SBIG STX Image - NGC 2237 (Rosette Nebula)

[Martin Pugh]

Hello all, and Merry Christmas.

SBIG have finally updated their home page to show some of the images that I and Jim Burnell have been taking with the STX beta units over the past few months. You can view those here (http://www.sbig.com/sbwhtmls/stx_preview.htm), but the page does not tell you much about how they were taken, so I thought I would publish that here, and provide links to higher resolution and Ha versions.

So this is the Rosette Nebula:
Telescope: Takahashi FSQ106
Camera: SBIG STX
Filters: Baader 65mm HARGB
Mount: Paramount ME
Exposure Details: HAL(Syn)RGB 180:310:45:45:45 Minutes

The 40% sized version (1Mb) is here:
http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.a u/images/Rosette-HaLRGBFinal.jpg
The Ha (1.1Mb) only version which shows the full extent of the nebulosity is here:
http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.a u/images/Rosette-Nebula-Ha_Only.jpg
and if you want the full size, thats a 4Mb download here:
http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.a u/images/Rosette-HaLRGBFinal_Full.jpg

Thanks for looking as always.

best regards

Martin

[Jeffkop]

Will leave others to comment more technically Martin, however everything looks spot on to me, focus, framing, processing ... its a fantastic image. The telescope camera combination is a good one. Im sure your happy with this result.
Xmas greetings to you as well.

[Peter Ward]

Again, a top shelf image Martin. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Envious of the FOV! :)

Beautiful image Martin, colour, and more importantly, star colour look fantastic! The Ha extension out the right hand side of the frame is impressive! I think it would only take one extra panel to get the cone/foxfur nebulae in as well... ;) As I said, Envious of the FOV! :)

[Bassnut]

Excellent at full view, very detailed, shame about the square smaller stars (not that youd notice without zooming ;)).

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks everyone.

Fred - that's what happens when you image at 3.5asp - its called undersampling, where smaller stars will occupy a single pixel or 2.

cheers
Martin

[Bassnut]

Yeah, I know, but you use what you have, and you have very well :D.

I suppose very few scopes could handle the image circle required of that cam at a longer FL, so the use of the FSQ106 is a good realistic example of what the average amature can obtain, no problem :thumbsup:.

[Martin Pugh]

Hello again

I forgot to add in my initial post that SBIG have also updated their price list so you can now see the price of the Baader 65mm v the Astrodon 65mm filters and others. A Baader LRGB set will cost you $895 v $1895 and the NB filter prices get even scarier.

Those pondering a choice, should wait to see my M45 which I will post once I have completed it. This is an excellent object to show up filter flaws and I have to say the Baader's coped very well indeed.

cheers
Martin

[AlexN]

Martin - I was just looking at your M45 on the SBIG site... I did have a bit of a fiddle with it in photoshop.. (as I do with almost every image I look at..) With regards to the dust in the FOV, I think you can push it juuust that little bit further without changing the appearance of M45.. Just a thought

I'll agree the Baader filters handled the scene very well indeed... a hint of what appears to be a reflection around a couple of stars..

Do the Baader filters have blackened edges? My Astrodon 50mm filters do, and I'd assume the Astrodon 65mm would too.. This apparently helps tame any reflection issues...

[telecasterguru]

Martin,

I am in awe of these images. They are just beautiful.

Frank

[spearo]

Very nice indeed
top stuff to inspire us all!
Well done Martin
frank

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks again!

Alex - yep, you're right and that's exactly what I have done, plus, I thought the colour was a little muted, so I have improved that also.

No, the filters do not have black edges.

Martin

[AlexN]

:) I hope you don't mind that I downloaded your image from the SBIG site, and altered it, but it sounds like we have similar tastes when it comes to processing... I boosted the dusty bits, gave it a little saturation boost, saved it and set it as my desktop background :)

Can't wait to see your version once you're ready to post it.

[Hagar]

Very nice Martin, I will have to download the image to see it full scale as on this machine it opens in IE and shrinks it to fit on screen but it certainly looks very nice.

[Omaroo]

That has to be one of the very best Rosettes I've ever seen Martin - from any source. Stunning.

You are an inspiration.

[Lester]

Awesome image of the Rosette Martin, thanks for the view.

All the best.

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks very much guys.

I really do appreciate your comments.

take care
Martin

[Octane]

Martin,

Utterly fantastic. I had no idea the extent of this object.

Cheers, mate.

Regards,
Humayun

[Benny L]

it would be interesting to see how a mosaic would go with such a large chip and FOV. Imagine stitching together whole constellations while imaging with that rig :o

Fantastic Image!!

[mill]

Very good image Martin shows off the capability of the camera nicely.
Am i the only one seeing a sattelite trail on the left hand side of the picture stopping dead at the bright star at the top?

[Octane]

Could that be a column defect (or, would that effect the entire column?) rather than a satellite? It's in a couple of other images that I noticed as well.

What's the chances of getting a satellite trail which is perfectly straight in an image?

Anyway, it doesn't detract from the image, at all; just an observation. :)

Regards,
Humayun

[AlexN]

Column defects would be removed by dark frames, and if dithering was used when stacking, data rejection algorithms would have removed them too...

[RobF]

A most awe-inspiring view. Thanks for "showing us how its done" Martin. Just amazing being able to scroll around inside all the beautiful detail.

[danielsun]

Wow that is incredible. Never seen it like that and as Hamayun said I also did not realise the extent of of this neb.
Nice work Martin.

Cheers Daniel.

[Martin Pugh]

Thank you very much all.

The artefact you have found is neither a column defect or a satellite trail. When I was beta-testing I was using beta drivers for CCDSOFT, Maxim, CCDOPS - trying them all. What you see is the result of a bug in the CCDSOFT driver, which kept the shutter open during the download. I took many frames with CCDSOFT in many images, and some were effectively removed through dithering etc, but I also had to manually clone out dozens....I clearly missed this one.

I reported that bug, so hopefully it is now fixed.

cheers
Martin

[multiweb]

:eyepop: Awesome shot. Incredible to see the extent of the trails. A new perspective on a familiar DSO. Top work. :thumbsup:

[Jen]

:hi: hi Martin beautiful pic mate LOVE IT :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks very much Marc/Jen!

take care

Martin