sweet FA data due to LP issues, but mainly trees. Anyone loan me a chainsaw?

Usual acquisition details: FSQ-106 PRE-N (fixed dewshield fluorite FSQ), SX M26C OSC without filters (apart from a UV/IR), Vixen SXP mount, next to Canberra airport. Very thin cloud started around 11pm...I kept going :P

1. M42 - this is a SINGLE 10 min sub. No calibration done to it whatsoever, and only a screen transfer stretch. Dust mote issue discussed in the imaging equipment forum.

2. M78 - another single 10 min sub, but this time with full calibration. No processing apart from screen transfer stretch. Seems to have removed the dust motes with full calibration

3. NGC 2014 near the Tarantula. Only 1 hr data, full calibration, noisy as all hell. Details starting to come out in the full size original.

[RickS]

Good to see you collecting photons again, Lewis.

[LewisM]

As cruddy as they are, indeed :P

[Placidus]

That's quite a bag for one night by the airport there Lewis. Well done.

[kosborn]

Very nice Lewis. It seems by coincidence you are only a few km away and I would have thought you'd be swamped by the lights from the airport but it looks better there than here!


Kevin (somewhere else but nearby in the cosmos)

[LewisM]

Swamped - absolutely. I just grin and bear it and make the best of it. It's not so much the airport lighting compared to the Defence buildings over near us - sodium vapour lamps all night... then of course the Qatar 777 flight departs at random times between 11:30 and 1 am, and that shakes and rumbles the ground like a mini-tremor!

If it wasn't for PixInsight, I'd probably give up, but the LP reduction/gradient reduction routines in there are sublime. Absolute sanity savers!

The images here are absolute crap, but I was just happy to be out doing it again. I am continually delighted at what this FSQ, SX and SXP combo can do with such infinitesimally small amounts of data - like I mentioned, M42 and M78 are mere SINGLE 10min subs each (hand focused too).

Plus, I am not afraid to show COLOUR...warts and all. (some here have forgotten what COLOUR is :lol: :whistle:)

[RickS]

Monochrome is a colour isn't it?

[LewisM]

Fifty Shades of Grey Rick...

[Atmos]

If you save it as a RGB image it has RGB values. My Ha images have just been desaturated ;)

Go for 16 hours on M78 over the rest of the season so you can double your integration limit.

[LewisM]

That has been a 6 year dream - M78 is MY target.

[Geoff45]

There you go Lewis.

[LewisM]

Thanks Geoff - I’ll return it in 3 years after inflicting blunt force trauma on the 4 offending trees :lol:

[multiweb]

2000 grit wet sanding would be a slower death.
PS: and yeah I saw those eyes rolling from here.

[LewisM]

My arms are up to it, though I will need an elbow grease and change around the 16 year mark...

[multiweb]

Push up regimen for both kids. Start them early for the take over.

[cometcatcher]

Cool shots Lewis. Just needs more time. (Don't we all?)

[LewisM]

Ta Kev, but only M78 is going to get more time. The others were just for the sake of imaging while the moon was still halfish. I can wait a few more days.

I really am planning 20 hrs (or maybe more!) on M78 this year, finally. It's been my obsession for WAY too long, and it is without a doubt my most preferred deep sky object.