Eta Carinae from a guy who wishes he was observing in Australia

[astrospotter]

A year ago I returned from a 6 day visual observing session in Australia that was totally amazing but that is covered in observing reports around late March of last year. Being stunned by what an amazing visual object the Eta Carinae nebula was and knowing it had large amounts of Ha beyond human visual detection, I decided this year that I would try my newly acquired sub-hobby of Astrophotography out via remote telescope. I started to get semi-serious in astrophotography around last June.

I cannot make it out there this year so I opted for using a remote telescope down in Australia as my only viable choice to take pictures.

This picture was taken using a remote control observatory with an STL11000 camera on a Tak FSQ106ED at 530mm f/5. I liked this one so wanted to share this HaRGB image with all you lucky folk who can go out and see it (when clouds clear anyway).

http://astrospotter.zenfolio.com/p6664130/h23e93fee#h23e93fee

(click on it and maximize browser for largest image)

There is also a running chicken in that group of pictures with open cluster Ngc3766 as if in the old story 'The Sky Is Falling on chicken little' :lol:

Hope you like it,
Mark

[strongmanmike]

Well for someone who is essentially :question:...cheating ;)...that's not bloody bad at all :thumbsup:. The nebula looks best if you can give it a bit of space around it like you have here, nice job.

Eta is our North American Nebula (ie we all image it lots down here) only better and brighter :D

Mike

[h0ughy]

nice work for a northerner ;)

[David Fitz-Henr]

Welcome back to the southern hemisphere Mark (albeit remotely). That's a nice rendition of Eta Carina (especially for a notherner!). Nicely framed with the outer wisps of nebulosity showing some good detail - well done!

[jjjnettie]

A lovely Eta!

[astrospotter]

Northerner: Yes, I know but I ask that you all be open minded and allow me to hang out here from time to time ... I'll try to be real quiet :sadeyes:

Agree that I was 'cheating' but I do have a full astro-rig it just cannot see through the earth is the real big problem I have with imaging far south skies ;)

Over the last year I have seen such amazing images from Hagar, Avandonk (with that great picture by his name), Marco, Jason and so many more experienced imagers (And the great crowd in observations because after all I was doing that first with over 3000 logged observations
prior to astro-photography)

Hope you all get a clearing for this next new moon. We too are having our very wet year in the 7-year El Nino cycle as we call it here.

Clear skies,
Mark

[h0ughy]

Mate, wear it as a badge of honour, as for being quiet, why?