First attempt at Pleiades ... M45

[Jeff]

I love this simple cluster through binocs, or at low mag through a scope to avoid the wobbles. I stumbled across the Pleiades the first time I peeked through a scope in late 2007 (a modest little Meade ETX-60, FL=350mm), and remember gazing for ages. Even at 23x using a cheap super plossl, seeing the large bluish stars first hand made quite at the time.
:astron: :eyepop:

Quick capture on Jan 17th with 450D / ED80.
20x30sec stack @ ISO800 with single dark.
Stacked in DSS and tweaked in PS cs3.

Thanks for looking.
Jeff

[renormalised]

Diamonds in the sky:):)

Take some flats, a few more darks, and they'll turn out really good:)

[Quark]

Hi Jeff,
Well done.
I think you need a lot more data, the blue from the surrounding reflection neb is only just starting to come through. Like you, I am just exploring the possibilities of the 450D. A very good book I have on DSLR imaging talks about the "Times five Rule". What ever exposure you use for your subs, you should take enough darks, at the same exposure to add up to 5 times the exposure of the individual subs.

In this instance you used 30 sec subs so you need 5 x 30 sec darks, at least thats what the book suggests.

There appears to be some round dark artifacts that would be dust etc in the optical system, my research suggests taking 16 flats and Humayan gave me an excellent tip, to take the flats at ISO 100 and not at ISO 800 or whatever your lights were taken at.

This image really shows the possibilities for what you could achieve with this object.

Regards
Trevor

[mill]

Well done Jef.

You need longer exposures to bring out the blue neb around the stars.

[lesbehrens]

like diamonds in the sky.
so cool.
les

[TrevorW]

Diamonds in the sky is correct Jeff M45 is a difficult one to get the neb to show up longer subs etc etc

Cheers

[atalas]

Good effort Jeff.

[bmitchell82]

great shot, but im unsure, have you added diffraction spikes in or have you got the wrong scope as you said you have used a ed80 which will not give them?

[Jeff]

Yeah, I cheated.

No spider vanes on the ED80, so added the spikes using a Photoshop plug-in. My kids think I'm a genius, but I'm under no illusions! :lol:

Jeff

[RobF]

Man there's some serious spikes in there!!
Nicely framed Jeff, and some lovely colours coming through.