Ngc 253

[atalas]

Hi All

Well,It's that time of year again I guess so I thought I'd start off with an old favourite.

Being limited to a 500mm focal length I thought I'd start off with the Sculptor Galaxy NGC 253.

Location: Yalbraith,N.S.W

Exposures: 10 minutes x 47 guided

Telescope+ FSQ106N

Camera: SXVF-M25c

Mount: AP600E

http://www.atalas.net/components/com_expose/showpic.html?img=expose/img/img_1253595693_226_lg.jpg&caption=NGC-253&date=&location=

[DavidU]

I really like this image Louie. Good detail and small stars. I also like the processing that gives the brighter stars spikes.
(nice equipment by the way)

[iceman]

Beautiful, Louie. Stunning colours and contrast and very smooth.

[renormalised]

Very nice image, Louie...great shot:D:D

[telecasterguru]

Louie,

Great capture and well processed.

Frank

[TheDecepticon]

I really like the shot, Galaxy has great colour and detail, background is smooth. I think the diffraction spikes are overkill. It would be better with a lot fewer of them.:)

[Paul Haese]

Nice scale and it really gives the feel of the vastness of space. Colour is pretty nice and I like the diffraction spikes.

[AlexN]

Fantastic as always Louie! Its amazing the detail you got in the galaxy given the short focal length and your arcsec/pixel resolution.. That said, 47 subs is a great way to gain detail!

How are you finding the SX M25C?

Oh, the diffraction spikes, they look like they were added with software? Im neither for or against them, however when they run parallel with the x and y axis of the image I think they look weird.. if the spikes come out on a 45 degree angle they seem to look more pleasing.. Personal taste I guess...

After all that, what im trying to say is, Fantastic work!

Alex.

[Hagar]

Louie. This is a cracker of an image. I would never have thought of NGC253 with an FSQ but the proof is in the pudding.

Well done.

[h0ughy]

very nice---> great work Louie

[gregbradley]

Same as Doug, I am surprised at the nice image scale you got there with your FSQ. Aah the FSQ106N - what a scope!

It turned out really nicely.

Greg.

[jase]

Nice one Louie. Not sure if I can handle diffraction spikes, but each to their own.

[dpastern]

Very nice shot Louie - plenty of detail here.

Dave

[multiweb]

Amazed at the amount of details and contrast you got for such a wide field and image scale. But as Greg said, it's a TAK. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[atalas]

Thanks so much guys!you too kind.

[sjastro]

Very nice Louie.

I'm not sure about the diffraction spikes either.

Regards

Steven

[atalas]

Steve,thanks dude.

[marc4darkskies]

Very nice work Louie - good detail and colour.

I'm a false spike agnostic, but I'd definitely rotate them a bit.

Cheers, Marcus

[strongmanmike]

Very pleasing image and lovely processing Louie...except for the diffraction spikes :sadeyes:

Diffraction spikes induced by thin string crossed over the objective look quite natural and do mimic a Newt or Catadioptric scope quite well, plus you can easily rotate them as you like, but software added ones..?...do look a bit fake (which I guess they are :P) and detract from the image validity a little for me, kinda like laying imitation cheap floor board panels instead of proper polished floor boards :shrug:

PS I did use them a few times a loooong time ago, as they were a rather novel thing, when I first discovered the Noel Carboni action set :whistle:

Mike

[RB]

Louie you've done a wonderful job in processing with this.
I always like your natural looking backgrounds and the colour detail in the galaxy itself is excellent.

I'll be honest with you though, if you have to have spikes with the refractor, I'd rather see the use of fishing line/string rather than software produced spikes.
Personally I really don't like software produced spikes at all.

Well done though on a lovely vista of this object.

:thumbsup:

[atalas]

Marcus,big Mike,Andrew,thanks for the feedback guys! and I get the message..loose the spikes!

[Tamtarn]

Terrific image for just 500fl Louie. Very nice subtle processing. Like it a lot :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Lester]

Outstanding image showing a heap of detail and nicely processed.

Thanks Louie for the view.

[atalas]

Barb & Dave,Lester,thanks so much guys.