Shaking off the Cobwebs - Orion and the Running Man

[iceman]

Hi all

It’d been almost 6 months since doing any prime focus astrophotography through the ED80, and I was keen to shake off the cobwebs before IISAC2008. It was also my last chance to make sure all my equipment worked before packing it all away for travelling - I’d recently purchased a Belkin USB-Serial adapter, since my serial port had stopped responding on the laptop meaning I couldn’t use ImagesPlus to control the 350D long exposures, and this was the first chance to test that the adapter worked in the field.

I’m happy to report that everything worked as planned. No technical glitches, no equipment failures. It was a beautiful, clear night on Saturday night/Sunday morning and I used the opportunity to capture some data of the Great Orion Nebula (M42) as it rose in the East.

The image is made up of about 90 minutes worth of data at 10 minute subs, ISO400 with the Canon 350D and ED80 with WO 0.8x reducer/flattener. Guiding of the EQ6 was performed using PHD software with a DMK21AU04 and an 80mm f/5 refractor. ICNR was used for dark frames. 15x 15s and 15x 90s subs were used for the core area.

ImagesPlus was used for calibration, aligning, stacking and DDP. Photoshop CS2 was used for final processing.

I’m quite happy with the final result - but I was very out of practise with processing deep-space images. I’m sure there’s more that could be done with the data, but it’s not a bad way to ease back into it.

Given clear skies at IISAC2008 (here’s hoping!), I’m happy that the equipment is ready!

Link to hi-res (1200px) version here:
Orion and the Running Man (http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2008/10/27/shaking-off-the-cobwebs-the-orion-nebula)

[jjjnettie]

One would think that when you shake off the cobwebs, Mike, a Tarantula would fall out.
But you've done a lovely job on M42.
All the best with IISAC.

[iceman]

:lol: Of course! haha

Thanks JJJ.

[sheeny]

Very nice Mike. I'll have to have another look on a good monitor though... I bet there's more detail that I'm not seeing yet.

Al.

[dugnsuz]

Extremely nice return Mike!
More please!!
Doug

[Jeffkop]

WISH I could be THAT out of practice Mike ... superb image .. one of the best ive seen of M42 n surrounds.

[peeb61]

Just beautiful Mike! (And I'm not just saying that).
There is still hope for us 350D and ED80 owners. What a standard to chase.

Paul

[leon]

Fine effort Mike, fine effort indeed, looks sharp and clear and nicely coloured, well done for a 6 month gap.

Leon

[AlexN]

Beautiful colors and fine detail...

Looks very sharp indeed :) Well done.

[Tilt]

Fantastic image. Sharp and heaps of detail.

Michael

[spearo]

lovely, lovely, lovely

very nice definition of the nebula and clouds

print and hang up on the wall I say
frank

[Hagar]

Too many cobwebs in this to shake off. Nice capture Mike.

[Lester]

Nice colour and fine detail, well done.

[Octane]

Mike,

That is awesome. Can't wait to try this one, as well!

I remember M42 was one of three targets I shot at IISAC 2006. I really want to do it justice.

I'll be shooting it with the same setup, except with a G-11. How do you find the William Optics focal reducer on the ED80? Have you had to crop much off the image? Also, is your 350D modified?

Well done; serving as an inspiration!

Regards,
Humayun

[iceman]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your feedback. It certainly was nice to be back in the saddle after such a long time.

I setup the equipment before dark, went back inside and watched "Iron Man" on DVD (top movie btw!), drift aligned after that (which went quite well and quite quickly for a change), and went to bed. Set the alarm for 11:50pm and then got back up to start framing, focusing and capturing.

Went back to bed around 1am while the capturing was under way, set the alarm for 4:30am and got back up, put the light-box on and took flats.

So it was mostly productive while I was sleeping :) I didn't lose any frames due to planes, satellites or anything technical so I was very happy.


The WO type II is pretty good with the ED80. It is a bit picky with the placement though - there's an adjustable screw which lets you slide it in or out about 5mm (as well as around for framing), and depending on how you position this, sometimes you can still get some field curvature. I haven't worked out the best placement for it yet (i'm too lazy to trial and error it :)).
In this image there was some on the left but it was acceptable on the right. I cropped some around all edges and a bit more off the left side.

My 350D is not modified, it's stock.


Thanks so much H, I have used your 50mm images from Zane's as motivation many a time.
I'm sure with your photographic and processing skills you'll produce an absolutely brilliant image and serve as more motivation for me.

[matt]

Good stuff, Mike....especially after a bit of a DSO hiatus:thumbsup:

The colour and tonal range look very natural on my LCD screen. You've done a great job with the processing.

[strongmanmike]

Yep really good work that Mike, you know how to do it for sure :thumbsup:

This image tells me that you have just about got what you can out of the deep sky imaging equipment you have...time to upgrade to see appreciable improvements I think?

If it isn't clear for at least one full night at Lostock..I will bear hug you in public at the group photo :mad2:

Mike :D

[gregbradley]

Fabulous image Mike.

Greg.

[Starkler]

Looks great Mike, but I cant come at this doing astronomy whilst sleeping caper :lol:

[Deeno]

Beautiful image Mike!!

Lots of neb without burn out of the trap.....

should alocate deep stuff more time

[Bassnut]

Excellent Mike, well done, let the ED80-DSLR-IISAC2008 imaging comp soon begin, im doing the same (duh) hehe. Hope you have organised dark skies (or money back?)

[Garyh]

Good one Mike!
Done a fine job at processing this one! cobwebs and all!
You have to get into more DS stuff Mike!
cheers Gary

[iceman]

Thanks again for your comments. It's definitely inspired me to do some more deep-space stuff when time and skies permit.


Yeh I think you're right - more data and darker skies, along with better processing can still give improvements with my current gear, but a modded camera and a sharp refractor would probably give the greatest improvements.

And the bear hug - you say it like it's a bad thing!? :shrug: :lol:


lol I couldn't stay up all night doing it - being able to sleep while it does it makes it bearable :)


Thanks Dean - I used to just try and do deep space stuff at darker skies but this image shows that it can still produce reasonable results from urban skies at home.


The skies will be dark, Fred. I just can't guarantee how clear :)


Thanks Gary - my processing was very "simple" on this one, i'm sure there's more that could be done but I've learnt that less is more most times.

Thanks again all.

[multiweb]

Amazing colours and contrast. Top work! :thumbsup:

[RB]

Very nice capture Mike and I like how you framed it.

:thumbsup: