Another go at Rho. This time with bonus Comet.

[Retrograde (Pete)]

Spent most of SPSP playing with the new wide-field toy - the Samyang 135mm f2.

This image is a two-panel mosaic. Each panel consists of 20 x 90-sec subs at f2.8 using a modded Pentax K-5iis DSLR at ISO 400. It could've done with more data of course but I'm still experimenting with this setup and am pretty happy with the result for what it is.
I also managed to capture the faint periodic comet 71P/Clark which was estimated to be magnitude 13.15 on the night I took this (26th/27th May). I wasn't actually aware that Comet Clark would be in the field and only realised after seeing a recent APOD of the same region that was taken just a few days before this

High res available here: http://www.astrobin.com/full/297926/0/

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Wow, an excellent image Peter, nice work, you should put that in the SPSP astroimaging comp/display next year!...I'll give it a vote ...such a photogenic region that, I assume that small greenish smudge just right of centre is Clark?

Mike

[RickS (Rick)]

Great image, Pete, and the comet is a nice catch.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Terrific field Pete. Really really cool. Love the colors and contrast.

[topheart]

Beautiful!!
Cheers,
Tim

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

Excellent image Pete! Just gorgeous!

[h0ughy (David)]

what a cracker of a shot and great take

[Placidus (Mike and Trish)]

Aye, gorgeous, and with a comet!

[gregbradley]

That's the nicest Rho image I have seen for a long time. Super image.
Greg

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

That's awesome. The comet is a bonus.

[zardos123 (Brad)]

Yep that is very nice, i can feel a larger mosaic coming on

[atalas]

Gorgeous shot Peter

[nebulosity. (Jo)]

Lovely shot Pete, what aperture were you shooting at with the lens?

Cheers
Jo

[Retrograde (Pete)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Wow, an excellent image Peter, nice work, you should put that in the SPSP astroimaging comp/display next year!...I'll give it a vote ...such a photogenic region that, I assume that small greenish smudge just right of centre is Clark?

Mike

Thanks Mike - OK I'll put it in for sure if it'll get your vote
Yep the small green smudge you've identified is Comet Clark.

Originally Posted by RickS

Great image, Pete, and the comet is a nice catch.

Thanks Rick!

Originally Posted by multiweb

Terrific field Pete. Really really cool. Love the colors and contrast.

Thanks very much Marc.

Originally Posted by topheart

Beautiful!!
Cheers,
Tim

Thanks Tim - cheers!

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

Excellent image Pete! Just gorgeous!

Thanks Marcus - much appreciated!

Originally Posted by h0ughy

what a cracker of a shot and great take

Appreciate your comment David.

[Retrograde (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Placidus

Aye, gorgeous, and with a comet!

Thanks M & T!

Originally Posted by gregbradley

That's the.nicest Rho.Age I have seen.for.a.long time. Super image.
Greg

Cheers Greg!

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

That's awesome. The comet is a bonus.

Thanks Kevin. Actually it might well be the first comet I've imaged since Halley in 1986

Originally Posted by zardos123

Yep that is very nice, i can feel a larger mosaic coming on

Thanks Brad - yes I wanted to grab the Blue Horsehead as well - maybe next time (and I suspect it would require more data than I captured this time around).

Originally Posted by atalas

Gorgeous shot Peter

Thanks very much Louie

Originally Posted by nebulosity.

Lovely shot Pete, what aperture were you shooting at with the lens?

Cheers
Jo

Thanks Jo.
I was using f2.8 with the lens.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Fantastic Pete, well done lens looks like a winner!

[Retrograde (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

Fantastic Pete, well done lens looks like a winner!

Thanks Dunk. Yep the lens seems to be going well now.

I've discovered that focus is critical (through trial and error) which is probably not news to anyone with experience shooting at fast f-ratios.
Weirdly my first test images showed very bad curvature/tilt rendering 1/3rd of the field unusable - not sure what was going on there - maybe the bayonet mount was somehow incorrectly seated or something

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Yeah we take screw threads for granted with scopes, etc. I can only guess that the slightest mis-mating of the lens to camera body is just exacerbated.

Looks like you've nailed the focus though, it is very hard with a fast lens, and then there's keeping dew off the glass

[astronobob (Bob)]

Very awesome scene Retrograde/Pete A great object target & beautifully Fitted, Composed & framed Indeed

Top Stuff !!

[Retrograde (Pete)]

Originally Posted by astronobob

Very awesome scene Retrograde/Pete A great object target & beautifully Fitted, Composed & framed Indeed

Top Stuff !!

Thanks very much Bob!