First Light from Wallaroo...I'm in heaven + some distant galaxies

[strongmanmike]

Finally almost two months after moving in to Wallaroo, I managed to get the AG12 set up and whirring over the weekend :cool:

Already, on the first night I know this is a better place than Newcastle, darker and steadier air - first night! Hallelujah :prey2: and there was no dew what so ever!

For my first target under dark skies with the AG12, I wanted to do something reasonably well known and a bit bright but have a good look at what was lurking in the field that isn't normally shown in run of the mill versions....so, given it's positioning I went with a tiny unknown galaxy..?..NGC 253..heard of it? :P

See, thing is, this galaxy is surrounded by a very faint diffuse halo and lots of Milky Way Cirrus that are rarely revealed in images of this field, not to mention thousands of distant background galaxies and galaxy clusters. So I thought I would do a deep image ala my infamous Cen A from Wiruna back in 2008 with the Starfire :D.

Of course now I have a 12" at F3.8 compared to a 6" at F8...which makes a world of difference :P So, rather than the nearly 20hrs of data I gathered for the Cen A and shot over three nights this is only 5.6hrs in total gathered over one :D....the extra aperture and speed make a difference.

Yes, yes, I know, there is a little noise in the background but this exercise was as much about just revealing stuff as making a perfect picture.

Here is the Full frame image FULL FRAME (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146741808/original)

Here is a close up of just the galaxy and surrounding galaxy clusters CLOSE UP (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146741809/original)

Here is a comparison with a deep image composed by David Malin using UK Schmidt plates: UK SCHMIDTCOMPARISON (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146749738/original)

Here is a selection of 100% crops of some distant galaxies and galaxy clusters (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146795031/original) near NGC 253

This is me all set up and waiting for darkness...and ALL EXCITED (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146742195/original)

Although it is only NGC 253, I hope it is a little interesting none the less :)

Mike

[cybereye]

OMG!!!

Can I come and live with you Mike.... at least pitch a tent somewhere on the property.... this is an amazing shot!! :thumbsup:

Mario

[Larryp]

That is superb!

[atalas]

Looks great Mike.

[RickS]

You must be very pleased, Mike :D A great image in doublequick time!

My AG12 is supposed to ship this week :thumbsup:

[venus]

Great work, beautiful image!

[TheDecepticon]

What a great shot! Great background, too! :eyepop:

Do you mean you shifted to Wallaroo,South Australia?:question:

[h0ughy]

na he means WHATAWALLY near canberra:rofl:

well you have your dream Mr Strongman.... looking the goods for the future

[allan gould]

Great scope, great image. Well done Mike - I'm envious.

[Stevec35]

Looking really good Mike

Cheers

Steve

[multiweb]

Yeah, looking very good. :thumbsup: Great color but processing a little on the sharp side to me.

[Peter Ward]

Clear dark skies.... sigh....

My thoughts are galaxies need some more FL, or smaller pixels, but a very tidy image just the same. Gotta be happy with that :)

[DavidU]

:jawdrop:I'm happy for you to have great sky's for a change. Nice one Mike.

[alpal]

Great pic & you've gone really deep with many other faint galaxies showing.
Well done.

[Mighty_oz]

Spectacular :)

[gregbradley]

Brilliant Mike!

Lovely to see these faint halos. That' a goal of mine when I shoot galaxies - to reveal these faint halos. Look at that, the galaxy is minimum 3 -4X the size it is often shown as. Most likely many times larger.

Greg.

[whzzz28]

Well this just craps all over my attempts at the silvercoin!

Very nice result. Look forward to more images with the scope :)

[strongmanmike]

Hey thanks for all the nice comments guys, it really is beautiful here, you won't be hearing the usual complaining Mike any more (...touch wood)...I even scored myself a complete Sirius Observatory today...so things just keep getting better...luck has to run out so I better watch it....

The Wallaroo I'm at is in NSW just outside Canberra

Mario you are welcome anytime

Houghy - I'm an ex strongman, all I can hope to do these days is lift spirits (both peoples and the liquid variety)

Greg, yes, why have a 12" F3.8 and dark skies and not get deep images..? ;)...There was absolutely no manual (fake) enhancement of the halo either, it was detectable in a 5min sub but in the basic 3hr median combined frame with only a normal stretch it was blow you away bright! With more exposure I could have gone smoother but not really any deeper (the halo is larger in my image than in the UK Schmidt shot!)...once I have an observatory though and no pack up is required between sessions - look out :thumbsup:

Thanks again everyone

Mike

[DavidTrap]

Great work Mike - glad to see the move has paid off!

DT

[alan meehan]

Real fine shot Mike good to see you are getting some lovely skies ,just think of us poor people left here in newcastle we may need a holiday down your way
AL

[strongmanmike]

He he, I've gone from looking out my front door to see 30 000 cars a day to seeing a heard of grazing cows against a back drop of distant mountains (well hills) Ah sigh.....

[whzzz28]

Considering this move myself. In talks with work to transfer out west. Should make for some nice skies and no more drudgy bus rides into the city every morning.

[dvj]

Super Image MIKE!:eyepop:

[marc4darkskies]

You're bAAaack!!

Love the depth & colour you've achieved there Mike! Lovely shot! :thumbsup: Bit of noise never hurt anyone :D

Cheers, Marcus

[SkyViking]

Great image Mike, you must be happy to be back in the game :D
It's interesting with that distortion of the halo at one end, I don't think there are any other galaxies nearby that could have influenced it.
Nice work, looking forward to the next one!

[h0ughy]

:rofl::rofl: Mike you had over 50000 vehicles per day;) as for the strongman title - always warranted especially with the weight of all those photons you will be bagging

[Paul Haese]

Interesting look, I see what you mean by there is more out past the galaxy edge. The halo is quite interesting. If I had more time with the 12RC I would push to grab that, however time is short now and I am leaving for Cairns soon. Maybe next year. Other targets await.

Not sure about the cyan looking blue stars in your image. Yes very deep image and you seem to have captured some globulars (just like I did I think). Interesting about the Ha regions showing up better in your image than mine. Perhaps the way you pushed the saturation but no doubt hiding there.

Another month or so and it will be interesting to see the images you produce from this site. Having a dark sky site is such a joy. I just love staring out into the void from my place.

[Leonardo70]

Congrats Mike ... i'm so happy to see this stunning first light.

All the best,
Leo

[astroron]

A Stupendous image of my favourite galaxy Mike:eyepop:
Love all the galaxies in the background:D
Enjoy your great Imaging and Observing site.
Look forward to more wonderful images from you.:D
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Ken Crawford]

Congrats Mike! I am very happy for you and your first light is a winner!

[avandonk]

Apart from the clear dark sky, large aperture fast astrograph, very nice state of the art camera etc and a skilled operator you have nothing else going for you Mike!

So that is what NGC 253 really looks like. From my place among the light polluted skies of Melbourne the outer halo hides in the LP and murk.

The image is not to my taste. It has too much colour and detail and shows far too much really faint stuff. ;)

I bet you cannot wait to get a permanent setup. I can get imaging within about five minutes of the clouds clearing. The limiting time is the five minute cool down of the FLI PL16803.

It would be very interesting to see what you could show of the faint stuff with even more data.

It all looks very good to me Mike!

Bert

[strongmanmike]

:lol:.... oh well them's the breaks I guess ;)



Actually, just scored myself a complete Sirius Observatory...so all in good time :D



Cheers Berto, shame you aren't closer, you could have brought the OS RH8 over for a run under dark skies...the mind boggles :)

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Marcus, as I said I made the decision to go for the limit here so the aesthetics suffered a tad but in the end and as Rolf has demonstrated so beautifully, it is not always about getting a perfect looking image but rather about revealing stuff not usually seen. With a fast reasonable size scope under dark skies why not push the limits, it's so much fun, I can't find another amateur image that reveals the halo quite as well while showing that level of detail in the galaxy (Marco Lorenzis effort last year is pretty good though) and none that show the galactic cirrus in the field, particularly not in a single nights imaging effort, so to me that was the key here, it was like a test really :thumbsup:



Thanks Rolf

Yes no idea what caused that extension perhaps its just a faint arm..?



He he Newcastle?...Newcastle who? Now it's :stargaze: time ;)



Cheers Paul

I used 30min of Ha data to enhance the HII

Yes there are some corker areas in the summer milky way that will suit the AG's FOV and speed nicely, already have a few in mind ;)



Grazie Mille tanti baci :love: :thumbsup:



Thanks mate, it has so far been a fabulous reawakening :)



Thanks Ken, once I have my observatory set up I will do longer exposures so, like you are able to achieve, the images can be both deep and aesthetic :thumbsup:

[marco]

Woowaa Mike, I can "see" your happiness here :D A very impressive image, I am very happy you have eventually chances to push the edge of your setup and rise the bar on the objects you are imaging ;) Please keeps the imaging flow coming next weeks/months, no more excuses now not to produce outstanding results <J> :D:P:thumbsup:

Ciao
Marco

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Marco, yes this is only the tip of the above water part of the iceberg really, while I don't have to do really long exposures to get a reasonable image, once I do up the imaging time things are looking up I guess :thumbsup:

Yeh, I guess I am pretty happy at the moment but after 5 years battling rubbish conditions and back breaking setup and pull downs, I deserve a break :)

Mike

[Ross G]

Hi Mike,

An amazing looking photo.

Good luck with your new location and your permamnent dome. I'm looking forward to some outstanding and unique photos from you.

However, to us "nomad" astrophotographers who live in polluted cities and drag kilos of equipment to the bush every few months in the hope of a dark night, you have been an inspiration.
Seeing the great photos you have produced from your mobile setups over the last few years has given us the hope of what is possible.

Thanks.

Ross.

[strongmanmike]

Wow, nice words Ross, glad to hear that.

While I will have the kit under a dome in due course and that dome will be in my own backyard, I am resisting the automation road....for now. Of course as you say I have done my lugging apprenticeship so I guess I could treat myself.... :P

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Just put together a selection of 100% crops of some distant galaxies and galaxy clusters (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146795031/original) located in the depths around NGC 253. I can't imagine how far away that very faint cluster in the bottom middle crop must be...? anyone got Simbad or other software that could identify it..? I have attached a location for it in my image...of course while it looks extra-galactic in nature to me, it could just be a very faint asterism of Milky Way stars too...be nice to confirm

Mike

[allan gould]

Mike
Enjoy the observatory. I know that when I enter mine I have a great sense of satisfaction and control. It's all in my hands and I love the sense that I know where all things are and I can attempt something new. It's a pity it's in a light polluted site for me but it cuts out wind, some light from the neighbors and I just love it. You will never go back to being without it.
Really pleased for you Mike.
Allan

[naskies]

WOW :eyepop: for your image and location!

[MrB]

Wow, very nice Mike!
My 10" f3.8 can't happen fast enough(I've gone the ATM route), but I can only dream of a dark sky location like yours :(

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Allan for your kind words :)

Oh I can't wait, the fact that a complete Sirius Observatory became available in Canberra's nearest suburb to us is a bloody miracle :eyepop: I have had an observatory before but not since mid 2006 :sadeyes:...it's been a hard slog at times since then



Cheers Dave, I am very lucky :thumbsup:



Cheers.

You will love it Simon, it does need dark skies to fully appreciate but a fast 10" Newt is a formidable instrument.

Mike

[TrevorW]

Nice one Big Mike did look when first posted but didn't comment as a masters work needs no accolades

[beren]

:)top image, great setup{trusty NJP}, perfect location congrats Mike your enthusiasm for the art is infectious :D

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Trevor and Beren, not sure about perfect location but it's better than what I've had for the past 5 years at least :thumbsup:

Should be out again tomorrow night for a new 1 night deep image :prey:

Mike

[David Fitz-Henr]

Hello Mike, that's a beautifully deep image and you have captured the faint halo as well as many distant background galaxies brilliantly. I also note that you have nice sharp star images to the corners of the frame; collimation for Newtonians can be frustrating at times (and especially so for faster Newtonians) but you appear to have everything humming nicely! I understand that you are buying a Sirius observatory? That will also be a huge boon - I take my hat off to everyone that have portable setups as it must take a lot more effort to gather imaging data when you have to continually pack / travel / setup each night!

[alpal]

Mike,


What about NGC 300 in the same area of the sky? -
that will be a test.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Dave

Yes the AG12 at F3.8 across the big 16803 chip is doing ok, it's not absolutely perfect as I do notice a wee bit of star shape variability across the sky and I don't think I have nailed the corrector spacing 100% either... but in the end the final images speak for themselves I guess. Thing is, at F3.8 and with the big chip heaviest camera/filterwheel/focuser assembly possible hanging at 90 deg to the tube it does quite well really and is surprisingly easy to collimate too.

Yes I have the Sirius Obs already and I have just asked the landlord for permission to erect the Sirius observatory on a slab (or possibly raised deck) so we will see...?

Mike



Yes I have considered a few things..and yes NGC 300 was in the mix but I'm not sure there is much in it to reveal that is new :question:...There are some other galaxy fields in the area that might show something a bit more interesting ;)

Mike

[tornado33]

Great to see imagery from the new property, nice and deep one at that and it beats having to travel to a dark site.
The bright H2 regions really stand out well too
Scott

[RobF]

Wowser - looks like a Sidonio Deep Field! :D
Awesome 253 Mike, and great to see the new site is living up to and exceeding promise.

[dvj]

Pretty nice Mike. I like the faint galaxies the best. BTW, I sold my ASA N12. Finally got it working too.

jg

[SkyViking]

Nice collection of distant galaxies Mike :) I thought about doing something similar with my Cartwheel galaxy image, but I didn't know where to start, lol. Sculptor is just littered with these everywhere, pretty amazing.

[alexandre]

Hello Mike!!

Ah YES !!

beautiful image !!!

@lex;)

[alistairsam]

Hi Mike,
I'm always in awe of your images as anyone would be, but this one somehow doesn't do it for me. I'm just a beginner so maybe I'm missing something that others have seen, maybe its the blue, but it looks kind of artificial to me.
the small sized full frame illustrates that. just my honest opinion. Look forward to more though.

[Tandum]

Looks like you finally got out of Dodge ...

On ya mike ....

[strongmanmike]

Howdy Scott, haven't heard from you in a while, how's it hanging mate?

Yes out of Murkville Newastle and under crisp clean rural Canberran skies now, it's unreal. Funny, I'm already starting to complain about having to setup in my own backyard :lol:...the Sirius dome will be a welcome addition for sure :)



Cheers Rob, yes although the location is a sensible compromise between distance and proximity to Canberra ie within 30min commute of the city (outside peak hour), as expected the skies are still amazingly good none the less :thumbsup:



Which one do you like the best? :P

Shame about the ASA N12, certainly glad I had another go with Orion Optics, that's for sure, I dreamed of taking these sorts of deep images way back in 2006...it only took me 6 years :sadeyes:



Yes indeed, as my NGC 1316 image illustrates too, puny APO's and 50hr exposures :question:...bah! viva la fast Newtonian and aperture :thumbsup:



Thanks Alex :)



Hey fair enough Alistair, I appreciate your honesty, not sure I can do anything about that aspect now though :sadeyes:....just appreciate the unique aspects rather than the pure aesthetics I guess? NGC 253 is rarely image in this way, very few images of the galaxy show the extensive background galaxy swarms and even less reveal the outer halo :thumbsup:



Yep, from the big smoke to the big open Universe....

MIke

[Tom Davis]

So, is this a remote observatory? Congrats! I'm looking forward to some great images!

-Tom

[strongmanmike]

No, not remote, it's in my own backyard (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/wallaroo_observatory) :D

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Just reprocessed...only slightly, reduced the noise and a few other minor cosmetic improvements, changed crop etc....

All the same links

Reeeeally looking forward to next New Moon :thumbsup:

Mike

[Varangian]

Whoa there big boy!

That is freaking awesome!!!

[strongmanmike]

Hey, cheers John, glad you think so! :)

Mike

[CoolhandJo]

wow

[Poita]

What tools are you using for processing this beastie Mike?

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Jo, glad you like this blast from the (recent) past :)




Tools..?

Not exactly sure what you mean...but if you mean what software..? I am an Astroart user (currently v5) and I have been for nearly 10 years now, nothing else... except PS CS3+ of course ;)

Mike

[Poita]

Software was what I meant Mike. I haven't played much with AstroArt, I'll have to take a look.

[strongmanmike]

Apart from being a powerful processing and astrometric platform it is a fantastic camera control platform too, the autoguide interface and guide star real-time plot (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/141334127/original) is very cool and provides perfect feedback on how the guiding is going :thumbsup:

Mike