Centaurus Galaxy Cluster - FLI PL16803

[strongmanmike]

Well it took a while but I finally got out for a couple of nights of fiddling and testing the new camera-filterwheel system....:eyepop: :bashcomp::help::doh::prey:........ ....:2thumbs:

The first target for the new system was veeeery carefully chosen :confuse3:... for two reasons :question: 1) I have always wanted to image (part of) this distant group of thousands of galaxies and it was on my list of potential targets. 2)....err?..the first night had a big hole right there in the sky aaaaand I was impatient :shrug: :D

For some unknown reason I had an issue with my Lum shots with a touch of egging happening for some reason but it is only noticable at full res, funny, the RGB subs were all pretty well perfect...:shrug: The egging in the final LRGB was really only minor so I left it as is, de-egging causes more issues than it solves usually anyway....so ignore any eggs if ya notice them.. baulk begurk! :P

Warning, the files from this 16mega pixel beast are big and given the fov is some 1.65deg X 1.65deg the tiny size of these 150 million ly distant galaxies (largest is still under 4') means to appreciate them one must look at virtually 100% size images really.

So here are a few 100% crops (around 1Meg each) and a 50% size full frame (4.5meg) for a bit of surfing oportunity :P.

Full Frame 50% size (4.5meg)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/123634922/original

100% crops:
Central cluster area (1.6meg)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/123613257/original

Cool galaxy grouping 1 (900k):
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/123613263/original

Cool galaxy grouping 2 (500k)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/123613260/original

And if ya just wanna see it all in one go have a surf around the enormous full 100% size full frame 16meg image :eyepop: here:
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/123635787/original

Mike

[DavidU]

Omg !

[leon]

Wow Mike that last one is huge, but spectacular. nice work inded.

Leon

[Jeffkop]

Magnificent Mike ... wow there is a lot of stuff in that image ... couldnt see any eggs though. Its one of those images that ya need to look at for a long time to digest it all ... to think that represents a pin prick if you were to look at it with the unaided eye ... There is surely someone in another far off, millions of light years away place, sitting tonight saying the exact same thing.

As usual ... a treat Mike

[Peter Ward]

Mike....great to see you have the FLI-cam working....and no bones about it, technically, the images are "as good as it gets" with a 6" scope.

[gregbradley]

Fabulous image Mike and congrats on the new camera.
The PL16803 is a beauty.

Greg.

[Bassnut]

Soo many galaxies, huge indeed Mike, nice work and bodes well for full on, extreme WFW killer FOVs.

[DavidTrap]

Pretty special!

DT

[Hagar]

Mike that is magnificent. I'm not even going to attempt to count the fuzzies in this huge image.

Might pay to upgrade the camera text below the image to reflect your new baby correctly.

[multiweb]

Yeah that's a load of galaxies in there. The high-res is remarkable. Cool stuff indeed. :thumbsup:

[astroron]

Brilliant Mike, Well Done

[CoolhandJo]

Huge! Very nice indeed! Next level up stuff!

[Ken Crawford]

Very nice work - I love the framing and there are so many wonderful targets in that shot.

Welcome to the LSCC = Large Square Chip Club

[richardo]

Epic!
That is for the fov and for having your new camera...
On my 24" mon, brought the full res image right out to get the best feel of the overall image.... specky

NOW, you must be pleased!:)

Hope the weather plays ball so you can get some more time with your new, lovely, bloody big expensive toy;)

Have lots of fun:thumbsup:

All the best
Rich

[Octane]

:cryface:

That's just sensational. I think I have a potential target for maybe a 3rd or 4th light. So many galaxies, waa waa!

H

[JD2439975]

Congrats on a most spectacular first light Mike, that's an orsm image. :thumbsup:

Especially love NGC 4650a in the top left corner, most unusual galaxy.

[bmitchell82]

mike thats just one phatt ass image! its amazing what you can pick up! and now its really putting that good old 3" FF to good use! imagine if you dropped a FR into the mix UWFW... Ultra wide field whoose!

[Doomsayer]

Yes this cam will defintely be a killer for that fast newt astrograph you are fishing for. Another testament to the surprising reach of a premium 6" apo.

cheers
guy

[telecasterguru]

Unbelievable.

Frank

[SkyViking]

That's an outstanding image, what a huge and deep field! Congratulations with your new toy Mike :D Now I want one too!

[marc4darkskies]

Show off!

Cheers Mar-jealous-of-people-with-nice-new-toys-cus!

PS: Nice one! :thumbsup: How did your robofocus manage the weight?

[renormalised]

Great images, Mike:)

Well done:)

[h0ughy]

Aweesoooommmmeeee duude. Very impressing Mike, tis a wonderful and noble toy...;)

[rogerg]

Very nice collection of galaxies and a perfectly clean image :) For some reason I'm finding the blue of brighter stars distracting in this image, I don't find that in your others - Fornax for example. Might just be me :shrug:

[strongmanmike]

So glad you all enjoyed the image, not a vibrant coloured nebulous region I know but there is something sobering about a field like this, tends to make you contemplate and imagine rather than say "wow what a sight"..?

Entering the LSCC club is pretty special I must say Ken, I remember poo hooing CCD's back in the mid 90's because the chips were so small in the amateur market. After making extensive use of 6X7 film in the 80's, it is nice to finally have some decent film sized chip real estate :thumbsup:

Yes, Guy, imagine this camera on a 12" F3.8....;)...imagine all the little problems, issues and quirks there would be to iron out too :rolleyes:

Rich, I am reasonably happy :D

Marcus, the Robo Focus seemed to have no issues but I don't controll the RF via my computer instead I simply use the remote hand control to move the focuser in and out so I am not sure if the weight of the kit would affect software autofocus routines and repeatability..?

That cute little galaxy in the top left corner with the blue extensions is a Polar Ring Galaxy: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990510.html

Thanks again everyone :)

Mike

[duncan]

Absolutely awesome!!!!!!!!! I stopped counting at 30 on the 900kb image. Didn't even start on the full image.
Makes you wonder how many out there are looking our way?
Cheers and Thanks,
Duncan

[alan meehan]

Amazing Mike this shot has so much depth brilliant

[tornado33]

Imagine an All Sky Survey taken with this equipment!
Scott

[strongmanmike]

OK, I imagined it...and that's about it :P Would take a lifetime and you would need to do it from the Andes to get enough clear nights :lol:

Cheers Scotty

[Jen]

:eyepop::eyepop: OMFG :eyepop::eyepop:
Thats an awsome pic Mike :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Now can you label all those fuzzy spots for me :question: :lol::lol:

[strongmanmike]

OMFG = Oh My Fine Galaxies...? :question:

Ladel them huh..? No but I'll name'em

Spiral Steve, Polar Pete, Side-on Sam, Irregular Ian, Cigar Bob, Friggin faint Fred, Redshifted Roger, Eliptical Erol, Barred Barry...and the list goes on! Then there's Sula, Nula, Tula, Rula...oh! and Gabby! :P

Mike

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol:
:thumbsup:
;)

[AlexN]

Holy crap dude!! Awesome... ! :)

[strongmanmike]

Yeh it's a big chip mate but still way behind the size the 4" FF was designed to cover :thumbsup:

How's things anyway..?

Mike

[skeltz]

mmm nice mike not too shabby ...what where your sub lenghts??

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Rob :)

I used 10min subs

Mike

[iceman]

That's a beauty, Mike. Beautiful field and lots to take in, that's for sure.

I look forward to seeing it take something nice and colourful next, too :)

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Mike
Yes, that's the plan this week ;)....:prey:

[AlexN]

Its a MASSIVE chip, but its no 6x4 medium format film! :) That 4" FF will do you a decade or so longer I'd assume...

Things go ok mate... Been a bit quiet of late with my time being occupied by a new job etc.. doing 12 ~ 13hr days etc...

Looking forward to seeing some narrowband imaging from this big rig!

[danielsun]

Wow Mike!! That's a Hubble deep field and a half.
Awesome image.

Cheers Daniel.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

S'ok - if you like that sort of thing;)

Took ages to download but worth the wait!!

[Paul Haese]

I replied to this on SCP but thought I would say this is a lovely image. The field size is huge and I don't normally like images where the subject matter is lost in the field but this works well. I love the smoothness of the image too. Excellent work.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers guys :thumbsup:

Always hard to move away from the real speky objects but every part of the sky has some sort of validity I guess...especially ones full of galaxies far far away...... the massive field, at a good image scale, helps make it a little different too I guess.

:)
Mike

[Tilt]

Magnificent! I'm sure this is one of many fine images to be captured by your nifty new camera :D

[strongmanmike]

Nifty Camera???...it's a bluddy brick :lol: