Helix Nebula

[Ric]

Hi all, heres a image of the Helix Nebula I took before Christmas and just got around to processing it. i only managed to get it imaged in Luminescence but I chase up some colour next time it is up and in a favourable position.

Image consists of 30 images @ 15 seconds each
Imaged with Autostar Envisage in Drizzle mode and processed with MaximDL.
Telescope was in Alt/Az mode and tracked with Star Atlas pro.

Cheers :)

[beren]

:) very nice....impressive detail considering the times of the subs :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Thanks Beren, I forgot to add it was taken with a DSI II Pro and f/3.3 focal reducer.
I wish I had time to get the colour subs as well but it dissapeared below the trees to quickly and then I went on holidays so it's on my things to do list for this year.

Cheers

[RB]

Very nice Ric !
Well done.

:thumbsup:

[ving]

i looged on today to be bombarded with great dso images!! :D

nice one :)

[Ric]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Cheers

[duncan]

Hi all,

Very nicely done Ric.
Now has anyone out there with a 10" got photo's of the Helix.
If you have how about posting them. I'm very curious to see what a 10" can do.

Cheers,
Duncan

[Ric]

Hi Duncan, I expect that you'll will achieve good images as well with a 10"
What sort of gear will you be using?

Cheers

[duncan]

Hi Ric,

I'll be using a 10" Skywatcher Newt (f5 i think) on EQ6 mount Gstar-Ex cam.
That's about all i can say at this point in time. Will know more in about 9 months. Thats about when i'll be able to afford this.But i'm working on it all.

Cheers,
Duncan:thumbsup:

[Gama]

Nice shot Ric, do you notice the vigneting around the edges, it makes the stars very white or black.

[Gama]

I used to hate vignetting using the reducers, but you work with what you have, and you did well.

[Ric]

Hi Duncan, by the sounds of it your setup will be more than capable.

Cheers

[Ric]

Hi Gama, thank for the comments. I was reading up about vignetting and if I apply flat fields I can control the vignetting, does that sound correct to you?

I've only been imaging for ten months now so I'm still climbing the learning ladder, it's been a very enjoyable time though.

Cheers

[Gama]

Yes, doing a flat will remove this, but you learn one step at a time. Just get used to imaging in general, then start doing some fancy ding dangs.

[Garyh]

you must have been up real early to catch this one Ric..
Well done!!

[Ric]

Hi Gary, I took it before Christmas last year, it was the other way around and it was setting fast behind the trees. This year I'll catch up with with again and get the colour for it.

Cheers

[Ric]

Hi Gama, I was having a read about flat fields over the weekend and it all looks pretty straight forward. I have the CCD Astronomy book by Wodaski and he runs through it with good easy to read detail and works with the Maxim software as well.
It's too cloudy to look at the stars so I might as well start teaching myself all about the flats.

Cheers