Ptolemy's Jewels AG12

[strongmanmike]

I forgot I grabbed this data last imaging session two weeks ago - ha bonus!

Because it was new moon and I thought what the heck...many of you will be relieved to know it is actually an LRGB and not narrow band :)

Taken with the 12" F3.8 Orion Optics Astrograph and FLI Proline 16803 this is the beautiful open cluster M7 in Scorpius and surrounding golden sands star field.

Here is a 50% resolution version (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/136570766/original) (slight crop) try shrinking it in your browser to 75% and use full screen mode (F11)

And of course here is the whole album (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/m7_ptolemy_cluster) of various zooms, includng the full 1.8deg X 1.8deg version and close-ups of a cool planetary Neb near the main cluster and a globular cluster too :thumbsup:

Cheers

Mike

[beren]

:) Very fine image as usual Mike, rich star colour looks great.........checking your gear pics the imaging chain hanging off the Orion is pretty impressive :eyepop:

[John Hothersall]

I know M7 has a starry backdrop but that is insane, there is no space between. Love the black niches of dust all over, you have such a wide field for a big scope thats for sure.

Each of your AG12 efforts is a big event here - just love them.

John.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Beautiful image Mike.
Tight, round stars. great colour. Nicely differentiated.
The 12" seems to like you!

[multiweb]

That's a beaute Mike. Love it! M7 is a cool cluster because it's nested in that dust and starry background. Great contrast. :thumbsup:

[Hagar]

Lovely Mike, etremely colourful star field and cluster.
Lovely clean, sharp image.

[strongmanmike]

Yeh it's a capable bit of kit Beren...still hasn't hits is real straps yet but soon :thumbsup:



Thanks Doug having a great wide field at good image scale really helps with the versatility.



Cheers Aragnou MP :D



Cheers Peter, Yes the AG12 is a formidable bit of imaging kit, I can't wait to get it under dark skies :thumbsup:



Thanks so much John, I am glad you find the early results with one of John and Barry's babies so enjoyable :thumbsup:...there aren't many of us in Oz yet but I think that will slowly change ;)

[Paul Haese]

Ah very nice star field Mike. Colours look great and the inky blacknest of the dust has no noise. Nicely done.

[gregbradley]

Fabulous Mike. I love the light blue glow around the star ckuster.

Greg.

[DavidU]

Yep, it's a beaut ! I love the dust clouds.The 12" is picking up a lot of photons.Nice work

[Stevec35]

That's a top shelf M7 Mike. Great star colour and even the little globular NGC 6453 is well resolved.

Cheers

Steve

[TrevorW]

A fine image that has a 3d depth to it

[strongmanmike]

Others here have done some nice presentations of it. It really is a lovely vista and benifits from the wide and high res field.



Thanks Greg, I don't get out as much as you do so I have to ration out the data over a time period, finding forgotten data was a nice surprise during this rainy period :thumbsup:



Thanks Dave



Thanks Steve, it's a field that looks good a bit widish.



Thanks Trevor, yeh the cluster looks distinctly in front of the background star field huh?

Mike

[Phil Hart]

a very fine image of M7 mike.. lovely.

although i often go the 'if in doubt, crop it out' route, in this case i like the uncropped field of view.. it sets the cluster off very nicely against a dramatic background. i like it a lot! :thumbsup:

Phil

[strongmanmike]

Glad you liked it Phil :thumbsup:...I never know exactly which crop will look best (or no crop) so...I have a version there for all tastes :lol:

Mike

[Tom Davis]

I lovely image, Mike! Beautiful star colors!

What is going on in the upper left corner? Mis-registration? Slight chip tilt? I can't quite tell.

Tom

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Tommy

Yeees well, good question :question:

[atalas]

Nice work Michael.

[mill]

Very nice starfield Mike with perfect star colours.
It makes for a very busy picture with lots to see :thumbsup:

[Bolts_Tweed]

Good stuff mate

MB

[Ric]

Lovely work Mike, the colours are fantastic.

[Leonardo70]

Mike ... i like so much this photo ... wonderful color ...

Ciao,
Leo

[jase]

Looked at this a few times now. What a ripper! Very impressive work Mike. The contrast of the star colours really make this image.

[p1taylor]

Mike that is a really wonderful image.

peter

[irwjager]

What can I say that hasn't been said before... That's just spot on! I actually really like that you let us choose different crops/framing options - I wish more people did that!

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Big Louie :thumbsup:



Cheers Marto, the colour seems to have been well recieved so that's cool :thumbsup:



Thanks Bolton :thumbsup:



Seems people like the colours :)



Thnaks Leo, yes the colour contrast is the clincher in this shot



The colours the colours everyone likes the colours :)...but have I respected the light :question: :lol:

Thanks Jase :thumbsup:



Glad you liked it Pete



Cheers Ivo, with such a large field just showing the full frame at a size that is manageable limits the appreciation of the full qualities of the image so it makes sense to provide cropped views (besides Fred loves'em :P)

Mike

[ChrisM]

Another impressive image Mike, and especially for not much more than an hour of exposure.

I'd like to know how many individual stars you have captured in that shot - maybe expressed as stars/square degree or similar!

Chris

[iceman]

Beautiful image Mike, I really like that.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Chris, the fast astrograph is pretty useful but the area doesn't really require that much exposure.



Thanks Mike, it's no wow image but rather one of those universally pleasant type vistas that don't get imaged too often becaseu it is basically stars :)

Mike

[marc4darkskies]

A beauty Mike! It has a vibrant yet natural feel to it.

Cheers, Marcus

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Marcus :thumbsup:

[alexch]

Love it!
I have a weak spot for dense golden star fields and this one is a treat to look at!
Cheers,
Alex

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Alex, I guess it is a slightly larger field than you had with the 10.4m...?

Mike

[suma126]

exellant shot:2thumbs:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Shane, for an essentially quite simple shot it seems to have struck a cord with a few people and that's nice :).

Mike

[marco]

Very very nice Mike, it is always difficult to render these starfields with the right golden cast and you did it very well. Hope to see more from the AG12 on deeper objects now ;)

Clear Skies
Marco

[strongmanmike]

Glad you enjoyed the view Marco :thumbsup:

Yes deeper is the path and the way...soon. Did you see what a handful of 5min exposures grabbed on the Helix (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/136114176/original)? :D