Average M46

[Peter Ward]

Sydney's seemingly first clear night in months of course had to be with a nearly full moon....

Anyway, literally brushed off the cobwebs (note to self: buy some Baygon surface spray) and fired up the scope.

Pleasingly, it all still seemed to work.

Nothing special... M46 here (http://www.atscope.com.au/BRO/gallery77.html)was the result of a quick 60 minute session under a 3/4 moon (gradients were a bugger)

P.S. Fishing line provided the not all that successful diffraction spikes

[Stevec35]

I think you are being tough on yourself Peter. That's a nice shot. I love the star in the top right hand corner.

Cheers

Steve

[Peter Ward]

Thanks Steve.
Guess it's not too shabby then :)

[TrevorW]

Get rid of the fishing line and buy Starspike Pro from Carboni much better for adding diffraction spikes

Ps: not to shabby

[rat156]

Hi Peter,

What scope is this with?

You seem to have either some field curvature or maybe the camera isn't sitting square in the focusser on the bottom LHS.

Don't add the false diffraction spikes, they add nothing to the image, real ones can't be avoided, but false ones?

Nice satellite through the red? sub.

Really nice area too, I'll have to get some pics of that area myself if the cloud ever goes away.

Cheers
Stuart

[jenchris]

What's the grey planetoid 2/3 the way from the neb to the left?

[Peter Ward]

Thanks for the feedback.

I actually like diffraction spikes (real ones...don't go much for the photoshop variety) on stellar images (eg M45).... but in this case I have to admit it didn't really work due the dearth of bright stars in the cluster.

The scope was an AP155 with AP's F5.3 reducer, which does show a tad of coma with the 16803 sensor....I suspect this full res-crop of the data is the reason you can see the assymetry at lower left....I can live with it :)

There two planetary nebulae associated with M46, the second (to the left) is often missed, but well documented elsewhere (PK number anyone??)

[Stevec35]

That's the planetary nebula Minkowski 1-18

Steve

[gregbradley]

Lovely star field and I like the big bright yellow star.

I couldn't believe the clear skies last night. Its been a really long time in Sydney since we've had one of those.

I get a very small amount of coma on my AP140 and 155TCC also. I also get it with the FSQ106ED reducer and Proline. I don't recall getting any though with the U16M camera. It may be a weight issue causing some flex, perhaps in the adapters rather than the focuser. I agree the coma is almost undetectable and nothing to worry about.

Greg.

[Rodstar]

That is the first time I have seen the second PNe. Cheers Peter - very useful for when I am next observing under a dark sky with OIII filter! And thanks for posting this beautiful image.

[Paul Haese]

Nice Peter, some slight noise but pretty low level. The PN's are very nice captures.

[Rigel003]

Lovely image. Great to see that fainter planetary. I've never been aware this was there.

[marc4darkskies]

Average??! Looks damn fine to me Peter! Although I find myself browser zooming to 400% to appreciate the little sucker. I believe I even see a bit a structure in there too (?) Any reason you didn't use the RCOS on such a small target?

Cheers, Marcus

[Peter Ward]

Thanks Marcus...no doubt the RC would have resolved things better...but

..the STX was bolted to the AP at the time, and given the lack of clear nights :cloudy: , well, for the last 6 months ... didn't want to waste 30 minutes changing it over :)

[RobF]

Congrats on a clear sky and pleasing image.
Thanks also for pointing out the baby PN - wasn't aware of that one...