M45 - Pleiades

[Paramount]

Hi all
I started this over a month ago but the weather and work have prevented me from doing any more untl the last two weeks when I have been on annual leave and despite some intermittent cloud earlier in the week I managed to finish the rest of data last night (very cold it was too!)
This was taken with the FSQ106ED f5 on a Paramount ME with a Starlight Xpress SXVF H36, the exposures are as follows
25x5 minutes luminance
16x5 minutes red
24x5 minutes green
20x5 minutes blue
Some of the frames had to be rejected due to cloud hence the odd numbers. Auto guiding was via a Lodestar camera and OAG with dithering used. The frames are fully calibrated and basic processing of levels, curves, contrast and shadows/highlights were used. No sharpenning or noise reduction was used
Please check out earlier efforts of this object in the Clusters page of the image gallery on my website http://www.imagingtheheavens.co.uk

Also there is a larger version on the following link
http://www.pbase.com/imaging_the_heavens/image/130690457/original

Thanks for looking
Best wishes
Gordon

[troypiggo]

Phwoar - beautiful, dusty, colourful. Love it.

[multiweb]

Yeah - very nice pic. Loads to see. Well done. :thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Lots of nice detail there and you got some dust too. Great image.

How were you using the Lodestar as an autoguider? Did you use SX software or CCDsoft? Do you need a special cable or were you using direct guide on the PME?

I ask as I have a Lodestar and I read somewhere you need a special adapter to make it work on a Tak mount.

Greg.

[Paramount]

Hi Greg
Thanks for the comments, I use a Paramount ME and the guide cable that comes with the Lodestar just plugs stright into the guide socket on the mount. I use Maxim DL for all my camera operation including the guiding. I haven't heard about the need for a special adapter for using the lodestar on a Tak mount
Best wishes
Gordon

[niko]

Absolutely awesome

thanks for sharing

niko

[desler]

Beautiful image Gordon, a pleasure to view.


Darren

[strongmanmike]

That's a beauty, plenty of detail and lots of dust :thumbsup:

I think that orientation of Subaru looks cool too.

Excellent

Mike

[Garyh]

Yes beautiful result Gordon! The luminosity and colors look fantastic here!
cheers Gary

[TrevorW]

Nice one Gordon

[Alchemy]

Good work, really got the faintest dust in the surrounds .....

[Bigcrunch]

Very beautiful image , Gordon and nice colors.

[Phil Hart]

nice image!

i've got a few hours on this from vicsouth but haven't processed yet. i'll be happy with half that much dust! ;)

phil

[allan gould]

Very nice colour and sharpness but my wife would go nuts with all that dust. Great shot done under trying circumstances.

[Hagar]

Nice image Gordon. Not the usual orientation so it took me a minute to get my bearings. Great amount of nebulosity and dust captured.
Well done.

[h0ughy]

lovely natural dust and colours - beautiful shot and work processing

[iceman]

That's a beautiful image of the Pleiades, Gordon!

It's now IOTW (http://www.iceinspace.com.au).

Cheers

[DarkRevenge]

Congrats Gordon!
Amazing image! :eyepop:

Cheers, Luis.

[RB]

Congrats on IOTW Gordon.

:)

[Paramount]

Hi Guys
Thanks for the comments and it was really nice to have the image picked for IOTW
Best wishes
Gordon

[javier alves]

:eyepop: is a great imagen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
realy , realy good .
regards from argentina.

pd : sorry for my english :lol: