Cheers everybody
Steve, yeah I just had a squiz at RJ's actually and while his is a little grander (20" scope and all) I see what you mean (nice compliment)...but I notice the features in his billowing star clouds don't really match mine completely

....not sure why but I did almost exclusively global adjustments only to my data so I am confident the shapes and structures visible around my version are true and not manipulated, ie they are real.
Logan, I think all the other galaxies in the frame are background ones
Meru, actually the seeing wasn't really that good any night and when it was, it was only for short periods...one of the reasons I would love to live in the Andes

being image time starved and not automated I tend to need to use my less than optimal data
Ron, Yeah I had a look at it a few times through the 12" dob while imaging was chugging along...can't say the view was
anything like this image though
Jase, yeah wouldn't we all...and a better site, and AO and automation etc

...but in the end we do what we can with what we have. My image scale is pretty perfect for galaxies at 0.83"/pix so that's as good as a bigger pix camera on a longer focal length scope anyway, so 6 of one really
Lewis, (you idiot

)....those two really faint outer arcs are almost like a jet, ie can't see'em on any other image of this galaxy out there
Marcus...come on, you looove saturation, I know I have turned you, I know I have

....
Cheers again everyone
Mike