Cone nebula with Hubble's variable nebula

[tornado33]

Last night I shot the Cone Nebula area with the 6 inch SN.

14x10 mins ISO 400, amongst cloud patches, occasionally I'd have to hold a cover over the scope for a minute or 2 while cloud patches drifted past the area, I didnt want to terminate the exposures early or they wouldnt match the darks. Modded 350D used. As an experiment I wanted to record as much infra red as possible , so though I used the Baader UHC-S filter I did not use my uv/ir filter, and photographic tests I did during the day show that plenty of IR does get past the UHC-S on its own. Baader MPCC coma corrector used. Total imaging time less cloud interruptions is around 130 mins. Id managed to fit in Hubbles Variable nebula, lower left, with a full res. crop of it also. Meade "cometracker" 6 inch SN, hand guided with Qguider on Orion shorttube 80mm f5 putting guidestar image on laptop.

Processed in Iris and PS.
Scott

[Ric]

Great looking images Scott, Hubbles variable Nebula looks a very interesting target both in shape and colour.

I'll have to read up on this one, the name sounds quite intriguing.

Cheers

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

great shot scott. this object is "VERY" hard to image. It took me 3 different attempts to get some details! very nice indeed.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Awesome pics Scott. Crisp as. Well done.

[tornado33]

Thanks all. The cometracker SN doesnt do too bad for a cheapie scope, only a few hundred$ back in the late 1980's. It had bad coma though, the Baader coma corrector really helps out. Field is still not 100% flat butif I get focus 1/2 way between it doesnt look too bad.
Scott

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

this object is "VERY" hard to image. .

all reports sugeest that the above is the case, youve done well and had to do a lot of time to capture it .

[Garyh]

That comet tracker is the perfect scope for this faint neb!
Good framing as well getting the variable neb in the same field.
Made me look back at my attempt at it but just missed out on catching it in the frame with it.
Well done
cheers

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by tornado33

Thanks all. The cometracker SN doesnt do too bad for a cheapie scope, only a few hundred$ back in the late 1980's. It had bad coma though, the Baader coma corrector really helps out. Field is still not 100% flat butif I get focus 1/2 way between it doesnt look too bad.
Scott

Hmm? that's why it looks just a smiggin out of focus..? Maybe you should focus in the centre then just crop the outer areas off? Might get slightly better resolution then in what remains?

Otherwise a nice piece of work

I don't know how you image so much, I'm jealous

[theodog (Jeff)]

Nice images Scott.
I have been noting the decrease in star size as you have progressed with the Qguider.
The Cone shot has inspired me to have a go at it.
Well done.

[tornado33]

Thanks everyone. Not only the Q guider but the Orion Shorttube 80mm f5 refractor guidescope. It produces very small stars, just a few pixels across even on the Q guiders small pixels, allowing me to use 1/10th sec exposures with q guider, making it very easy to guide as the software allows me to enlarge the guidestar hugely.
Yes, if I focus accurately on centre the cometracker can produce small tight stars, but at the expense of stars at the edges.
Im getting out every night I can to make up for the bad weather, Im set up, and drift aligning well before astronomical twilight, normally Im on the object, guidestar located, ready to go by astronomical twilight. I cant wait for daylight saving to go.
Scott