M83, Lagoon, other nebulae and Horsehead

[tornado33]

Hi all
Heres some more images, I took these last night, didnt pack up till after 2 am!

M83 galaxy with UHCS filter 5 x 5 mins ISO 400, larger and full sized versions here
http://scottalder.fotopic.net/p28352659.html

Lagoon Nebula 4 x 5 mins ISO 400
http://scottalder.fotopic.net/p28352665.html

NGC 3603 and 3576 near bottom with part of NGC 3572 at top also TR18 open cluster at middle, where a supernova remnant (MSH 11-062) lies also.
http://scottalder.fotopic.net/p28352664.html

Horsehead nebula 6 x 10 mins, a full hour's imaging.
http://scottalder.fotopic.net/p28352666.html

All shots taken with the UHCS filter and MPCC with the 6 inch F3.6 Schmidt Newtonian.
Conditions, clear and rather cold.
This is as deep as Ive pushed the cometracker scope, I need to beef up the guidescope setup with it to go longer as RA flexure errors happen with longer exposures now.

My 2 inch UV/IR cut filter should arrive in a few days, then I will get out Bert's lens and go really "deep" with it :)
Scott

[tornado33]

I should mention the wierd blue blob in top part of Horsehead pic is NOT a nebula but a darn internal relection from Zeta Orionis star. It must be coming off the uncoated corrector plate.
Iris was used for Offset, Flat and Dark subtraction
Photoshop and Noiseware was used to finish off the images
Scott

[Robby]

Very nice Scott... I was just about to ask what those blue rings were when, then I saw your 2nd post!
Your getting some great stuff with this scope. Well done.
Cheers

[beren]

Stunning.....a lofty benchmark to aspire to :doh:

[ving]

gr8 pics sir! :D

[Phil]

Very nice work Scott

[avandonk]

Just practicing eh Scott. For heavens sake get the corrector coated! Did you know that comet has broken again should make a nice widefield. You will get a shock when you get rid of that pesky IR.

Bert

[tornado33]

Thanks all. :)
I wish the comet wasnt so far north, my mount is permanently set up and aligned in the back yard and cant see further north than about zero degrees in Dec. :(
Will have to save up for coating the corrector plate, I wonder if the reflection is coming off the front or rear, or both surfaces. The corrector is made of ordinary plate glass as if i look through it edgewise, its dark green, so I guess a few % of light is lost there too.
Scott

[Lester]

They are great shots Scott, especially for a scope that doesn't cost a arm and a leg.

I love the Horsehead, and can over look the small reflection area.

There may be a processing tecnique that could reduce or eliminate that small reflection! Or by taking a number of shots with the scope moved slightly, so that the reflection comes in a different place on the image, then it could be masked out. Just a thought.

Love your work

[h0ughy]

I can't keep up with you Scott, you must be the worlds quickest imager! Nice offering to please us as well!

[EzyStyles]

very nice scott! even till 2am you took plenty of images!. I normally have to do an all nighter just to get a few. love the colours.

[tornado33]

thanks again all.
Yes Im sure there may be ways to remove the int. reflections, I must look into it.
Scott