M83 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

[Startrek]

Last night conditions were excellent on the South Coast NSW after some cloud cleared around 9pm and provided a 3 hour window to image before the cloud hit again
Captured M83 for the first time in over a year

NexDome Obs
No moon
No dew
Bortle 3/4
8” f5 GSO Newt
EQ6-R mount
ZWOASI2600MC Gain 0 cooled to -10C
No filter ( just internal UV/ IR cut protective window )
EAF
Baader MPCC Mk3 coma corrector
Orion 60mm guide scope with ZWOASI120MM-3
29 x 4 min dithered guided subs
40 x Flats
50 x Bias
EQMOD and Ascom Stellarium
APT
PHD2 Multistar guiding ( total error 0.60 arc sec ) rock solid guiding for the whole session
Stacked in DSS
Processed in Startools V1.7 OSC linear data set

Would have liked another hour or two of data but not to be

Original frame
Crop version

Comments welcome
Thanks

[PKay]

Good work M.

30 subs I regards as the minimum, you got 29 :)

I had about 3 hrs same night, day before was an absolute cracker.
Best conditions in 4 months.

Clouds are back :(

[Dave882]

Great job finding some clear sky and a nice capture there! Well done :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

A great, relative quicky, Martin, the outer halo is showing nicely. It looks a bit too blue though (err?..I have been notorious for a blue bias in some of my images in the past too, so I can talk :whistle:), so you might want to fiddle some more with that aspect?

Mike

[Mickoid]

I'm agreeing with Mike on the blue hue on this one Martin. You've got some really nice data there which just requires colour balance adjustments to make this one a real winner! Good job. :thumbsup:

[Startrek]

Thanks All
Yes totally agree with the blue bias , I did back it off and thought it looked a bit bland but in hindsight a more conservative colour balance would have made a better image
I’m just stoked to score a clear stable night be it only 3 hours until cloud rolled in
The 2600MC still amazes me how much detail you can acquire in an hour or two of imaging a Galaxy
A 2600MM is on the cards for 2023 .....

Thanks again !!

[Bassnut]

That blue is a smack to the eyeballs to be sure, but I don't mind it, really pops, good work. Lets call it art.

[Startrek]

Thanks Fred
Art with some science thrown into the mix
I usually do a reprocess anyway in Startools
Colour is always bit tricky, might try loading Compose and see what blends I can come up with
All good fun
Cheers
Martin