ngc3521-qsi583 first light

[allan gould]

Had my first chance last night to set up my new QSI583wsg last night and was amazed at how simple and easy it was to use. Maxim was a bit of a pig to learn how to use so I switched to CCDSoft which was simple and easy and very intuitive. For me its my preferred software. Just have to learn how to use the inbuilt OAG - thats the next step.
Went for a smallish galaxy in Leo that I havnt seen too many images of - NGC3521 and managed 25x4min shots as a trial to see if I could get the flats, bias and darks all working together. Just a quick process of curves and levels with a small smart sharpen and I know it can take a lot more processing. I only had the CCD chip at -5oC as I didnt want to ice anything up first time out.
Comments welcome - maybe colour tonight.

[duncan]

WOW!!! that's a super shot. Would love to see this cropped and blown up a bit. Looks like Globular clusters showing up in there as well.
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!:eyepop:
Duncan:)

[renormalised]

Not bad at all, for first light :)

[TrevorW]

Looking good what do you use to collect flats

[gregbradley]

That's a beauty. Congrats on your new camera. I've seem some great shots with that camera. The OAG is one of its main features.

What scope did you use?

Greg.

[Rigel003]

Excellent start! Looking forward to more.

[allan gould]

Used a 10"SCT with f6.3 reducer. A little star elongation as Im using a new guide scope and havnt come to terms with it yet. Need to off balance to the east but forgot. Didn't want to add to the fustration by using the DSI as a guide camera with the OAG first off. I need to do baby steps and add each new function as it comes. Took me a while to get used to the automated filter wheel which CCDSoft did brilliantly with. Can't wait to get to Astrofest and set this baby up under a dark sky, set the software and let it purrrrrr al night long.
Thanks for the comments Graeme, Greg, Trevor, Carl and Duncan.
Trevor - I used a home made light box to collect flats. Didnt know what exposure to use, so I did a series and lo and behold the first set were spot on as I set up the imaging train a bit too long and had bad vignetting in the corners. Will do better tonight.
Wife said -"its not in colour. You said the new camera would do it in colour".
Can't win.

[peter_4059]

Nice first image Allan. It's a lot sharper than previous attampts with the SCT. Looks like you are on to a winner.

[multiweb]

That's a beauty. Very sharp details in there. Well done. :thumbsup:

[telecasterguru]

I am impressed. Well done.

Frank

[Octane]

Allan,

Congratulations -- that's a corker. Beautiful definition in the dust lanes.

H

[bloodhound31]

Stunning detail and definition mate!

I tell you what, flip it up the other way and it all of a sudden takes on a real 3D look!

Baz.

[troypiggo]

Fantastic - great detail and dust. Congrats mate.

[h0ughy]

nice work for the first time Allan. Congratulations for first photons

[alan meehan]

That is a nice shot Alan ,lovely camera you have there ,well done
roll on Astrofest
Alan

[CoolhandJo]

Very nice. Good promo for the QSI range with a first light like that!

[allan gould]

Peter, Marc, Frank, Humayun, Baz, Troy, David, Alan and Paul
Thanks for all the kind words and Im stoked with the camera and can't wait to learn all the bells and whistles in the software and camera. If only my patent on the cloud filter would be approved then I could get back to imaging. I have to get the distance between the flattener and camera set a bit closer but so far it's a dream come true.

[allan gould]

As mentioned in this post by Bert http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=59528
I redid the image processing from my QSI and am even more pleased with the detail I can extract from these small pixels.

[jjjnettie]

Loooovely!