Improved - Deep Space with a Toucam

[ballaratdragons]

After reading Matt's comment in my other thread of Deep Sky with a Toucam: "Is there any way you could push the curves and/or levels just to bring out the neb just a fraction more?", I was determined to get more of the Nebulosity.

But rather than squeek more out of poor images, I put a lot more time and effort into the 'capturing'.

Last night I went out at approx 10pm and came in at 5:30am this morning and I must say, I had a fantastic time! And I captured my best images yet!!!

I made sure I was exactly polar aligned, I played with settings in 'Desire', did longer exposures and stacked multiple images (a first for me).

I am very very pleased (and suprised) at the results! They are much improved on my last efforts.

And some say a Toucam can't do this :lol:

All captured with ED80, Modified Toucam 840k Pro II, captured in Desire. Nebulas stacked in Registax and processed in PaintShop Pro. Omega Cent stacked in DeepSky Stacker.

1. Omega Centaurus - 4 x 20 seconds
2. Trifid Nebula - 5 x 30 seconds
3. Carina Nebula - 6 x 40 seconds
4. Orion Nebula 10 x 60 seconds

[ballaratdragons]

And a Collage of the 3 Nebs using reduced sizes for better image clarity.

I hope you like them.

[Astroman]

AWESOME KEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just awesome..

[matt]

Great work Ken.

I hope you didn't take my comment as criticism? It wasn't meant that way.

In fact, I was unaware the original Carina image was a single frame. Which makes it even more of an achievement.:thumbsup:

So, no, you wouldn't try and push the levels etc in a single image as per my initial suggestion:)

Glad it got you thinking, though. Coz these are pearlers.

Well done, mate;)

There's no doubt a ToUcam can take DSO images. That's why there's a long exposure mod.

However... ahhhhhh.............let's leave it there:lol:

[John K]

Fantastic images Ken, well done, nothing like having an all nighter!

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Guys.

No Matt, I never take your comments as critisism. You were right, the old pic needed something. Yeah, they were all single images, but these one I learnt to stack.

I have seen better images of DSO's on the net with the modded Toucam, but its just a buzz when I actually got pretty good results myself.

Can't wait to try all this again with NO Moon! :lol:

[matt]

You...are....go.....for the moon!!!!!!!!!!! (moonless night, that is!)

I reckon it's great your looking to squeeze the most out of the great little ToUcam.

I'm holding on to mine, even though I've just got the DMK.

For the money, they're unbeatable.

[ballaratdragons]

I also captured an image of the Lagoon Neb but it looks terrible. Can't hardly see any Neb at all! Some ya win, some ya lose :lol:

[beren]

Crikey Ken well done mate :thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

Great stuff Ken. Keep at it,... as good as they all are I know you can take it higher still:thumbsup: . It seems you have a nice dark sky there so you may find you can get longer exposures:shrug: :) . I dont know if noise prevents longer exposures with your cam:shrug: , but if you can get your polar alignment so good:thumbsup: and if sky glow or noise is not a problem go longer:) . With Orion may I suggest to add some short exposures to help define the trap area as you will probably burn that area out with longer exposures to reveal further nebulosity. Very impressive it took me ages to get to the level you have stepped up to..keep it up:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: .
alex :) :) :)

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Alex,

I've tried every setting imaginable and after a certain time noise shows up. Just the nature of the Toucam I guess.

The Orion neb shows burnt out centre after only 2 - 3 seconds! and at that timing no nebula is visible. Anything over 5 seconds and stars start to bloat too.

Just for the fun of it, here is a composition of my above Orion and one of my old Trap shots resized to match and blended in PaintShop Pro :lol:

[Astroman]

Thats ummm very pink Ken, suits you to a tea :P

[leon]

Gee's Ken you do magic with that little toucam of yours, you sure your not tricking us. :whistle:

Well done Mate. Leon

[h0ughy]

doing a great job KEN!

[ballaratdragons]

Leon, you have stood there and watched me do it :lol: More than once. And that was with the EQ1!!!! Now I've got the EQ6 I'm pushing every level with the poor little Toucam :)

Thanks Houghy, the mount works great :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Above I mentioned that I also took a pic of the Lagoon nebula but it didn't come out any good.

I have given it another run through stacking. This time I tried 'Deep Sky Stacker' (thanks Alex), but it hasn't improved. As I said above, "some ya win, some ya lose".

Here it is anyway

[seeker372011]

Ken

are you taking dark frames? Think it would help get rid of some hot pixels that show up more noticeably when you stack frames

good work by the way..

the modded ToUcam is very DSO capable..I have imaged several dozen DSOs with a modded ToUcam and a little ETX 70 in alt az

[EzyStyles]

very nice images ken and coming out of just a toucam!

[sheeny]

Excellent Ken! Getting some value for money out of the old ToUcam there!

Al.

[ving]

great stuf ken :)

the lagoon one looks promising tho.