The Helix - found from last years data.

[[1ponders]]

While rationalizing my hard drive :P I came across a series of Helix LRGB frames from last year I hadn't process yet. These were from my early foray (before I bought an SBIG and the rain and clouds set in :lol: ) using the ATiK 16IC and Baader filters. Technically this is only my 2nd ever LRGB combine so I'm moderately happy with it. Could have used more data though.

Details: Date 19-07-07. Orion ED80 @ f/5.7 (Meade 6.3 FR). Atik 16IC mono camera and Baader UV/IR rgb filters. (resolution 3.34 arcsec/pixel) LRGB 15:15:15:15 (all 5x3min subs). Played around with calibration in AIP4WIN for a change, registered using Registar, RGB combined in Registar, Luminance and post processing completed in PS CS

It's a bit noisy, but ya get that with only 15min/channel. :P

[dugnsuz]

That's not too bad Paul - nice colour.
From the days of the Meade FR!!
Heavily cropped I assume!!??;)
Nice find too!
:thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Nice find Paul ... good data to start with and maybe add to soon ay !

I wish Helix was rising a bit earlier, I was out last night for a few hours but gave it away at 2.30am .... too tired :sadeyes: .... I think I got a good 1.5 hours on M20 but haven't processed it yet.

When I was packing up I noticed there was hardly any dew on my gear .... it's been literally dripping lately. It figures that I shouldn't have the stamina to go the whole night in near perfect conditions :shrug:

Heck I could even see Milky Way glow with the naked eye ... a sight unheard of before in my backyard.

Do you find the SBIG better/worse than the Atik ?

:thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

No cropping (except to tidy up the edges). The chip of the ATiK is only 3.7 x 4.9 mm compared to the Canon 300D 14.5 x 21.8

[seeker372011]

thats a bit of allright with an ED80 -quite a bit of detail there

[[1ponders]]

I wish I had and ST2000 Steve. :love:. I bought an ST-7XME NABG chip. I haven't had much change to use it over the past 12 months due to the unbelievable amount of cloud cover it brought with it. From the little use I have had with it, I'd get a ABG chip next time if I were to keep using it for pretty pictures. It wasn't bought for that purpose though, it will hopefully be my scientific camera (Astrometry or Photometry) in the new observatory once it's finished.

[bluescope]

Yeah the more I use the st2000 the more it impresses me .... I do miss the wider fov of a bigger chip ( 350D ) but it's a great piece of gear to learn on.

I see Orion have a 6.1Mp CCD on Bintel $1699 ......... delivery July.

:thumbsup:

[Ric]

Very nice Paul, I enjoyed the colours and detail in this shot.

Cheers

[[1ponders]]

Yes I saw that the other day, very tempting, but I'd still like to spend some time learning this RGB magic. For straight colour stuff I've got the modded 20D, so a nice big chip for adding Luminance to it would be nice ;)

[acropolite]

You can send any unused equipment down to me Paul, I won't use it... promise.... we need the rain....Nice HeliX BTW

[dugnsuz]

I should redo my English Comprehension!!!!:lol:

[[1ponders]]

:lol: Np Phil, you just need to pop up here and pick it up :lol: What would you like me to bring for you to play with at Duckadang? ;)

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone. If this cloud doesn't clear off (literally) then I might play with it a bit more with some different enhancement methods in A4W or CCDSoft or whatever else Ive got hanging around.

[Zuts]

Hi,

Very nice, I reckon you are doing well when you can get the inner lighter blue circle and you cetainly got that :)

Paul

[jase]

Nice work Paul. Indeed, more data would have been nice. Still some fine structure present. The ST series are true workhorses. Its a classic example of "you get what you pay for" with this kit.

[Alchemy]

well done with the color combining..... from jases posts and details on how he does it, it looks like its fairly difficult to do it well. the colors you have look great, the detail is there including the faint outer loop. imagine how it would be with more data.

cheers clive.

[Tamtarn]

We have had cloud cover and fog here for weeks now Paul. Sure gets frustrating. Same as you keep going over old data.

Good rendition of Helix :thumbsup:

[RB]

That's come up nicely Paul !

As you say it's noisy because of only 15min/ch but the colour and processing is great.

[AlexN]

impressive for such a small amount of data.. and even more so for being one of only a small handful of LRGB images you've done... You would have to be happy with that mate!

Alex

[Garyh]

Not shabby at all Paul for such little data!
Very nicely processed!