Pushing Galactic Boundaries

[ballaratdragons]

This is my 2nd image taken with Autoguiding connected whilst imaging with the Modified Toucam.

I wanted to see just how far I can push this Toucam, so Darren and I decided to image a very small faint Galaxy! There are even smaller fainter ones in there too!!!!!!

NGC3495 in Leo - Mag 11.8, Surface Brightness 13.6

[Ric]

Hi Ken, very nicely done.
Mag 11.8, very impressive and it's a top image as well.

Cheers

[DavidH]

Great images Ken.

I am interested to know how you are guiding with the Toucam. Are you using a separate camera or using the video from the imaging camera to guide, and what software are you using? I have a modded Toucam and would like to do some deep sky stuff as well.

Regards,
David.

[ballaratdragons]

Hi David,

With great support and assistance from Laurie (RAJAH) Darren (Wombat) and Bert (Avandonk), between us we have set up my guiding by using a 100mm short tube achromat mounted on top of the ED80 with a standard unmodified Toucam running thru Guidedog with a 'Shoestring Astronomy' Guiding Interface cable.

I guide on an old PC, and capture with the Modded Toucam on a lappy.

Hope that helps. :thumbsup:

Here is a pic of the set-up with 2 Barlows in it (2nd pic)

[EzyStyles]

arh one of those deep galaxies in leo. well captured.

[rogerg]

Good stuff Ken :thumbsup:

I've labelled the galaxies I could find in the FOV. There's a few in the FOV of mag 17+ which haven't appeared, so it appears your limiting mag in the photo is around 16.9 - 17. That's darn good for a modified webcam if you ask me!

I look forward to seeing some more shots like it :)

[Dr Nick]

Very well done,
I just love seeing those tiny background galaxies in an image ;)

[ving]

well done ken!
just wondering, would the 100mm achro gather more light than the ed80?

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Roger, I don't have a program or sky chart which labels those fainter distant ones. Nice to know who they are :thumbsup:

When I raise the brightness I can see more but it makes the whole pic look terrible.



Thanks Nick, they are the fella's I'm after :)



Ta Vingo the Dingo, yep, the 100mm does gather more light than the ED80, but it is an Achro so the quality isn't up to the ED80. Plus I need the extra light gathering for finding a Guide Star with the unmodified Toucam I use for guiding :thumbsup:

[ving]

oh i see :)
thanks for setting me straight :)

so what do you thing the limit of the toucam is?

[mill]

Looking good for the toucam.
Might have to get myself one now that i have a proper mount :)

[ballaratdragons]

Vingo,
according to Rogers reckoning, Mag 17 would be the current limit in the ED80 using 180 second exposures. Dunno how further it will go in the 12". Might be able to push it to Mag 18+. Longer exposures will take it deeper and deeper, but stars will really bloat out and noise will be overpowering. As soon as the weather clears up again tomorrow night I'll take some loooong exposures thru the ED80 and see what we get.

Once the peltier cooling & Amp-off unit is fitted it will go deeper :thumbsup:

[davidpretorius]

cutting edge Ken!

[leon]

By Gee Ken, you can do magic with that little camera of yours, well done.

Cheers leon

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Leon.

I have to make magic with it coz it's all I've got, so I wanna get the best I can out of it. One day I hope I'll be able to step up to something better :thumbsup:

Until then, it's . . . . squeeeeeeeeeeze!