Martian Bumblebee

[oska]

Just for fun I tried to grab Mars in the Beehive Cluster, hopefully over 4 nights.

I was going to use the 1600MC without reducer but the 2600MC and 0.8x reducer was on there and dialled vaguely in so rather than risk the limited window I resorted to cropping.

The first two nights went fine, grabbed a few frames before it dipped away.
The third clouded over and looked like all was lost, then I was blessed by The Old Gods coz the sky went 100% clear in about 10 minutes. Grabbed my frames and boom 100% clouds again.
Tonight's was a rain out although I tried. Got PA through the small gaps but the target never cleared beyond a wispy view through the clouds for about 30 secs. Even put its little raincoat on. Bother.

I tried to stack Mars as a comet but no luck so I settled for the best consecutive 24 frames from each session.

EON85 + 0.8x
ASI2600MC 3 images, 24 frames of 30s 100g -10C
CEM40ec unguided
PI + GIMP for the series.

Peace, Love & Mung beans

[xelasnave]

Great effort and a good result which is always a good thing...and I really do like your solution to incoming rain...but I would pick up those pavers that are just laying around as you may trip over them rushing around in the rain and dark.

Alex

[oska]

Cheers Alex. Yeah that happens a lot :) I am going to bury them level with the surface and mark the leg spots, sooner or later.

[AstroViking]

Hi Oska,

I posted a reply earlier today but must have hit the 'Cancel' button as it's not here. Darn it.

That's a very cool image, getting the red of Mars and the blue of the Beehive together like that. Very cool timing and excellent planning.

Your telescope looks quite cute with it's nose poking out of the "tent". As if to say "Please, let me out to play..."

Cheers,
V

[Dave882]

Oooh that's a great series of shots! Fantastic!!

[oska]

Cheers V, I wanted to make the beehive bluer but all the things wouldn't let me :)

Cheers Dave.

[carlstronomy]

Nice image John, lots of star colour in the cluster with Mars. Nice round stars also :thumbsup:

[oska]

Thanks Carl.

[Doogs38]

Very cool, Oska-Dude, and a great series of images. I saw this event advertised and wanted in, but the salt mines were calling … bother. I have a rain coat for my SCT setup but not my refracs. I like what youve got there, a local solution? Alex Jnr

[oska]

Cheers Alex. It was the 155x150 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003175905909.html
Bonus: it's got camo' print on the inside to make the creatures feel at home.
I've got the 100x75 too but it's rubbish by comparison, barely a dew cover.

[Cyberman]

I like it. ? could also make it into a giff with gimp.
Cheers,Rob

[oska]

Thanks Rob. I was thinking that too. There is only a short grab each night and therefore would be big jumps in the gif. I thought maybe? but settled for the sequence.

[Doogs38]

Thanks John. I’ll get one. Alex