Wide Field Triffid and Lagoon

snas (Stuart) · #1 15-07-2009, 04:48 PM

Had the LX90 out on the weekend and I put the Canon 400D on top of the scope with a 80-300mm lens. Used Images Plus Camera Control which has a focussing algorithm which has helped me get better focus (hmm, still not perfect though). I took some darks and managed to get 7 x 10 second subs before suffering from a bad case of powerus interuptus, so no further subs. Sorry, didn't check the camera batteries were properly charged before starting.

Anyway, here is what I have done with this so far.

http://tinyurl.com/knhd76

I seem to have come up with some relatively broad bands of green horizontally across the image.

I have processed this partly in Images Plus and then partly in PS.

If anyone can make a suggestion re the green bands or any other aspects I would be grateful.

Regards

Stuart

jase (Jason) · #2 15-07-2009, 08:37 PM

Not bad work Stuart. Some of your GRAS shots are starting to take good form. Thanks for sharing your efforts - I hope to see more as you progress. Keep at it.

snas (Stuart) · #3 15-07-2009, 11:13 PM

Thanks for that Jason. It's only 70 seconds of subs so I need to get out again in the next couple of nights and get some more on this and get rid of those green bands.
Checked your site, cool photos. my wife was highly impressed by your Rho Opiuchus.
Stuart

renormalised (Carl) · #4 16-07-2009, 07:34 PM

Good shot...keep up the good work.

Hagar (Doug) · #5 18-07-2009, 09:19 AM

Nice image Stuart, Starting to get some very nice images in your collection. You may look at some of the star elongation and try to work out and rectify the cause. Your images are improving all the time.
Well done.

snas (Stuart) · #6 19-07-2009, 05:38 PM

Thanks for comments Carl and Doug. I realise now that the green bands are merely lack of photons. But Doug, you mentioned star elongation. At this early stage in my career I am still in Alt-Az and am therefore restricted to short exposures. I assume the use of alt-az is the most likely reason for star elongation. would you agree with this Doug?

I do have a wedge (the standard Meade one) and have tried to do a polar alignment a couple of times, but just couldn't convince myself I was anywhere near where I should have been. But I'm gradually getting things sorted in my head and I think I know what to do to get my scope pointing at SCP, so if I can get that done, and then get through the drift alignment procedure, maybe then I can do some longer exposures and less elongated stars.
Regards
Stuart