My learning curve (with pictures)

[LAW]

I never seem to get as much time as I'd like with my telescope :( But I have managed to fluke some shots that I'm quite proud of :D

My 'first light', the first image I ever took through my 'scope.
Antares
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/IMG_7406-1.jpg

and in no particular order....

Lagoon Nebula
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/Lagoon-1.jpg

Milky Way
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/milkyway.jpg

Venus
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/IMG_9015-2.jpg

Luna
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/IMG_7792.jpg

NGC6231 photobombed
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/IMG_7630.jpg

Crux Region
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/crux.jpg

I'm still struggling with polar alignment and sensor noise and I'm not entirely sure why the stars around the edge of frame are stretched? Is that 'Coma'?

Thanks for all your help and guidance along the way everyone! Thanks Suzy for your target lists and everyone who patiently answered my questions. You're awesome :thumbsup:

[cometcatcher]

They are very good early shots.

[leon]

Excellent results for your first attempt, it can only get better well done.

Leon

[Larryp]

Excellent start-you are well on the way.:thumbsup:

[LAW]

Thanks guys! Encouragement and advice is always welcome.

I was very excited to see clear(ish) skies last night when I got home from nightshift so I set up the scope, quickly aligned it and used the moon for focusing then waited for it to get out of my sky :mad2:

The Pleides were already past my very narrow viewing window by then so I found M42 and I was blown away by my first exposure! It was just 5 seconds to check the framing but I could clearly make out the trapezoid and the dark lanes which make up the bowl, I was practically skipping around the backyard by now and I set up the camera to take 10 shot bursts at various exposure times. Until I work out the finer points of controlling my DSLR from my laptop I'm limited to 30 second subs but I was still very happy with the results.

http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww351/NSWRATS/Facebook/Astrophotography/201088_10151420026526622_1472495800 _o.jpg

I know it's grainy and washed out, the stars aren't perfect and there's lots of coma, but I'm still ridiculously excited about it. :D I ended up with two lots of subs because my batteries ran out halfway through :(