NGC6744 13 hours

[gregbradley]

A couple of weekends ago I got 3 clear nights.

This one is my favourite galaxy NGC6744.

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/117811368/large

It is HaLRGB 40 450 90 90 110 for about 13 hours total.

Tak BRC250 at F5, FLI ML8300, Baader LRGB, Astrodon 5nm Ha 50mm square filters. Taken at my dark site in Bigga NSW with a Tak NJP mount.

I also got Registar software so I have a version with 6 hours of 12.5 inch RCOS data added to make it over 20 hours total.

That is here:

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/117680283

Greg.

[allan gould]

Lovely shot Greg. Along with M83 and NGC253 I love this galaxy and you have done a magnificent effort on it and its come out well. Love to see the Registar added data with the RCOS scope.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Allan.

The RCOS data added shot is the 2nd link in the post.

Registar is handy as I have a few years worth of data from that
and other scopes now I can add when I redo an object.

Cheers,

Greg.

[Hagar]

Very nice images Greg, I think I like the first image the best. It seems to have very nice clear fine detail which seems to be lost in the blended image.

Great image.

[Paul Haese]

Lovely work Greg. I like the BRC version, it shows an interesting perspective to the scene. The Ha has given the galaxy inner field a bit of a pinky look, not sure if that works but it is different. Not seen many HaLRGB of this object.

With the NJP how do you find pointing to the same object on different nights? Still working out a system for my EM400 and slowly getting there. My thoughts are that I use the same alignment stars each time and the same guide star each time in the same place. I figure this gets me into the same position. Since there is no home position for the EM400.

Great image.

[gregbradley]

Hi Paul,

Thats just what the Ha showed. It showed the whole central area of the galaxy plus the Ha areas dotted around.

Go-tos on the NJP are quite accurate as long as my polar alignment is very good.
It takes only about 1 or 2 alignments to get to that and even more accurate after 3 or 4 but you can get away with 2.

You need to align the framing exactly before I start imaging the same object at another time.
I open a luminance image from the earlier session, reduce it in size to match the current focus image sizes (alt 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc)
and then match them up exactly before imaging again.

I use a free Chuck Faranda Temma Driver. It has a dialogue box with several handy features. One is a timer which I use every time and the other is the park position so the mount remembers its alignment - saves a lot of time. Also the dialogue box gives you easy access to correction rates for autoguiding as well as a simple click to turn the Sky into night vision mode.

Here's the link to Chucks driver :

http://www.well.com/~richardl/astro/temma/

You also need to download and install Ascom. This is also free and is linked to from the same page.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

Yeah I think so too Doug. I may have another go at processing the combined one as I am not 100% happy with it. I think there's a bit more in it.

Greg.

[telecasterguru]

Greg,

I would be happy with either image, both very impressive.

Frank

[Ric]

Wonderful image Greg, a real beauty.

Cheers

[AlexN]

I have to say I disagree with many others, I think the blended shot is nicer... The colour may be a little strange in the core, but if that area came through a Ha filter, obviously it is red/pink.. I like the frame size better in the blended shot and also the sky background looks very interesting.. Almost like a bit of galactic dust.. although being as far south as it is I wouldnt think that is the case..

[sjastro]

Hello Greg,

The BRC image is far superior.

As Doug says you have lost detail in the blended image.

Regards

Steven

[DavidU]

I too, like the BRC image. Excellent stuff

[atalas]

Very nice Greg!

[Jeffkop]

Swear Ive seen that image before .. was wondering when it was going to go to press .. didnt have to wonder at all about the response it was going to get though .. And I concur with all before me.

[Tom Davis]

Nice! Isn't Registar great! Nothing aligns like it.

Tom

[Paul Haese]

Thanks Greg for the link. I have now downloaded and installed the driver and ascom5. I will give this a try over the weekend, moonlight included. I remember you told me this one before but for some reason I did not seem to have it. Now I have it. Much appreciated for your help once again. Certainly one of the more helpful DSO chaps here.

edit I corrected a typo from not to now in the second sentence.

[dcalleja]

Thats really stunning Greg. I also like the detail in the first image. great stuff

[peter_4059]

Beuatiful work Greg. It's an interesting target.

Peter

[dpastern]

Super shot Greg, tonnes of detail. I prefer the blended shot myself.

Dave

[jase]

Stunning result Greg. Tip o' the hat to you for giving Ha a whirl on this target. It certainly provides a the well needed punch, but I'm not too keen on the hue of the nucleus as it minimises the impact of the HII regions IMO. Perhaps some masking would suffice. Well done.

[gregbradley]

Thanks very much for all the responses I appreciate it very much.

Such a great group here.

Greg.

[spearo]

Greg,
That is awesome!
frank