A deep Eye of God

[strongmanmike]

Taking advantage of the uncharacteristic run of clear nights in the past two weeks, this image took me 6 nights of travelling back and forth with my imaging rig (and on work nights :zzz2:) to my dark sky location outside Newcastle.

Hope you like it :thumbsup:...well...round one of the processing anyway :lol:

**It's good to press F11 on your keyboard to view in full unobstructed screen mode too

Close up view, traditional orientation (1meg)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115563597/original

Wider field view, alternative orientation (850k)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115561131/original

This version has been processed to enhance the subtle but awsome "starburst" OIII structures normally overpowered by the stronger more detailed Ha data
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115567607/original

and here is acomparison with an image by the 4m Blanco in Chile and Hubble space telescope with my image :D:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115578031/original

Mike

[Comet Hunter]

Wow!

Looking forward to round two. :D

[Chillie]

Does the Eye Of God have another name?

I can't seem to find it in Stellarium.

[strongmanmike]

Hi Henry

The other names it is known by are actually written under the image :whistle:

"The Helix Nebula NGC 7293"

Cheers

Mike

[Chillie]

Thanks Mike. But it's still not showing up in Stellarium. Stellarium is pointing in the right direction but no image. I am using version 0.10.2.

[strongmanmike]

Hmm? that's strange it's a pretty famous DSO :shrug:...have you set the FOV close enough in so that it will actually display it? My Planetarium program does that sometimes..?

Mike

[sjastro]

Very fine image Mike.

Almost converts me (but not quite!) to non RGB imaging.

Steven

[Alchemy]

the third one is unusual, feel like im going to warp speed.
the other two clearly show up the extensive loop/arc and associated Ha nebulosity, nice detail in the core too.

yeah not too shabby for an itty bittty 6 inch scope :D

hang on a minute ive only got a 5 inch one now:sadeyes:

cheers clive

[marc4darkskies]

Just lovely Mike :thumbsup::thumbsup: Well done! While I'm still not partial to NB, I really like the OIII starburst version - that's something I haven't seen before - very cool indeed! How about showing the full res versions?

Cheers, Marcus

PS: Whoa!!! 6 nights travelling!!! ... that's stamina ... hat's off!!
PPS: Look forward to the repros! :D;)

[CoolhandJo]

Tremendous. Thanks for the differnt views as well. A very pleasing array to be proud of. One day this century I hope to produce an image close to this quality. For now I am content to rely on the skills of the expert images. When does the word amatuer get removed. There is nothing amatuer about these images.

[Hagar]

Although not my favorite colours I do have ta addmitt the OIII really lifts the core. The other narrow imaging bands seem to show up diferent detail. The outer area of the nebulosity is beautifully resolved right out to the fine misty areas. Lots of hours to put this one together.
I think I like the wider field view view the best as it seems to add some depth to the image.
Very nice Well done Mike.

[TrevorW]

Impressive Oh to have a permanent dark sky site

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

NEVER! Don't do it Steve, once there you will never return :scared:

Thanks Mate



Cheers Clive here's a comparison with Hubble/Blanco :D
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115578031/original



I agree the OIII structure is beautiful, I wasn't able to showcase the starburst detail in the same image as the fine Ha structure without it looking over processed so this is why I did different views. The OIII starburst detail "is" in the Ha SII OIII version but is not noticable rather it just contributes to the overall look.

The close-up is pretty well full res really Marcus..:shrug:

Why you no like NB? You no have NB filters? When you do then you like ;)

Besides, the colours are good enough for Blanco and Hubble :whistle::
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/115578031/original



I always display different views because no one version captures everything really. Re being amateur, trust me, picture a tired 135kg blob packing the car and driving 45min to a dark sky outside his home "coal" town :doh: to set everything up, image for 5 hours or more with just cat naps in the back of the car during sub sets, then packing up and driving home for an hours sleep before work...then imagine doing this 6 nights out of 11 and....you most certainly have an amateur :scared: :lol:



I agree Doug I too like the wider field for the same reasons you do but this is why I always post various versions to present the object in different lights, this is the luxury of not having too much FL but enough to get the detail AND the FOV - as I have mentioed before, this is very versitile.




...:sadeyes:....:scared: :sad:

[Omaroo]

Looks good Mike.

[renormalised]

Nice shots, Mike. Very interesting structure in the neb....quite complex.

[leon]

That's a beauty Mike well worth the late nights and miles covered, well done indeed.

Leon

[Davros]

Absolutely fantastic, you should feel proud of that image. Well done. :thumbsup:

[Tom Davis]

Mike the Hubbleman!! Right on!

Tom

[multiweb]

Very cool Mike. That's a beautiful picture. Really well done. :thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Fantastic image Mike.

You got the nice mustard colours that balance out the RGB of narrowband and which makes them look good when they do.

26 hours, tremendous effort. Is that your longest image ever?

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Thanks boys I'm glad you all lked it, twas a bit of effort in this one :scared:



Yes the OIII is particularly interesting and seldom seen.



Thanks Greg, it was a hard decision deciding on exactly what colour scheme I would go with but in the end the amazing starburst OIII structure was too hard to showcase along with the fine Ha detail so I went with the Hubble colours because I think most people are familiar with them :) Oh and yes 26hours is the longest exposure so far, I had collected over 30 odd hours but fog, cloud and a few glitches ruied a few. Previously I had collected 21hrs on Cen A with 19.5hrs used.

[DavidU]

Awesome job Mike !
Amazing to compare it to a Hubble.
I love it when the exposure time is in days LOL
I admire all the hard work

[Tamtarn]

Interesting comparison with the Hubble image Mike. Awesome job :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Ah yes days of exposure :doh: wish I had a bigger faster scope :sadeyes: say a 12" f3.8 :mad2:.....then I would still probably go for days rather than hours anyway :lol:



Cheers guys, it's always fun to use Hubble shots to highlight features you wouldn't have noticed otherwise :)

Mike

[renormalised]

Got $500K, Mike??:P:D

Put a lotto in. You never know your luck in a "big city":D

[h0ughy]

great work Mike - cant wait for the final version

[RB]

Wonderful result Mike.

:thumbsup:

[telecasterguru]

Mike,

Fabulous images and it is great to see comparisons to put the whole process in perspective.

Frank

[strongmanmike]

Well I thought this would be the finish buuuut let's wait for the moon to get lost ;) by then I may have resurected the enthusiasm to do some more multiple nights while portable :scared:



I reasonably happy with it :)



Yeh thanks Franko the Hubble comparisons are fun to do but it was the OIII detail that spun me out, you don't see this very often.

Mike

[Craig_L]

A stunner Mike - all that whispy nebulousity in the outer reaches. Really appreciate being able to see the enhanced OIII version as well. How do you function in your job with only one hour of sleep?

[Paul Haese]

Nice mate, although I think it could use a tree in it.

Seriously, nice work Mike, love the detail. It is on my list of things to image deeply this year, if only the clouds would POQ.

[dpastern]

I've seen your version of this Marc and it's bloody awesome, even better than the OP's and his is p.d.g (pretty damn good). Amazing amount of detail.

Dave

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Craig, the very outer neb is pretty faint and not easy with a low Red QE CCD like the KAI11002 is. Yes the OIII version is a rather unique view, you don't see that star burst feature in images very often. As far as working after all nighters goes weeeell... I have a system down pat now that just saves me :screwy:. After I have got everything setup and ready to go, autoguiding working spot on, focus etc I will typically do a single test 10 or 15min exposure to ensure everything is working ok framing is as I wanted etc, then I will start say a 5 X 15min exposure sequence in Astroart, now I set my mobile phone to alarm 5 min before the last sub is due to come down and I hop in the back of my station wagon and sleep, I have it decked out with a matress, pillows and doona :P . I usually get 45 - 60min sleeps in each time although ocassionally if the night is still and dry I will risk a 90min sleep while the system chuggs away. I get maybe 3 or 4 of these kips in each night so if I get home and have another hour before work I end up with about 3 to 5 hours sleep, admittedly it's all broken sleep ( a bit like torture I guess?) and far from ideal but as I said it "saves" me and just allows me to cope at work the next day. Of course if I do a couple of these sessions in a row and with the lower end of that total sleep count....yes, I struggle :zzz2:



Ah you are catching on ;)...ya gotta get into his head mate :whistle:



I am happy with it, overall it pretty much reaches the limit of what's possible with smaller amatuer equipment I think? :shrug:...although I still have some more up my sleeve with it I think :whistle:...I just needed a break, did I mention I wish I had an observatory? :mad2:

Mike

[h0ughy]

you can always travel up to Qld astrofest mike for a whole weeks worth of uninterrupted imaging......;)

[strongmanmike]

Would absolutely love to Dave and there are a few imaging projects I would love to undertake (I've gotta try a mozaic eventually :rolleyes:) but alas tis not to be :(

You will just have to utilise some of that great gear you have and bring home the bacon for me :P

Mike

[duncan]

Who needs Hubble! We've got Mike!!!!!!!!
Absolutely Awsome:eyepop:

[Chillie]

I just re-checked it. I zoomed in to FOV 0.0001 degrees and still no image. Maybe Stellarium forgot to include the image.

[strongmanmike]

Glad you liked it Duncan, it was a bit of work (and it ain't even finished yet ;))



Not sure what's going on there Big H..? Have you viewed the Helix Nebula before?

Mike

[Chillie]

Not in Stellarium and not with my 12" Dob. Only on the internet.

[mexhunter]

Hello Mike:
Wonderful.
Many greetings
Cesar

[gregbradley]

Hey Mike, a bit offtopic but I see on Astromart APM America selling 12 inch F4 Orion optics UK astrographs for US$4500 ie an ASA that acutally works. Not sure if it has the Keller corrector or if that is extra.

I'll ask as I am sure you are interested. Markus Ludes only does quality so it should be a good product. I am tempted.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

:) Ah yes...I'm way ahead of you mate...only they are US$10400 from them :doh::whistle: :D

I have to say after the learning process with the ASA's and the on going problems they still have, the idea of a precise and working fast Astrograph when utilising the new bread of massive CCD's like I have..is weeeeell..unknown territory, deffinitely a case of buyer be ware!!

Dreamer...nothing but a dreamer...

Mike