My M17 Attempt

[peeb61]

Hi Everyone,
Here is my attempt at M17 - Swan Nebula.
Taken last night when the clouds finally parted and the winds died down.

A total of 15 images for 38m and 39s

1 x 2m at 800ISO
8 x 3 min at 800ISO
1 x 4m at 800ISO
2 x 1m at 1600ISO
2 x 1.5m at 1600ISO
1 x 3m at 1600ISO

Stacked using DSS with Noise reduction and finally adjusted PS

Canon 350D with Broadband DSF Prime focus - Piggybacked Skywatcher 102 Achromatic atop LX200 and autoguided DSI.

One question...does it look like I'm overdoing the processing?

Paul

[Tilt]

The image looks pretty good to me, nice work.

Michael

[Kevnool]

Dont know about over processing i,m an observer that likes to view images ......but is very good to me........cheers Kev.

[strongmanmike]

Looks ok to me. It has a real film image quality about it, nice work.

Your shot is much better of course but here is a film shot I took some 25yrs ago through an 8" F7 Newt on a Samson mount with a crappy AstroOptical delrin drive gear wheel drive, to compare, scanned straight from an old print unfortunately.

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/66997199/original

Mike

[Garyh]

Very nice widefield view Paul! Not over processed at all. Nice colors as well.
Keep going like that...:thumbsup:




Ah I had the very same setup in the early 80s from AOS but a 8" f/6. Nice optics but that worm drive drove me nuts and ended up with a classic 8" SCT soon after.

[strongmanmike]

Agreed! The optics were great, I know Mark Suchting was making nice mirrors for Astro Otical Supplies later but my mirror was probably made around 1980 - 82 sometime (or earlier) and I am sure Mark started after this? Oh the drive though!!! :doh::doh::doh: an absolute piece of ****e! I replaced it with a beautiful 9" Thomas Mathis drive in late 1985 and this was a huge improvement, it was like heaven in those days of eye to the eyepiece guiding, with good polar alighnment I could actually take my eye away from the guide eyepiece for good periods.

Mike

[meade expert]

Looking good Paul...:)

[peeb61]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom and encouragement.
Every time I looked at the image during processing it always looked different that's the reason I asked, it always helps when you have a second pair of eyes.

Thanks again
Paul
The wind here has moved in again so no imaging tonight...darn!