Omega Centauri TEC180FL

[gregbradley]

This image is the result of several trips to my dark site. It seemed doomed at times. Its been a different weather pattern for some time now where the cloud is on the western side of the Great Dividing Range so Sydney can be clear yet my site is cloudy. For several years it was the reverse.

I would try to image it through a gap in poor weather when I couldn't image my main imaging target for that night.

So a few times I would get through maybe luminance or even as far as through to the green shot when clouds would roll in and wreck or prevent the blue. So it became - next time I am down here I will have another go at it.

So here it is. Taken under relatively poor conditions with a 2/3rds moon and low in the sky, so not ideal. It turned out reasonably well anyway although I will be reshooting it under better conditions (I am ever hopeful of good weather at my dark site).

TEC180 fluorite, Apogee U16M camera, Baader filters, Tak NJP mount.
Sbig ST402ME guide camera. LRGB 10 10 10 10.

CCDstack, Gradient Xterminator, Photoshop CS2.


http://www.pbase.com/image/115746072

Greg.

[telecasterguru]

Greg,

There is a lot of movement in the stars and they look great. The one thing I love the most about globs is the way they shimmer.

Frank

[renormalised]

Great shot, considering. Keep up the good work, Greg:D

[AlexN]

looks awesome! I cant wait to attack this properly... :D (coming to the end of my second season in astrophotography and I've still not done omega cent with longer than 30sec exposures! :) )

[RB]

Greg this shot is wonderful !!!
So sharp and well resolved down to the core.

You wouldn't think it was taken under difficult conditions.

Excellent work.

:thumbsup:

[TheDecepticon]

Nice version. Can't wait to see you do a good shot of this one!:thumbsup:

[DavidU]

Such tight stars ! super resolution. The 180 must be amazing
Well done :thumbsup:

[peter_4059]

Wow - that's a great omega cen shot Greg. I can't wait to see one you are really happy with.

Peter

[multiweb]

The stars are so tight and there are so many of them. The resolution is amazing. Best I've seen around. Top shot. :thumbsup:

[Tom Davis]

Great image Greg!! Nothing wrong with that image.

Tom

[strongmanmike]

Ah yes pesky weather conditions can be a pain :rolleyes:

Very nice result regardless and that FOV, being square, looks very cool.

Mike

[dpastern]

I'll echo what others have said - wonderful shot, love the resolution and number of stars, and the star colours too. I think it's a fantastic shot.

Dave

[Matty P]

Top shot Greg. The star colours are amazing and great depth to the image.

Considering this was taken in less than ideal weather conditions. I can't wait to see what you can do when the weather improves.

:thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Yes globs are gorgeous in a scope.



Thanks for that.




Have fun with it the northerners are always jealous of us when we post Omega Centauri on Yahoo Groups



Thanks. The big refractor does all the work.



I'll have to do it soon as it is getting low now.



It is a beautiful scope. I don't know how long Yuri will be making them. Much like Roland Christen of AstroPhysics, these production runs don't always last. I think sometimes they have trouble getting the glasses.



Thanks Peter.



Thanks for the compliment



Thanks Tom. I've been admiring your great shots for a long time.



Hey nothing wrong with the rectangular shot and the 11002 chip is still a leader



Thanks dave. This type of scope is ideal for Omega Centauri.



Thanks Matty. I'll be setting aside some time to do it again.

[dpastern]

I sadly can't afford/justify it (yet). I need to be taking good images with my current setup, instead of crappy ones before I consider anymore expenses on Astronomy gear!

Dave

[gregbradley]

Yes it can be a very expensive hobby although great results can be gotten with modest equipment. Its a matter of doing the basics very carefully and thoroughly.

Greg

[Alchemy]

very nice, that image is about as close to what it looks like in the eyepiece of a big scope as you can get, just a shimmering of thousands of tiny pricks of light. lovely :thumbsup:

edit... just had a look at the images on your website, you have a wealth of interesting images there, just the thing to cruise around when the weather is a bit ordinary . quite a library !

[gregbradley]

Thanks very much Clive.

Greg

[marc4darkskies]

Given your difficulties and shortness of exposure the image is still quite striking - nice one Greg! :thumbsup:

Cheers, Marcus

[gregbradley]

Thanks neighhbour Marcus. Its a super scope it does all the work really.

Greg.

[TrevorW]

Superb rendition of this magnificient globular
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Lester]

Fantastic image Greg.

[Inmykombi]

I will never tire of looking at this lovely Glob. Its always a "fave" when its visible.

Well done, I like your image of it.

Geoffro

[gregbradley]

Thanks Trevor. I was happy with how it turned out.



Thanks Lester.



Thanks Geoffro.

[Paul Haese]

Lovely image. Excellent colour in the stars too.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Paul. It was nice to get an image out after so many recent
attempts thwarted by poor weather.
I sometimes feel like a surfer who goes to the beach only to find flat seas.


Greg.