one of my only near focused images from Duckadang 2007 - M45

[h0ughy]

Well, lets see - the focus is out (thats what you get when you lock off a r&p focuser and it moves after a fine sharp focus) and the autoguiding was not the best (need a deeper guider than the toucam) as well as a few people walking into the mount!!:(

But it is the best I have produced so far of this region of sky, so only up from here

[h0ughy]

reprocessed a bit and included the shot when someone walked into the mount.

[RB]

David the first one is really good, I like it.
You've captured great detail in the nebulosity.
Please post the details of the shot.

The reprocessed version is too 'cooked' and you've clipped it.

[h0ughy]

OK 5 x 600 seconds at ISO 800 Cooled canon 350D running at -4.1 deg Celsius, Vixen R200SS scope with vixen coma corrector on a eq6 mount guided with Shoestring USB thingy and a unmodified toucam processed in images plus and hurriedly posted

[h0ughy]

processing isnt my best skill, LOL:whistle:;)

[NQLD_Newby]

Hi Houghy,

I have no idea about anything astrophotographywise, but all I have to say is, that is a spectactular shot. I love the first one. It seems very deep, like you could get lost amongst the stars. Keep them coming, I love to look at the photo's posted on here. :)

[RB]

This is the best place to learn from Dave, maybe outline your workflow and ask the guys, see if there's something that can be changed or adopted to your workflow.

:)

[ballaratdragons]

Houghy,

You've done well mate, considering the 'trip over the mount' Gods were against you. The 1st posted image is nice. Just a pity some goof knocked it!

Geez I need a camera! I want to take images again :sadeyes:

[tornado33]

yes great nebula detail, how cold was it there?
Scott

[Dennis]

Hey Dave

That is a gorgeous image. When you consider all the things that were working against you, you have produced a terrific result.

You guys from south of the border never cease to impress me with your keenness, work ethic, dedication and results after such a long drive up to Astrofest. Hope the journey back was uneventful and that you and Al recover soon!

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy]

Dennis after 12 hours driving we arrived home, but it was marred by a fatal accident we passed only moments after it happened, that was 6 hours into the journey - made the rest of the trip on high alert, and stopped heaps of times for a quick 5 minute rest break and do some of those yogurt maneuvers of yours to stretch the muscles

[sheeny]

I'm impressed Dave! That's one of the deepest Pleaides shots I've seen! Great detail!

Al.

[Dennis]

Ahem – beauty is in the eye of the beholder and whilst you may disparagingly call them "yoghurt manoeuvres", I prefer to call them graceful, elegant Yoga Asanas! :whistle:

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy]

bugger it - this has gone so far off topic who cares:whistle::rofl:. For those who are wondering what our resident wordsmith is talking about - here he is in full aah well ASANAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[h0ughy]

Al, Paul Mayo produced a wonderful shot of M45 earlier this year, to that I aim to be the benchmark, as yet this is far short of that mark.

[ballaratdragons]

I didn't know that the Anasazi did Yoga!

Learn something new every day :P

[Dennis]

Gee – there’s no escaping the all seeing eye and long lens of the H0ugh. Now I know what a celebrity feels like when hounded by the paparazzi!:camera:

Cheers

Dennis

[glenc]

Nice image of M45, the nebula (NGC1435) shows up well.

[gbeal]

Cracker shot Huff, good to see/hear the week went well.

[h0ughy]

Glen the neb regions around this are very new to me, I have never imaged them like this ever! Will have to identify NGC1435 for my self so that I know what you are referring to - thats how much of a mug I am..... I love to point and shoot LOL ask questions later LOL:whistle: .. BTW thanks for the chats:thumbsup: at Astrofest

[h0ughy]

Thanks Gary - I appreciate that:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

I never got to use the big lens Dennis......;)

[2020BC]

I like the M45 shot :thumbsup: but I don't think I'll be trying to image at this place called Duckadang. You lost two images, and they kept banging into the mount all night? Why, it sounds like it would be easier to image on the footpath among all the shoppers downtown in Pitt St. Sydney. :lol: Images would tend to acquire a bit of noise when there's a steady stream of pedestrians queuing up to elbow and kick the mount.:eyepop: How were they so unerringly accurate in the dark? They must have had night vision devices to zero in like that. Was this a martial arts festival? Is that a pic of one of them warming up to get stuck in? Fit looking blighters, heh? You need to dig a moat around the mount to keep them at bay.

[allan gould]

I really like the shot as I know you stayed up late to get it. Great nebulosity and detail. Just hope it wasn't me that kicked your mount.
Good to meet you at last

[h0ughy]

that other shot was but a mere bump, this was the one that made me cringe and have to re polar align and check the setup!!!!! It was in auto mode and I walked away for a few minutes to stretch and have a chat, didn't even know it happened until I lost alignment - took 20 mintues to realise this of course - then took 3 hours to rectify:mad2:

[2020BC]

Not optimal.

[erick]

Hmmmmm... lines?

[h0ughy]

another reprocess - a blue M45 slightly cropped

[2020BC]

Ah, now that's a keeper! Nice capture (and process).:thumbsup:

[davidpretorius]

very nice houghy, i really like your deep sky stuff

[h0ughy]

Thanks David,

I'd really love to like it too but it is frustrating the Cr@p out of me that I should have had tight focus and controlled the autoguiding earlier than I did. I will get on top of this one day..........

Here is another reprocess a bit better than the one above:rofl:

[Ric]

Very nice Houghy, I like the detail in the nebulosity.

cheers

[Dietmar]

hi Houghy!

very nice job!
Tempel nebula shows up nicely!

[h0ughy]

SHowing more of my ignorance here:rofl:, the temple neb:help:? which part is that:shrug:? and thanks for the comment:thumbsup:



EDIT OK went a hunting and found this (http://www.pleiade.org/pleiades_03.html)- explains heaps

[glenc]

This is the famous Merope nebula (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990301.html) also known as Tempel's nebula and designated as 1435 in the New General Catalogue ( NGC (http://www.seds.org/%7Espider/ngc/ngc.html)). Discovered by Wilhelm Tempel (http://leo.astronomy.cz/tempel/tempel.html)On Oct 19th 1859, this is a fine example of what's known as a reflection nebula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_nebula) when a large molecular cloud is illuminated by a bright star, in this case Merope (http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/%7Ekaler/sow/merope.html).
http://www.nightskyhunter.com/Nov%202006%20Deep%20-%20Sky%20Highlights.html

[Orion]

You have to be happy with that Houghy. Scott might have taught you toooooo well, the apprentice outdoes the master!:P

[h0ughy]

LOL no fear of that. Although there is an asteroid of something in the image to the right of the star field

[h0ughy]

another tweak plus I found something within the image? Any Idea on what it could have been - it was through all the images over the 105 minutes:P;) the images were taken from 2.48am through until 5am 11 August 2007

[Dennis]

Hey Dude

Looks like you’ve scored a ‘roid by the name of 1018 Arnolda. Maybe a rellie of the Californian Governor?

Well done!

Dennis

[RB]

LOL Dennis, Arni on roids?........ Never !! ..... :whistle: :lol:

Great reprocessing Dave, excellent result.

:thumbsup:

[beren]

:) Congrats, top M45 image

[Orion]

That same photo was on the NBN news last night.
They were talking about the Luna eclipse and they decided to show a couple of Houghys photos. :thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

thanks Dennis
:thumbsup:[

[astroAJ]

That’s a pretty cool pic
Great job
hope to see more
:eyepop:

[Dr Nick]

This thread isn't getting long at all *sarcasm in vioce*

Nice shot! ;)