The Hairy Comet

[Paul Haese]

I came upon this object by sheer accident a couple of months ago while researching objects to image. It seems that only a few Australians have imaged this in the past, Steve Crouch being the most notable image. Internationally, there are quite a few examples and Tom Davis's image inpired me the most. The object looks like a giant galactic hairy comet coursing its way through the Milky. Located in Centaurus it is high in the sky at present and easy to find with good pointing software. It is too faint to see with an eyepiece.

To the image; this is 4.3 hours of data, but I am going to collect the same value again. I am not happy with the star colour despite having 40 minutes of data in each of the RGB channels. Galaxy colours are also lacking too and that I think is indicative of not enough intergration time. At the Malins I spoke with Martin about intergration time briefly and I can see how lots of intergration really boosts colour signal on faint objects. So more time it is. How much more will depend on how well the image progresses.

Despite the amount of stretching I did there is relatively low amounts of noise but the brighter stars have bloated and I need to go back and address this I feel.

For a larger image Click here (http://paulhaese.net/NGC5367.html). Object information is below the image.

Feel free to let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions as to helping with the star colour, muted as those are. I tried all my usual techniques and non seemed to work well.

[Mighty_oz]

Looks like part of the witchheads nebula with those colours :) Nice shot.

[Deeno]

Fascinating image!

[RickS]

A very interesting object, Paul!

[PeterM]

Bravo Paul, another off the beaten track image and it is a beauty, congratulations.

My notes on this object in Centaurus are from the ESO book Exploring The Southern Skies noting that a nearby supernova blast may have hit the cloud and formed the tail. It forms the head of a Cometary Globule CG12 and is app 2000 lyrs distant. In the book plate 147 has a pic of this fine object. In Hartungs revised edition it is listed as object 624.

Exploring The Southern Skies it is a remarkable reference that is a few years old now but has many, many Southern objects for todays imager to hunt down. If you can ever get your hands on one treat it like gold!

I am willing to lend it out to long term IIS members wanting some fine, and off the beaten track southern targets to image - just pm me.

Great image Paul.

[gregbradley]

Great image Paul.

I like it just as it is.

More time may add a bit of blue to the reflection area but some areas just seem to have a preponderance of yellowish stars.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

I think this is quite ok really :shrug:...nice to see you over-analyse your own images too :lol: (just joking :P)...On my work moniter nothing jumps out that looks like a big issue :question:

Sure more exposure might (well, will) assist but still nice work :thumbsup:...besides without robotic automated sequences really loooong exposures are a bit of a challenge....try doing them without an observatory :scared:

It's a lovely image...juuuust begging for a wider field :whistle:.... ;)

Mike

[SkyViking]

That's a spectacular image, I really like it. And what a great target.
I agree the star colours are somewhat muted though, but you seem to have good colour in the dust itself. I wonder how does your RGB layer look on its own, is it also lacking in star colour?

[Paul Haese]

Thanks guys for responding.



Ah that is the detail I was looking for. The web does not have this info but I had read some where similar information. Thanks Peter for the information.




Yes that is true, perhaps I struck one.



Would you expect me not to Mike?;) I view my images with the same eyes that I view anyones. No rose coloured glasses here. (oops pun):P

Not having an observatory or permanent pier is a real drag and that I can appreciate. We have discussed putting in more piers down the house for the guys that come down and don't want to setup each time. So I know how you feel.

Yes wider field but maybe with a 300mm f2.8 lens that is really renticular. Not buying anymore big scopes. Well not in the near future.:)



Thanks Rolf. I think is is a great target too. From the moment I saw it I wanted to image it. I did a run a month or so ago but did not like the composition. Due to the accurate pointing I have with the mount it put the cometary cloud right in the center of the frame. That means that I missed nearly half of the tail. On this session I simply pointed to a star further across and got it all in.

The RGB layer is the same. It is so faint that is hardly shows up in RGB at all even with quite a lot of stretching. Maybe I will just add another session to it and see what transpires. like Greg pointed out it might just be a yellow patch of stars.

[pixelsaurus]

Great image. There is a thread on it http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=42050

[leon]

How cool is that, very impressive Paul, like it.

Leon

[Stevec35]

Nice job on this one Paul. I must go back and try it again sometime myself.

Cheers

Steve

[Peter Ward]

Maate... I like that very much! Very tidy indeed :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[TrevorW]

Nice one Paul

[atalas]

Very nice Paul! as far as star color goes?you know the answer to that mate....well depth,well depth....don't shoot more than 5 to 6 minutes.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Unusual nelula.

Love the dusky colour, is this out of reach of an 8" astrograph and unmodded DSLR?

So many great DSO's out there!

Thanks Paul.

[Paul Haese]

Thanks guys, your responses are fab.




Hmmm maybe but I have a few examples of greater sub length where colour was not a problem. I will give it a go though and do some short subs to add to the colour.



No just dark skies needed I htink Justin. The extra diameter would help for sure.

[jjjnettie]

I'm loving that dust so much. :)

[dvj]

I like this image alot. There are a bunch of these cometary objects coming up in the next season around the Gum nebulae that are worth a look at.

[Rigel003]

Fantastic object, Paul, - really eerie, and a lovely rendition. you're on a roll at the moment.

[Ric]

Lovely image Paul.

Definitely one that is not too often imaged.

[Ross G]

A great looking photo Paul of an object I have never seen.


Thanks.

Ross.

[Paul Haese]

Thanks all, I really appreciate your comments



Which gum are you talking about? I thought there were a few of those?? Maybe I am thinking of another catalogue.

Graeme, I had hoped we would have gotten clear skies while you were still on holiday, and then I could have added even more. I will have to wait another few days now for the clear skies again.

[stevous67]

That is a very unusual object Paul, but, its something interesting to pan around.

Steve

[Peter.M]

This is beautiful Paul, I look forward to the next time we can image together.

[h0ughy]

great image Paul - showing my naivety - never knew it existed though i have now read about it from the ESO book archive (big download) (http://www.eso.org/public/archives/books/pdfsm/exploring_the_southern_sky.pdf)

[Paul Haese]

Yes there are a few tiny galaxies in the field as well as some nice dust/gas clumps.


Thanks for the link David, I must have a read.

Peter, given the weather that might be a couple of weeks away yet.