Rosette in Ha - Climbing the QHY9 learning curve

[RobF]

Hi all

I'm still lacking adaptors to use my LRGB filters/filterwheel, but Ha is doable, so I'm learning what I can in the meantime.

Many thanks to those that suggested (in a thread started by Robin) the optimal orientation for power cables and camera USB setting - that sorted a worrying column noise artefact I saw in my first pics, as well as allowing me to collect some reasonable darks, bias and flat frames.

This effort taken over Sat and Sun nights, 2hrs of 5min Ha subs, but whittled down to 1hr of those subs with the best tracking. I'm still learning how to best balance the rig with the extra cables and different weight distribution. I'm very happy with the extra fine detail the QHY9 is giving up over the 450D. Still plenty of mountain left to climb and explore...!

[TrevorW]

I like it Rob well done :thumbsup:

[mexhunter]

Hi Rob:
Great definition. Well done.
Many grettings
Cesar

[TheDecepticon]

A very cool image! Great focus and detail!:eyepop:
Do you have to use dark frames with the QHY9?:question:

[multiweb]

Ooo yeah! Straight to the poolroom :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Awesome Rob.

[CoolhandJo]

Nice detail! Very good framing dead centre! What nm is your Ha Filter?

[AlexN]

Great work Rob... You'll have to figure out that balancing and get your tracking nailed down, with Ha in the burbs you can image up and indeed over 30 minute exposures!

I really love the tight stars a newt gives in NB images.

[telecasterguru]

That is a wonderful image that I can almost fall straight into.

Frank

[Garyh]

Very nice Ha detail Rob!
A great start with the new camera!
One day ;)

[desler]

Yes Rob, detail galore.

Can't wait to see your LRGB, You must be excited!

Darren

[ozstronomer]

Rob,

Great Image and fine detail :thumbsup:

Look like all those hours at Peter's is paying off

Geoff

[leinad]

^ what he said.

Looking forward to a colored rendition. :thumbsup:

[mill]

Looking good and it is very sharp.
I am expecting my QHY9 on tuesday next week :cool::cool:

[Mighty_oz]

Very nice indeed looking at getting one of these 2. Was this done on your Skywatcher 8" F/5 Newt ? on the heq 5 pro ?

[Jeff]

I want one. :(

[RobF]

Many many thanks for your kind words of encouragement everyone!
The family is pretty sympathetic to the cause, but don't always understand the obsession and excitement. :lol:



Hmm - I suspect its not essential, but I don't have any experience on just how necessary they are yet. The KAF8300 chip is supposed to have a bit of noise over the Sony in the QHY8s, but its so easy to set the temp and let the camera and laptop run overnight collecting darks you can reuse, why not give it your best shot....



That's through the Baader 7nm filter Paul. QHY says they will sell a narrowband set eventually, but not available yet.



Cheers Alex. I'd like to be able to open her up more, but its a delicate balancing act. I probably need to bite the bullet and pull down the HEQ5, but don't have the time currently, and would like to have quite a bit of PE data on hand first to check if I actually make it better! :lol:

I don't think this is as crisp as your spectacular 20mins subs through Peter's 127Apo either dammit! Filtering out the dodgey frames made quite a difference though.

Actually playing with this made me realise I've got work more on masking my stars during processing - the brighter ones started out a lot finer and less blown out than what I've finished up with here. I'm still getting used to pulling the Curves down rather than up in PS for mono. :screwy:



Thanks Geoff - seemed a shame to use up such a nice night playing and learning, but you have to start somewhere.



Happy for you Martin - you're in for a quite a happy ride! :thumbsup:



Yep - shot through the Newt. I've never wanted to cut the tube down though, so I can only get focus using an MPCC (which is pretty important anyway to fight off coma). Can't quite get 2 filters in front of the MPCC though to shoot RGB + IDAS pollution filter from the burbs.



There's still another month before the current camera plus filterwheel deal ends though Jeff....:whistle: :whistle:

[batema]

That is an amazing photo Rob. What detail. You must be loving the new challenge and the outcomes look great. Can you imagine this with colour.

Mark

[Paul Haese]

Huge scale and heaps of detail.

[prokyon]

Well done!
I am still taking my photos with a 350d. When I see results like that, I think its time for the next step forward. No easy step, but its worth the effort. You showed me.. ;)

[Bender]

Another great shot from you Rob:bowdown:
Keep up the good work

[pvelez]

A cracker - you can't be unhappy with that one

Pete

[RobF]

Many thanks guys.

Mark - I'm hoping I can get my act together and add RGB before the Rosette is gone for year. Plenty happy with this effort in the meantime.

Paul - thanks - I wouldn't be so addicted to astrophotography if people like you would stop posting new masterpieces all the time...!

Werner - cheers mate - you've got no apologising to do with the great work you keep putting up! Struggling with exposure time and temperature noise on this very object was one thing that got me thinking about CCDs.

Thanks Martin! - I won't have to bore you to death at work now you've seen this one....:whistle:

Thanks Pete - I see you've succumbed to 8300 fever already..!

[AlexN]

8300 Fever... Thats good dude! You should trademark that :D

It does seem a bit that way at the moment doesn't it!? I know 12 people who in the past 2 months have moved to the 8300 sensor, and 'know' (Online) about 5 times that amount...

Seems the 8300 is the sensor of the moment.. and I suppose, when you look at the quality of the images being produced with them, and the current pricing, its not hard to tell why!

I hope you manage to get some colour on this before the rosette is gone for the year... I made a grim discovery.. I cant get it from my back yard, as the neighbors house is in the way... and out the front I would be pointing at a street light :( Looks like I'll be waiting till next year.

[strongmanmike]

Nice work Rob, some nice detail there, a sign of things to come ;)

Mike

[spearo]

great detail
cool
frank

[RobF]

Perhaps at the next 10 Chain?
I tried aligning my 450 data with the Ha Alex, but I've rotated the OTA 45 degrees since then from PA 315 deg to about 360 - makes it easier navigating/tweaking targetting without Liveview and helps a little with balance. They don't really go together too well.



Thanks Mike
Now which was the Star Trek movie when Kirk says at the end something like .... "Let's see what's out there....!" :lol:



Cheers Frank!

[AlexN]

I've got big plans for the next 10 Chain night Rob... I wont have time for rosette.. It will be all hands to battle stations at dusk.. race to get the alignment done then get my target centered and start pillaging photons.. :D

I too tried to align your colour data from the rosette to my lum.. Mine was rotated about 120° from yours, so it required it to be heavily cropped, and no matter what I did I couldn't get it looking right.. It was worth a go :)

[lesbehrens]

very good;):eyepop:

[davewaldo]

Thats awesome Rob! Can't wait to see what you can do with it.

[RobF]

He he - high security around the next project!
You've got such a unique set of gear I think most people would be hard pressed to steal your photons if they tried Alex. Nothing like that sense of anticipation at the next big one though!



Thanks Les!



Dave - good to hear from you! Many thanks. You've got a heck of a lot to answer for you know showing me those first faint pics of the horsehead and NGC253 on your lappy screen!... ;)

[Tandum]

Good to see youre getting images from that camera Rob, I sent mine back to theo for a checkup, the sensor was frosting up. Any ETA on adapters? I know how frustrating it is waiting for them :)

[RobF]

No. I should ask I guess. Was expected to be weeks rather than days. One consolation - forecast is nothing but clouds for the next week....:lol:

I saw you were having sensor trouble. Good you and Theo seem to have it sorted though.

[mill]

Not funny :P
I am expecting my QHY9 coming week :cool:
Ah well i can always make the dark library :P