First Image for a Long time M16

[leon]

Hi Guys, well two nights ago was the first clear one we have had down here for ages, so took advantage of it and did an hours worth of the Eagle, M16

Exposures consisted of 10 @ 6 Mins each, through the Tak, and Modded 5D, ICNR, on the G11, and Auto Guided with a WO 80mm FD, and Orion Auto Guider as the camera, Flats applied, processed in Image Plus, and touched up in PS2.

Please comment, if you have any opinions, either way, I can use the help and consider any feed back as a good learning tool. ;)

The first is a full wide field (4368 x 2912), next three quarter crop at (3494 x 2328) followed by a half crop at (2184 x 1456) and last a quarter crop of (1092 x 728).

Have a look and see what you think.

Leon :thumbsup:

[iceman]

Nice Leon, it has been a while since i've seen anything from you.

The framing of the first one looks a bit odd, but the crops are nice. Good detail and lots of nebulosity.

Well done!

[leon]

Thanks Mike, yea I know the framing is a bit off, but I really only noticed it when I had finished.

I just figured like always, that the Gemini Go To would nail it pretty much in the middle, like it usually dose, but on this occasion seeing that I slewed the mount from one end of the sky to the other it just didn't quite do that. :shrug:

Never mind, I will make a point of checking next time.

Thanks for your comments. ;)

Leon :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

Looks great Leon. Nice details and colors.

[dugnsuz]

Nice to see you back imaging leon:)

I like images 2 & 3 the best.
The full crop (No. 4) looks a wee bit out of focus, either that or the stars are slightly bloated :shrug:
Great detail in the nebula - pillars etc, so focus can't be that bad eh!?:P

Very Nice - hope the weather is kind to you so that we can see much more from your cracking setup...how long have you been using the Orion autoguider?? Is it way better than the webcam??

All the best
Doug:thumbsup:

[TrevorW]

Great shots Leon !!

[jase]

Great to see you back into it Leon. Lovely work to display as well. Really enjoy the wide field perspective of this target. Would have liked to have seen some more colour in those stars. Good histogram control however...no clipping. Well done.

[leon]

Many thanks guys, I have to admit I have had a bad time of it of late, and it was good to get back out there and do some imaging.;)

And Doug in answer to your question, the simple answer is NO...:whistle:

I have lost so many guide stars half way through imaging, I have lost count, the web cam never gave me any trouble.

Admittely it may have been a little more time consuming to find a star with the Web Cam, but when it found one it stayed with it, seriously considering selling this Orion thing. :shrug:

Leon:thumbsup:

[leon]

Jase, thank you for your response and comments, now you mention that the Stars are a bit lifeless so to speak, with out colour, I have to agree, they do look all pretty white.
Have I processed this out of them, or do I need to do something else to have them appear more natural , thanks.

Leon :thumbsup:

[Alchemy]

looks like you scored a clear night..... most unusual .:lol:

nice detail given theres lots of megapixels of data there and the close up shows all the good bits in the neb.

[peter_4059]

#3 is my favorite - lots of detail, sharp and colours look good.

[dugnsuz]

Wow, didn't see that coming!
I'll stick with the old Toucam then!?
I've just bought a crayford for the guidescope which is making the finding of guidestars a bit easier - the old R+P focuser was a nightmare!!!
All the best
Doug:thumbsup::thumbsup:

ps...now that I'm at home, your cropped image looks way better on my monitor than it did on my work monitor - apologies, my initial comments were based on the image viewed on a that cheapo hunk o' junk!

[RB]

I like quickly flicking through this series one at a time, it feels like you're zooming in on M16.
:)


Wow that's a surprise !
Wonder what's causing that?

[leon]

Thanks Andrew, glad you liked them, it has been a while since I posted anything, but now I am back on track, I hope. ;)

Andrew, I don't really know what is causing this problem with the Orion Autoguider, but as I mentioned earlier, it is not as good as it is cracked up to be, IMHO. :shrug:

A number of times it has just stopped, for no apparent reason, and also a number of times it has just lost the guide star.

They tell us that it will pick up heaps of stars to calibrate on, but I find this a bit of nonsence as the Web Cam did a fine job as well.

I have it focused accurately, and PHD is working well, never an issue with the Toucam.

It is a real pain when you are in the middle of an imaging run and it decides to lose the guide star, I admit this can happen if the clouds appear or the signal is weak, but on all those occasions it was clear and the software was doing it's job.

For the $389.00 I paid for it I would expect it would perform better, and in all honesty I'm not happy with it at all.

It also takes double the time to actually calibrate.

OK I have had my whinge now, so back to more important business. :lol:

Leon :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Hi Leon, they all look great.

I like No. 1 as it shows the area as a whole then the next three are great as a sequence as you close in on the pillars.

cheers

[leon]

Glad you enjoyed them Ric, yea, I like em too, thank you.

Leon

[Garyh]

Thats a lovely widefield view Leon!
Even zoomed right in all looks quiet sharp and detailed...
cheers

[Craig_L]

Nice wide field Leon. You should almost be able to get M17 in there as well - a bit further on to the right if I'm correct. I've been trying to image both with the Sky 90 over the last few nights but my tracking is playing up. One night soon I hope.

Craig

[beren]

:thumbsup: Hey nice to see your work Leon well done, hope you can sort out that autoguider

[leon]

Thanks guys, yes graig I can usually get both in on the same frame, but on this occasion I chose to do them seperatly, I am actually doing M17 tonight, if it stays clear.

Yea Scott I will get it sorted mate, it just pee's me off when it stops for no reason, thanks for your comments.

leon

[winensky]

A lovely sequence of crops. Great light and colour. I know exactly the night you were speaking of. It seems we have only had two decent nights in 2 months here. Thanks so much for the heads up on the Orion autoguider. Guess you can't believe everything you read. I was just about to order one with the Orion 80 short tube to set up guiding but I will have to rethink. Given everything else I have is Meade I might be better waiting for a 2nd hand DSI II.