[thegableguy (Chris)]

Since hooking up guiding I've had about as many misses as hits. Actually, probably more misses than hits. I was getting a bit frustrated by it all. After a few weeks' break I was ready to do a widefield or something a little easier, but then the Moon came out all super-like and when it started waning the clouds rolled in and stayed for a fortnight.

Last night was the first properly clear night we've had in ages, but it came at the end of a very long day and I was knackered... but then I took out the trash and saw the sky and thought I'd do a quick DSLR-&-lens-only attempt at the LMC. I didn't even align, just plonked the mount down approximately in the right position, switched it on, aimed it at the LMC and started snapping. The stars are a little bit eggy but overall I'd say I got pretty lucky.

60 x 1-min subs, entry-level crop sensor Nikon at ISO 400, through a new 100mm macro lens we'd just picked up - just a cheap Tokina. I won't be using this lens for AP again; there's a lot of CA and huge amounts of vignetting, even on a crop sensor at f/5. Never mind, it was cheap and works very nicely in the studio and that's why we bought it.

I'm going to try again with a vastly superior full-frame camera and my beloved 70-200mm. I'll be interested to see the difference.

Any suggestions for editing / processing very welcome.