Rho Ophiuchus Nebulae Complex

[jase]

Hi All,
A while between posts again, so I'm pleased to present an image in which I've been working on for a while. Data collection stalled a few times due to weather and other commitments. The inspiration to produce this image originally came from fellow member, Humayun (Octane) who posted (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=22090) a similar scene back in July 2007 - most impressed by this, two years later I decided to focus my efforts.

So here's my rendition of the Rho Ophiuchus Nebulae Complex (http://www.cosmicphotos.com/gallery/image.php?fld_image_id=181&fld_album_id=9).
Warning: large resolutions may take time to load.

About the target;
The Rho Ophiuchus Nebulae Complex is located in the constellation of Ophiuchus, and is perhaps one of the most colourful and intriguing areas of the night sky. It features, the red giant Antares, the Ophiuchi triple star surrounded in reflection nebulae (IC4604). In addition, present is a globular cluster (M4) with a dense star core accompanied by a the small cluster (NGC6144) and various segments of dark nebulae. The red-supergiant star Antares dominates the image and is surrounded by unusual yellow reflection nebulosity. Antares is approximately 700 light years away and is 10,000 times more luminous than our Sun. The sensational blue IC 4604 reflection nebula surrounding the Rho Ophiuchi triple star is intriguing feature of this complex. It is a result of interstellar dust that is illuminated by nearby stars. The red areas of this image are red emission nebulae that are created by hydrogen gas emitting light. The dark areas are not star void, but are dark nebula where thick dust clouds are obscuring background stars.

A few words on the image;
The image is an eight panel LRGB mosaic covering approx 7.2 x 9.5 degrees (two hours data per panel). While the FSQ has a spacious FOV, it simply doesn't do the area justice as a single frame. I kept the overlap percentage relatively large - TheSky data acquisition plan is attached for reference. Post registration, I stitched the luminance frames together, then proceeded to work on the RGB. The two were then introduced. Could have spent more time on stitching as some frames didn't blend so well. Luminance is typically easy, chrominance is a different story. The RGB data was particularly complex to work on with due subtle colour shifts and matching challenges. I originally thought the brightening toward the bottom right of the image was a gradient until I realised that its the natural glow of the galactic plane. A heavily DDP stretched and saturated RGB layer provide the vibrant hues notorious of the region. Not much else to add, processing was similar to the MW9 mosaic (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=45438) so you can read up on other aspects of the workflow if desired. The presented full resolution image has been reduced in size by 50%. The original is simply too large for web production without introducing jpeg compression artefacts.

Certainly not my best that's for sure - poor conditions while acquiring some of the green filtered subs has resulted in background hues in areas which have been difficult to chase, and maintain colour fidelity across the panels, overall its a mess IMO and I'm tiring of bright star reflections that the Custom Scientific filters deliver with this set up, so have a set Astrodon GenII's coming shortly.

A big shout-out to Bert (avandonk) who provided the scaffold image in which I utilised to correct frame rotation, ensuring optimal alignment of the panels - the 300mm lens delivers a lovely flat wide field. Much appreciated, thanks!

Anyway, enjoy it for what its worth!

Cheers

[Peter Ward]

A truly splendid rendition of one of the most beautiful regions of the southern sky. Well done Jase. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Fan-bloody-tastic mate... Rotated it 90 degrees to the left and set it as my desktop background.... Brilliant.

[leon]

Ah man, he has done it again, :eyepop: that is something so awesome I'm star struck, :thumbsup: a great piece of imaging Jase. ;)

Leon :thumbsup:

[alan meehan]

You have nailed it Jase the best i have ever seen very well done

[TrevorW]

Don't you just dislike show offs :P

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thum bsup:

[Bassnut]

Wow, that fair jumped out of the screen on opening Jase. Non of your woozy subtlty you normal see on this one. Excellent, high dynamic range, smooth and detailed. A pleasent surprise.

[Matty P]

Truly amazing image Jase. The colours are spectacular. One of the best I have seen of this region. :)

Just beautiful. :thumbsup:

[avandonk]

What was it they said about one of Mozarts compositions.... TOO many notes that made it incomprehensible.

I feel the same about this image as it shows things I/we have never seen.

Absolutely brilliant image Jase!

What Jase is getting at for mosaics is that you are trying to project a spherical surface onto a flat or planar one. If you just use Registar to stick your frames together they will distort. If you have a scaffold image at a shorter say half the focal length that is rectilinear then it is a simple matter to keep the high resolution mosaic under control.

Bert

[Hagar]

Magnificent , truely magnificent Jase. A lot of work but the finished product is fantastic.

Thanks for sharing this one.

[jase]

Cheers Peter. Pleased you like it. Was one of those images I sat on for a while...kind of mulling over the data, pushing its boundaries until I found something that worked. Still think its a mess though.:shrug:



Thanks Alex. Go for broke mate. Technically it should be rotated to the right when you look at much wide FOV's. In the good ol'days, imagers use to refer to north as being up for orientation. These days, north could be any direction given instrument rotators and the like. For reference the instrument PA was set to 245.1 degrees. Thanks for your comments.:)



Cheers Leon. I recall you were giving the area a go too with the FSQ. Keep at it. As seen in Humayan's image, its a great target for DSLR's.:)



Thanks Alan for your comments. Certainly an interesting area with various targets about. An imagers delight (and challenge).



Cheers Trevor. Will try to keep it low key.;)



Thanks Fred. I liken the M20 - it is best suited to higher saturation of hues to do the region justice. There is plenty to see. As with many wide field shots, you start to see other imaging possibilities at longer focal lengths. Pleased you like it.



Appreciate the kind word Matty. Thanks mate.



No, thank you Bert. Without your assistance in providing the scaffold image I doubt the end result would be the same or at the very least the workload would have doubled. I've often thought about purchasing a 135mm lens simply to produce the scaffold images for longer focal length mosaic plans. Perhaps, its cheaper if send you a PM to nail the area for me.;) Thanks again for your assistance and comments on the image. Appreciated.:)



Thanks Doug. Still think you should have stuck it out with a mono chip and filters. Yes the workload in producing an image is tripled, but as you say the finished product is what counts. Thanks again for your kind words.

==================

Thanks again all. :D

Cheers

[jase]

Yep, you're right on the money Bert.:) Without a scaffold image it makes producing a mosaic troublesome to say the least.

[jjjnettie]

Breath taking!

[troypiggo]

Holy snapping duck-crap. I'm only new to this sport, and I've still seen some pretty impressive images of that region. This one seems to have a slightly different feel to it than the others, and it's certainly very appealing and top of the list. Love the dust and colours and detail and scale and composition and focus and ...

[Paul Haese]

Lovely work Jase. Fantastic colours and very smooooth.

[marc4darkskies]

One of the best renditions of this area I've seen Jase. Vibrant, balanced colour and fantastic detail for this wide a field. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Cheers, Marcus

[Octane]

Jase,

Bravo, bravo. *round of applause*

That is one of the most beautiful images I've ever seen. *gobsmacked*

I was waiting for this piece from you and I'm so happy to finally see it.

Congratulations. :)

Regards,
Humayun

[Bassnut]

Wouldve creamed DM, juuusstt too late :P:D:whistle:

[multiweb]

Truely awesome! I really like the framing and the way you've provided for the extensions going all the way down. The brown lanes really standout against the star background and the blues really pop. Must have been a real challenge to blend the panels and match the seams with that many stars in the overlap areas. Inspirational both in term of acquisition and processing. That's the kind of stuff that makes me wanna do better :thumbsup:

[Paul K]

A beautiful image !!

[MrB]

yeah, it's ok I spose.

[MrB]

haha, just kidding!
Mate, it's *&$#*ing amazing.

Just been swimming around in the 3726x4905 version.... never realised there are TWO(3?) globs in that region!

[Octane]

Jase,

Also, thanks for the trip down memory lane -- I clicked the link you provided. Wow, how far imaging has come in just 2 years (comparing my own work to other DSLR users and not professional CCD). I am really desperate to get out there.

Once again, your image is remarkable.

Regards,
Humayun

[h0ughy]

i so love this area, beautiful image. this is one part of the sky i would dearly love to image to come close to what you have achieved. Simply amazing

[coldspace]

Just stunning,

The amount of hours put into this makes it wothwhile when you can look at something like this

Regards Matt.

[DavidU]

Oh my gawd !
How good is that !

[dugnsuz]

You've raised the bar a tad with this one jase!!
Simply stunning
Doug

[Lester]

Beautiful to the max. Good on ya Jase.

That image is showing stuff I have not seen before in this region.

[jase]

Thanks Jeanette. Pleased you like it!



Thanks for your comments Troy. The area certainly has rather diverse nebulosity types which makes it an interesting scene to image.



Cheers Paul. Yes, the colours took a little extra work. I used PS colour filtering technique using a warming photo filter that was selectively introduced to areas. Seems to have worked quite well, so will probably use it again in future images. Thanks for your comments.



There's a few good ones out there Marcus, but very few (if any) cover the same FOV with comparable resolution. If you've got the time, mosaics will push you to your processing limits. I'm looking forward to processing a single frame image again as there's much less to worry about! Appreciate your comments.





Thanks Humayun. To date, I've not come across a similar DSLR image of the region as your original has portrayed. Yes, equipment plays part of the role, but to make the most of the equipment, you need to have a sound understanding of what do with the data you get from the gear. Your image is a great example of what can be achieved. Now get out there and collect more data - time waits for no-one. ;)



:lol: Ah Fred...even if the image was ready I probably wouldn't have entered it. As you're aware, I didn't enter this year, so maybe next. The DM's are a mind game in which at times I'm personally not certain of what it proves other than some recognition that ultimately can be found in many alternate ways.



Thanks Marc. The dusty extensions where planned using TheSky (as per the attached plan in the original post. Sure, I could have simply nailed the top as a four panel mosaic, but it doesn't capture the environment. Anyone can point a camera to the sky and take a picture, but if you're looking to produce something memorable it requires some planning and thoughtful execution. There was approximately 10% overlap between the frames which is easy to work with. I've tried 5% and it's living on the edge. Frame misalignments aren't fun especially when you need to go back and shoot more data to fill in the gaps. Telescope pointing accuracy is obviously critical for this to all come together. Pleased it has provided some inspiration. Now get out there an produce some images!



Thanks Paul. Appreciated.



Cheers Simon. The original is double those dimensions so should make a fine print - once I get a chance that is. Yes, three globular clusters are present. The most common two are to the right. M80 is the third at left of frame.



Appreciate the kind words Houghy. Thanks.



Cheers Matt. Its a labour of love.;)



Thanks for checking it out David and making comment.



Cheers Doug. I'm only trying to out-do myself and push the boundaries. Appreciate the kind words.



Thanks Lester. There's plenty of stuff not regularly imaged on display. Gives me a few ideas for some future long focal length work that's for sure. Pleased you liked it.

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Thanks all. Will see what the next image brings. This interest (hobby) is full of possibilities, limited only by ones mind (or perhaps the skies the limit - pun intended).:)
Cheers

[iceman]

Well I don't think it gets any better than this.

That's just stunning. Thanks Jase, I enjoyed that immensely.

[peter_4059]

Amazing image Jase - there's a lot of work in that one and it pays off. Great work.

Peter

[sheeny]

I concur! WOW!

Al.

[multiweb]

Wish I could. Too much work at the moment... and rain :sadeyes:

[Benny L]

nice work Jase!! been chasing this region for a while myself :) although for me i think its cursed haha! if its not the weather, its air traffic, if its not that its something else lol..

verry impressive mate :)

[gregbradley]

Man that is really gorgeous. A lot of hard work and planning has gone into this beauty.

Greg.

[jase]

Pleased you liked it Mike. A methodical approach worked well. Thanks for your comments.:)



Thanks Peter. :) Always rewarding when a plan comes together. Sometimes images just "click", this was one of those moments despite wrestling with the RGB data over a few days.



Cheers Al. :)



Yeah, I hear you Marc. Weather and work commitments has driven me to now take a different approach. I've decided to go "hardcore" and finish setting up my observatory for autonomous data acquisition. At present, everything other than opening the observatory shutters and monitoring the weather is automated (focusing, guiding, pointing, dome slaving etc are all done without assistance). I'm waiting delivery of Sirius motorised shutters (should be here this week) and cloud sensor (in three weeks). This will finish the project, hopefully introducing major efficiencies given I can control the observatory located 160km's under darks rural skies from the city and also on "school nights" when I need to work the following day. Just what I need for these multi-panel mosaics.:D The road ahead is fraught with danger, but extended insurance will cover it.;)



Cheers Benny. Weather can't be controlled, but air traffic such as planes and ufo's are easy to deal with using data rejection. Don't let them get in the way of having a shot at the lovely region of the sky. At least before its the end of the Rho season - there's still time.



Thanks Greg. Pleased you like it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.:)

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Thanks all.:D

[Rob_K]

Truly remarkable Jase, one of those very rare & special images that imprints on the senses and will be remembered! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Only wish I had a giant monitor to view the high-res - the impact of the low-res when it first opened was.... lost for words...

Cheers -

[bloodhound31]

Jase, I just can't get the words out. There is so much going on in that image!

Beautiful is as good a word as any as sometimes I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe such work.

Baz.

[Tamtarn]

The composition is what makes your image so special Jase.

The dark lanes streaming from the main nebula region the detail and subtle colour make a spectacular image.

The hours spent capturing the data creating the mosaic and many more hours of processing has produced something very special.

[Dennis]

Hi Jase

Well, now that I have picked myself up off the floor and dusted myself down, let’s put pen to paper! This truly wonderful cosmic scene really impacts the viewer on so many levels.

Attempting such a daunting project sends a clear message that here is a person who is not intimidated by the magnitude of the challenge; they are confident of their visioning, planning, execution, processing and presentation capabilities.

It takes a prodigious talent and bucket full’s of experience to master the technical complexity that lies behind this masterpiece and for that I applaud you.

The presentation and processing is beyond my ability to meaningfully critique so I am left with the inadequate words of bravo, well done and congratulations for pulling this off. The 3726x4905 version is stunning in the variety of objects it reveals, how wonderfully it reveals them, the seamless stitching, the data smoothness and the in your face beauty of this remarkable region.

I’m really not too sure where you can go from here, but I am certain you will find another impossible peak to climb!

Cheers

Dennis

[2020BC]

That's extraordinary, Jase. Hard to believe that's a mosaic. A remarkable benchmark image. One to remember for sure.:thumbsup:

[suma126]

JUST STUNNING TOP MARKS 10/10 :thumbsup:.

[telemarker]

Mama mia! What a work of art. The large image is magnificent, everything in focus and smooth even when you delve right in. Pan out and everything is there in perfect detail and wonderfully framed. Simply put Jase, its a masterpiece.

[strongmanmike]

Ahhh, you make me laugh Jase...yeh it looks just awful...peeeuuuuke :rolleyes:

It's aaaaalmost Gendleresque ;) only got several dozen more frames to add and you will be with him :thumbsup:

I agree with Baz, beautiful is the best word.

Mike

[jase]

Thanks Rob. I find it intriguing why it is impressionable. There are many wide field shots of this target taken before this. I guess its the fact that the mosaic has provided "punchy" resolution to a wide field vista. Thanks for your comments. :)



Thanks Baz. A picture speaks a thousand words. :)



Thank you kindly Barb and David. :thumbsup: I did spend quite some time planning this image, but not much more than I normally would for other images. As methodical/clinical as it sounds, I never start imaging something without a plan. Planning is a key part of the experience to producing an image. When planning, you can really determine how you want the target to look in its surroundings. Composition is probably one of the most important aspects to wide field imaging. The more you can squeeze into the FOV or try to pair up different objects adds to the dimension. Endless possibilities. Appreciate your comments.



Dennis,
As always, I enjoy your thought provoking feedback. Thank you very much for your praise. I'm certainly not phased by such challenges, if anything they provide stimulus to push the boundaries and test myself. Over the last few years where I've taken imaging a "little" more serious, I'd have to say that producing mosaics has got to be close to the pinnacle of technical imaging challenges. Knowing what effort goes into them ("visioning, planning, execution, processing and presentation") provides a remarkable sense of respect for others who have walked the path before me. I'm however not at the summit yet, and while there are more challenges, targets and techniques to learn, I'll continue this journey...and most importantly, all while I continue to have fun along the way! Thanks again!:)



Cheers Bill. A typical camera lens would present a similar FOV, but would lack the resolution. I guess that's the benefit of performing a mosaic. You get the best of both worlds - wide views and resolution to boot. Thanks for checking it out and making comment.:thumbsup:



Thanks Shane. I'm a modest guy, I'd give it an 8. I've found this exercise interesting. Most take the image at face value, which is perhaps a good thing. Seems its possible to get away with some errors providing the end result looks ok. Pleased you liked it though. :) Thanks for your comments!



Cheers Keith. I have a few more projects of a similar nature planned, but not until a few short breaks i.e. some easier images. In addition, I need get the observatory up and running. Pleased you enjoyed swimming around the image. Appreciate the comments.



Apologies if the image made you ill Mike.;) Amazing what skilled processing can do eh...:whistle: Jokes aside, I should have perhaps clarified my "mess" statement as technical aspects, in which has not significantly impacted the image visually. Green channel is subtly black clipped along with white clipping in the blue, probably due to the Rho triple star system along with a few other items. Clearly, not many care about the technical aspects of processing, unless it has significant visual impact. As the imager who put this together, I'm well aware of the issues in the image and to be frank they bother me. Now you can understand why IMO that its not my best. I never said the image looked awful.:P This aside, I had fun producing it and pleased others enjoyed the end result. I appreciate your feedback.:)

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Thanks all.:2thumbs:

[Moon]

Jase,
I looked at this image yesterday and I didn't know what to say, and today I'm still amazed. Well done and thanks for sharing it.

[cookie8]

Jase
Your image epitomise the beauty of astrophotography. I am speechless. Without any doubt It deserve the DM award.

[bloodhound31]

I've been showing it at work.

Still amazed.

[DavidU]

I showed some of my staff as well. They loved the image

[renormalised]

As per usual, brilliantly done!!.

[Ric]

WOW :eyepop: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

That's awesome.

Excellent work Jase

[EddieT]

What more can I add ? Another Wow! That's a fantastic image Jase. I can't remember seeing a better one.

Well done!

[jase]

Thanks for your supportive comments James. Pleased you liked it.:)



Cheers Vincent. Too late for this years DM awards and there's a lot of imaging time ahead before the next. Who knows, I may enter it. I'm interested to see what occurs this year, not so much who's in it, but what they're presenting...Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. :thumbsup:




Well Baz, David...I'm not sure if I should be ashamed or ecstatic that the image has distracted not only you, but your work colleagues from your daily work routines. Its ok I guess...just don't let the boss know...and clear all traces from your browser cache/history. ;) Thanks fellas!:D



Cheers Carl. Good to see you back.



Ric, Thanks for taking the time to check out the image and make comment. Much appreciated. :)



Thanks Eddie. Not in the same league as your mega mosaic efforts in particular the all sky Ha peice. Pleased you enjoyed my rendition of Rho. Thanks again.

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Cheers all! :cool2:

[richardo]

Oooooh Jase,
this is just outstanding.
Seamless compilation of frames.

I love this area, (reflection of course)
Such detail, colour and processing...

Just huge even in my monitor.... sooo much to see!
Love it, just love it.

Hard work payed off.....Top shelf

All the best
Rich

[jase]

Cheers Rich! Haven't seen a post from you for sometime....:shrug: Thought the Rho triple star system may appeal to your reflection nebulosity tastes. Thanks for your comments. :)

[Quark]

Simply Stunning, a masterpiece.

The work of a true artisan.
Thanks so much for posting. I think this pretty much represents the pointy end of the state of amateur imaging.

Regards
Trevor

[Spanrz]

Phenomenal work Jase!!!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup: :prey2:

Since getting back into Astronomy full swing in the last few months, this website has produced so much to my liking, I'm like a kid in a candy store again.
Why couldn't I get this 20 odd years ago.

All of you guys that put arduous work into these images, should get more than a golf clap...:clap::clap:

Shots like this, an Omaroo's Moon Shot, is making me decide so much to get into astrophotography.
I never was a person for photography, but I am slowly learning it's art, but images like this, just make it so much better to set a goal to.

Love it.

[Glenhuon]

Outstanding work, absolutely gorgeous to behold. A feast prepared by a master. My compliments to the Chef :)

BTW, has anyone else noticed it looks like a Cosmic Jellyfish :D

Bill

[DJ N]

Wow!! Simply spectacular. Excellent imaging and processing. Congratulations.

[Les Tilly]

WOW That is an incredible image and alot of time dedicated to it

Les

[danielsun]

Wow Jase, that is truly incredible!!! :eyepop:
Brilliant work.


Cheers Daniel.

[bokglob]

0h my gawd!! master of the universe! i was about to post 40 mins of data on this region.i'm off outside for another 10 or so hours:rolleyes:

[Alchemy]

what to say after 60 plus posts that no-one else has already said ????

Splendiferous photon capturing Mr Jennings!

Clive

[jase]

Thanks Trevor. Quite amazing to think of the capacity and capabilities that amateur imagers have to deliver such results. Bound by no time scales or deadlines really allows one to push their creative expression. If I can produce one memorable image a year, I'm happy - quality over quantity. Thanks for your comments. :)



Cheers Brett. :) I always encourage and welcome others to join the dark side, that is astro imaging. Once bitten by the imaging bug, its an endless quest with plenty of highs and lows along the journey. Start small, but maintain a vision of your milestones - work towards them. Forums such as this are perfect for the beginner imager as there is a wealth of information available and plenty of highly skilled and committed imagers providing guidance. If I can provide inspiration through my images for other to join our growing guild, the objective of sharing my work has been a success. Thanks again.



Pleased you enjoyed the visual feast Bill! Drinks are on the house! You're right, the scene does look like a Cosmic Jellyfish, not the IC443 (http://cosmicphotos.com/gallery/image.php?fld_image_id=168&fld_album_id=11) species however. Another remark I've heard is the likening to fireworks! :)



Thanks for checking out the image Daniel! :)



Thanks Les. :) Yes, spent quite some time working on this one. The data collection was the easy part in comparison to the processing!



Thank you kindly Daniel. Much appreciated.:)



Thanks for the comments Darrell. :) Post away, each and every rendition is always good to see as the way the imager processes and presents his/her work makes it unique.



Cheers Clive. Call me modest, but I still feel I could have done a better job with the data. There comes a time when you've worked the data over and over, spending copious hours at the computer when you think, enough, time to release it. Even though I knowing how much work I've put in, a repro is not out of the question, but I've got other imaging projects on the go so that can wait. Thanks again for your comments.

=====================
Thank you all for your support. :D

[Robh]

Jase,

Fantastic image! I didn't quite grasp the scale of it until I identified rho ophiuchi then Antares, the globular cluster M4 and then M80 to far left.

For those that may be interested, rho ophiuchi actually has 4 visual components. The three wider components in the image can seen with binoculars. The central brighter star is also a double of component magnitudes 5 and 5.7, separation 3 arcseconds and requires a telescope using higher magnification (say 180x).

Regards, Rob

[jase]

Thanks Rob! With a 7.2 x 9.5 degree FOV, it can take a little while to orientate visually the size/spacial distance covered. :)

[richardo]

Hey Jase,
been nothing but rain and over cast these last two months here, been the wettest winter since the 70's.
Plus am just sorting things out with my mount.... you know bearing replacements... new servo drive system... sorting out what works and what it likes..... it's 5 year birthday you might say.

So just been hanging on the side lines.

But when a clear night comes...:rolleyes: I'll be ready to image again!

All the best for now and keep 'em coming.

Rich

[scarper]

one word

WOW:eyepop:


I am seriously gobsmacked, that is indeed one of the best astro images I have ever had the pleassure of viewing.

Well done.

[wysiwyg]

Mammoth effort Jase and truly spectacular :thumbsup:

[Craig_L]

The colours in particular are amazing - so luminous. The whole complex has the appearance of a gigantic galactic jellyfish - a triffid.

[jase]

Hope to see you back in line and imaging again soon. :thumbsup: Cheers!



Thanks Mart. Pleased you liked it.:)



Cheers Mark. :) It's something different I guess! One frame does no justice so a little thinking outside the square lead to the final result presented.



Thanks Craig. I spent some time to bring them out the colours in this image. As per the original post, the heavily stretch (DDP'd) and saturated RGB layer is what provided the punchy colours. Its an interesting and diverse area. :)

<========>

Once again thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement. This is the last time I'm going to reply to posts to this thread. Its done the rounds with more than enough recognition/acknowledgement for which I'm most appreciative of. I'm contactable via PM should you feel the need to discuss anything about the presented image. Thanks! Until next time - Enjoy! :2thumbs:

[Moon]

Congratulations on the APOD!!! Not that I'm surprised. Well done.

[Jay-qu]

Yeah just saw todays APOD and thought hmm that looks familiar :)

Congrats mate, it is a truly beautiful image.

[Tamtarn]

Congrats on your APOD today Jase

So richly deserved :clap:

[MrB]

Congrats on the APOD Jase.
Looks kinda wierd on its side tho.
Not that there's any right way 'up', just used to looking at it the way you posted it.

[Martin Pugh]

Splendid effort Jase, and congrats on the APOD.

Is the Losmandy Titan mount your kit or was this a remote effort? If its yours, do you have any views of this over the PME?

Cheers
Martin

[jase]

Thanks all.

Martin, yes, it was taken with my own kit, the Losmandy Titan. Like all Losmandy mounts, they require some fine tuning, but once dialled in, its very capable. I liken it to the same characteristics as an AP900. I'm about to go unattended/robotic with my gear. In fact this weekend I was installing the Sirius observatory shutter motorisation kit into the dome. Should be complete in a few weeks at most. The PME is designed for robotic use whereas the Gemini..hmmm, its a good peice of software engineering, but I have my reservations for the demands of unattended work. I'll let you know after a few months...if you see a Titan for sale, you'll know the answer.

Cheers

[prokyon]

Wow, :eyepop: one of the best pics of this region I have ever seen!!
Thanx for sharing.