|
Mark,
With my experience imaging the Trifid over the past 2 years with my 2600MC OSC I found that no filter and no moon around works best in darker skies to bring out all three types of emission in this object ( Ha ,Dark and Reflection nebulosity)
My 2600MC just has an internalUV/IR cut filter as it’s protective window.
But that’s not to say don’t use the Ha filter , it all depends on your cameras ability to pick up that wavelength. Even with the Bayer matrix on my 2600MC this camera picks up quite a decent amount of Ha for an OSC
This image was captured from my South Coast Obs using my 8” f5 newt and 2600MC OSC (no filter ) on a moonless night last Winter.
From memory I think I used the following technical card -
3 minute dithered guided subs
Total integration 3 hours
Gain 0 or highest dynamic range
Camera cooled to -10C
No calibration frames although I should have taken and used them
Stacked in DSS
Processed in Startools V1.7
PS: I also used my old DSLR prior to owning the 2600MC and again used no filters , just a dark moonless night and plenty of good data, the DSLR use to produce a fair image but noting like the 2600MC , chalk and cheese
IMO try capturing data with and without the Ha filter ( can’t help you with spacing etc... ) that way you have more options in post processing
Good luck
I’m heading down the coast on Saturday for 2 weeks , hope to get some clear nights after a horrible 6 or 7 months
Cheers
Martin
|