Scorpius Dark Nebulae ** added platesolve **

multiweb (Marc) · #1 31-08-2011, 11:40 PM

Here's another shot from BSG pristine skies. Three panels taken over the course of two nights. Each panel is approx. 20x180s again shot with a QHY8 and a SMC Pentax-M 100mm lens stopped down 2 stops.

There's a very big field here [12.2MB]. Unfortunately a big file but it's a really big chunk of sky.

A more friendly download here [2.5MB].

I started shooting the snake nebula that John G. was imaging at the time then kept on moving up towards and past M8 as the milkyway went down West. I could have gone the opposite way towards Rho Ophiuchus but it was getting to low already at the time.

The whole field is approx. 27 degrees by 13 degrees. The image scale is 16 arc second per pixel, just enough to still give some nice details in the structures given the area covered.

Hope you like it. Thanks for looking.

PS: I managed to platesolve the area so I added a negative view for clarity of the main suspetcs and a load of other various clusters in the area.

Octane (Humayun) · #2 31-08-2011, 11:55 PM

Splendid!

H

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #3 01-09-2011, 12:17 AM

A stunner!

gregbradley · #4 01-09-2011, 06:05 AM

That's a ripper Marc. You've got all the little issues with lens imaging sorted out.

Greg.

Alchemy (Clive) · #5 01-09-2011, 06:06 AM

The stitching between panels is seamless.... What program did you use.

SkyViking (Rolf) · #6 01-09-2011, 08:05 AM

It's very nice to swim around in the big image, great work!

multiweb (Marc) · #7 01-09-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Splendid!

H

Thanks H.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

A stunner!

Thanks JJJ.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

That's a ripper Marc. You've got all the little issues with lens imaging sorted out.

Greg.

Thanks Greg.

Almost. Couple of reflections I had to work on in the blue channel. You might see some traces of it in the pic. I used a M42 spacer as a small dew shield in the front of the lens threaded directly into the Fringe Killer 2" Baader filter cell and I think the light might have picked up one of the shinny edges on the inside of the spacer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alchemy

The stitching between panels is seamless.... What program did you use.

Thanks Clive.

I use a combination of registar to align and build the panels then PS to auto-blend them. Prior to blending I discard the edges of the panels and try to keep the sharp bits where possible. This way the auto-blend feature makes masks accordingly and it is usually fairly seamless. The color balance might not be 100% true but I like it a bit hot hence emphasis on reds and saturation.

multiweb (Marc) · #8 01-09-2011, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyViking

It's very nice to swim around in the big image, great work!

Thanks a lot Rolf.

I have the other part, which I'll post later on, that takes you from the M8 panel past LBN72 beyond M16, the other way, so North to South. This slice of sky is East to West. The whole mosaicked field looked like a 'L' shape so I thought I'd break it out in two.

RickS (Rick) · #9 01-09-2011, 09:13 AM

That's a lovely view of my (current) favourite part of the sky, Marc!

Martin Pugh · #10 01-09-2011, 09:25 AM

Hey Marc
an excellent Milky Way shot, deep, rich colours.

cheers
Martin

strongmanmike (Michael) · #11 01-09-2011, 09:53 AM

Looks like you benifited from the dark skies?

Great result

MIke

mill (Martin) · #12 01-09-2011, 10:11 AM

Very nicely done Marc.

multiweb (Marc) · #13 01-09-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickS

That's a lovely view of my (current) favourite part of the sky, Marc!

Thanks Rick.

Yes it's a great area, visualy as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pugh

Hey Marc
an excellent Milky Way shot, deep, rich colours.

cheers
Martin

Thanks a lot Martin. Glad you liked it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Looks like you benifited from the dark skies?

Great result

MIke

Thanks Mike.

Yeah, BSG is a great spot and a great bunch of people down there. Shame I couldn't stay the whole duration. Will be back for more next year for sure. Might bring a couple of fishing rods too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mill

Very nicely done Marc.

Thanks a lot Martin.

Ross G · #14 04-09-2011, 06:51 PM

Wow Marc!

Amazing detail, colour and tones.

A beautiful photo.

I think the 100mm is becoming THE lens.

Thanks.

Ross.

multiweb (Marc) · #15 05-09-2011, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross G

Wow Marc!

Amazing detail, colour and tones.

A beautiful photo.

I think the 100mm is becoming THE lens.

Thanks.

Ross.

Thanks mate.

My first decent color milkyway. Darks skies are few and far between for me.

desler · #16 05-09-2011, 10:02 PM

So that's what you were doing on the other side of the fence. Lovely vista!

Darren

multiweb (Marc) · #17 06-09-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desler

So that's what you were doing on the other side of the fence. Lovely vista!

Darren

Thanks a lot Darren.

Yeah pegging the tent on the field court would have been totally un-cool.

TrevorW · #18 06-09-2011, 12:00 PM

Super Marc

multiweb (Marc) · #19 06-09-2011, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrevorW

Super Marc

Thanks Trev.

Lester · #20 06-09-2011, 02:23 PM

Wonderful view Marc, thanks. All the best.