Some NGC's from 400+

[rogerg]

G'day all,

I've broken the 400 barrier, of NGC objects photoraphed and kept (many images have been trashed over the last couple of months of the project, probably taken 600 total).

Problems have included:
- cloud
- fog
- dew
- dodgy RA motor that had to be replaced (trashed several weeks of images with what lookedl ike bad PE)

I'm happy with how it's going because I can now setup a night in 20mins (including build script and open roof etc) and process a night's images (40-50 objects (400-500 images) on a good night) with 5 clicks. But it would be nice to get into a run with more continuous runs of good nights, I'm hoping for that with the coming new moon, having just recently sorted out the RA motor.

These are just a few that stand out when scrolling through the thumbnails, as many as I could attach to the one post. Resized down to 600px wide.

Sure, they are far from perfect, but it's the automation which is the primary objective, image quality is something I'm working on gradually as I improve the automation.

Image processing is simply: reduce, sum, levels, curves, levels. Most of it automated, I only tweak a few now and then manually. So the cores and stars etc are burnt out, and noise level high, because it's automated and I haven't managed to get the automation of levels etc more specific to each individual image, and i'm erring on the side of brighter to see the full extent of the object in chip.

All shots are 10 x 30 seconds. Combined using sum.

Areas to imrpove are the levels/curves processing part (not sure how yet), automating the insertion of accurate focus and plate solve points - not inserting them where I don't need them and making sure they are inserted where they are needed, and simply getting in to the flow of acquiring several nights worth straight without any drama's.

:)

Roger.

[Ric]

Hi Roger, a lovely collection of galaxies NGC4039 looks amazing.

Do you have plans to put these images into a book or similar. No doubt a lot SN hunters would be interested in as reference images.

Great work

[rogerg]

Thanks Ric. I plan to put them all on my website, or a website, somehow, but have a bit of a logistical problem of how exactly to do that right now. My current website doesn't permit FTP access, I need to build a utility in it to allow me to upload a night's images in one hit, to make it practical to do. So eventually, I'll get to the stage that they're online hopefully :)

I might do myself a photo-book of them, unsure though, there's a lot, and it'd cost a bit. I doubt there'd be enough interest in a book made available to others - my photo's are of only so good-a quality, and there'd be very few total number of people after it I expect, so costs would be too high.

:)

[Garyh]

Good going Roger, I have been wondering how your NGC hit list was going!
I would love to browse them all when you get them uploaded and sorted on you site!
cheers Gary

[jase]

Interesting project Roger... now go image all those galaxies again, then blink them to check for supernovas. ;) You'll never be bored again, trust me.:D
How do you intend to represent them - a catalogued web entries or similar. Would be nice to get true image center details for each object via the plate solve process and publish this info as well.

Hey, you want to hit those northern NGC targets - GRAS (http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com) or Lightbuckets (http://www.lightbuckets.com). It wouldn't cost you much for such short exposures. GRAS conducted an imaging messier marathon not long ago. How many M-targets can you acquire in one night or something. A few people entered. Some good imaging took place. Not sure if anyone got them all!:lol:

[rogerg]

Supernova's - no thinks, already in boredom deficit :lol: However, I would like to make them available in case others want to use them for such work.

How to put them on the web: Good question. Three problems:

getting them up there efficiently with the details that are in the headers (inc RA, DEC),
displaying them in a usable format
having the display of them efficient and perhaps limited such that I don’t blow the bandwidth allowance on my hosting :-)
GRAS - Very nice, but my astronomy runs on a bit of a shoestring budget these days, so probably won't happen soon. The aim of the project is to make the most out of my current equipment by better automating it, so in that respect no northern NGC objects are required. If I find I reason I need northern NGC's then GRAS is an attractive option. :)

Thanks Jase :thumbsup:

[rogerg]

Good to know I haven't been forgotten about even with my lack of images on IIS :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Never forgotten Roger, I think this is a very worthwhile project.

I believe there will be a lot of people who will benefit from your efforts.

Cheers

[glenc]

That is a great project Roger. It also provides a guide to magnitudes because they are all 10x30 seconds,

[rogerg]

thanks guy's :)

[winensky]

Its a fantastic project. Congratulations and thank you.