Leo Triplet

[chances]

Looked like a good night last night to get the scope out so I set up with a clear view over to the north to try and get some galaxy shots.

Taken with a Celestron 925EdgeHD / ASI2400.
Still using my 120mm for the guide camera which is very hit and miss depending on where the scope is pointing.
Once the target crossed over the meridian I could only manage 3 photos before I gave up as PHD wasnt happy with what it was seeing :rolleyes:

Got a total of 107 x 120s images with the L-Pro filter, stacked and processed with Pixinsight and a bit of Photoshop for the colors.

Haven't had the opportunity to take this rig out to a dark site yet, thinking the colors on this target would pop much more without that filter on so its on the bucket list as it frames up so good.

I've attached the raw files on my google drive if anyone is bored and wants to play around with the data and I uploaded a larger version to Astrobin also :)

TIF File - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hzni-J84p38QE54ZlyI4mXmZID4V8H0G/view?usp=share_link

XISF File - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1In43Qqv8iFbh2HjoB5DgOw7l_Ow3OIAr/view?usp=sharing

(not sure if the files contain the same data so I just uploaded one of each for those who dont use Pi)

Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/5z3p5p/

[Dave882]

That’s a really lovely image! You’ve picked up some great detail in there. Stars look pretty darn good to me but yes an oag will really help you especially at this fl. I can feel your pain as I shoot in heavy light pollution as well- the colours and detail will be better and processing easier if you go somewhere darker but sometimes that’s an unobtainable luxury. Even so I think it’s a great result so well done!!

[chances]

Thanks Dave! :)
I went to an oag a while ago, I tried for months with a guide scope but it wasn't working what so ever even with the 0.7x reducer.
The problem is the 120mm guide cam with the oag is barely useable, only finding a guide star about 70% of the time. I can rotate the image train but then I need new flats for the night so I try not to do that if possible.
Its recommended to use the 174mm with its big sensor and pixel size with this focal length, expensive upgrade.
I have thrown it into stellarium and it frames up those galaxies in the Leo Tripplet very nicely and it should make a great planetary camera also.
(always trying to justify the purchase :lol:)

Also been testing a Bluetti EB3A portable battery and its not quite enough power with the dew heater running for a full night so I still need to get everything sorted before I head out somewhere away from 240v.

Keen to try some 1min subs for a night to see if I can get the SNR down a little, its in the worst part of the sky here shooting directly over towards the port of Brisbane.

Hopefully if the forecast stays true ill give it a run tonight.

[Dilsh]

Lovely image. I would be very happy with that. I find galaxies really hard.

I have the same scope as you without the focal reducer. I use a qhy290m as a guide camera. Hoping to use it as a planetary cam once I have more experience with the scope. A oag is almost a must with the 925 as is a sensitive guide cam. It's one of those expenses that you will eventually make so don't fight it 😉.

Again lovely image.

Cheers,

Dilshan

[chances]

Thanks Dilshan! :)
Yes so true, I tried for so long with my 2 small guide scopes, even tried putting a barlow on one - total failure of course :rofl:

The moment I used an oag everything just started to work as intended.
Unfortunately the Celestron oag is quite expensive but with its huge prism there's heaps of area available to the guide camera.
Must have upgrade in my opinion.

I haven't been using the reducer much lately as I need to crop out the corners in post to get a nice image. Without the reducer its great so mosaics and such are much easier to plan but problems with wind gusts or bad seeing is exaggerated also.

Although for faint targets like Dolphin or Pencil nebula that reducer helps alot speeding up the images!

[gregbradley]

Very luminiscent and detailed. Super sharp.

Greg.

[chances]

Thanks Greg :)
Wanted to try some more tonight, seeing and guiding seemed very nice early on but the clouds rolled in a few hours early unfortunately.