A classic object in the sky its really quite a beautiful nebula.
I got to capture the colour data after a few unexpected clear nights recently.
I have been tuning this setup and the mount to cope with the scope and its paying off. AstroPhysics Riccardi Honders Astrograph 305mm F3.8 and FLI Proline 16803 seem a match made in heaven. PMX mount, FLI Atlas focuser and MMOAG with STi guider.
A total of 7 hours all 1x1 binning. I did an hour and half of 2x2 binned colour but I rejected it as it gave different colour look. One advantage of the F3.8 is I can afford to do colour 1x1 in less than the same time I would normally spend getting 2x2 binned colour. Its definitely a 1x1 binned data scope for some reason. 1x1 gave better colours, the golden patch of stars popped more and stars overall have more pop and a pleasant rendering.
I really like this scope.
I would like to do at least a panel mosaic adding the Trifid to it. Perhaps a 4 panel in which case I would've framed it a bit differently. I was a bit worried about doing a mosaic where part of the overlap would be in the main object - hmmm dangerous.
Taken at my home observatory.
http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/160532800/large regular
http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/ima...32800/original large size, worth a look as images from this scope seem to look best in this larger size.
Here is a crop of the Hourglass Nebula:
http://www.pbase.com/image/160533959/original
Greg.