Happy New Year. Some might think I need to get a life but a very relaxing new years eve with fine weather so why not. Images taken using a W/O Flourite triplet 110 and Canon unmod 400d, ISO 800 and 9 x 10 min lights, 12 x 10 min darks with flats and bias frames added. All guided using PHD guiding on EQ6pro mount. I actually bought a digital thermometer and the temp ranged from 25 to 23C during.
The three images are all using the same data so I thought I would post my first for 2009 and my best HH. The first image is stacked using DSS with some processing in DSS, saved then opened in GIMP and levels and curves adjusted only. The second image is the saved first image put through noise reduction software Neat Image. And finally the third image is my effort at using Photoshop CS3. I opened the original TIF image after DSS and set my whitepoints and dark points according to Astronomy Photoshop, saved and then opened up curves and adjusted. R/G/B individually and finally all but can not manage to reporduce colours as I have seen in many photos. I used 2 points (maybe not enough) but tried to adjust the curves so the red numbers matched the red values and so on??????? I don't know if this is right.
Frankly I couldn't think of a better way to spend new years ever Mark. A bit noisy but I guess you've got to expect that in summer even with darks. There seems to be a bit of curvature near the corners and edges, you might want to consider investing in a Focal Reducer/Field Flattener. The top left corner looks ok but the other three corners definitely look stretched. It may also mean that your camera may not have been square in the focuser.
Horsehead is dim even for cooled CCDs. Unmodified it will be a struggle as it is largely Ha and the low pass Canon filter will be filtering that band out.
You caught it but its very noisy showing the low signal/noise ratio.
Same exposure time, scope and camera but modified would show a much brighter result. Consider the advantages of modifying your camera.
If you chose the clear optical glass option you can still use your camera for terrestial imaging using an XNite CC1 filter attached to the front of your lens.
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A bit noisy but I guess you've got to expect that in summer even with darks. There seems to be a bit of curvature near the corners and edges, you might want to consider investing in a Focal Reducer/Field Flattener. The top left corner looks ok but the other three corners definitely look stretched. It may also mean that your camera may not have been square in the focuser.
