Two from an Astrofest morning

firstlight (Tony) · #1 01-09-2010, 01:00 AM

Hi all,

I am really happy with my results from the Astrofest this year. Still working out what I am doing with the processing, and still have a steep curve ahead of me.

M42 - Taken with WO 110 ED Magrez @ f4.95, Modded 450D, 5 x 180sec ISO 800, 4 x 180 sec ISO 400, 9 x 60 sec ISO 800, 2 x 30 sec ISO 800, all plus darks, no flats or bias. Deep Sky Stacker, processed in PS CS2.

M45 - WO 110 ED Magrez @ f4.95, Modded 450D, 10 x 180 sec ISO 400 plus darks, no flats or bias. Deep Sky Stacker, processed in PS CS2.

Yeah I realise that there are halos around the brighter stars, but these are the best I've produced. Big thanks to Paul for the scope and Rob for the camera.

Comments welcome.

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batema (Mark) · #2 01-09-2010, 07:00 AM

Once again Tony they look great.

firstlight (Tony) · #3 01-09-2010, 07:34 AM

Thanks Mark.

cybereye (Mario) · #4 01-09-2010, 07:34 AM

Very impressed with the faint nebulosity you've managed to capture within M45...

Cheers,
Mario

multiweb (Marc) · #5 01-09-2010, 08:07 AM

Nice shots. Very detailed. I like the pleiades.

desler · #6 01-09-2010, 09:45 AM

You've got to be happy with either, processing is a life time of learning, trying, deleting and trying again. It's part of the fun.

Darren

firstlight (Tony) · #7 01-09-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybereye

Very impressed with the faint nebulosity you've managed to capture within M45...

Cheers,
Mario

Thanks Mario, I was pleasantly surprised to capture that much nebulosity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Nice shots. Very detailed. I like the pleiades.

Yeah, one of the first objects I could recognise when I didn't even know I had an interest in astronomy (long long ago

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by desler

You've got to be happy with either, processing is a life time of learning, trying, deleting and trying again. It's part of the fun.

Darren

Right Darren, I've managed to absorb some of the techniques that others much more talented and skilled than I have tried to impart, but my approach is a bit haphazard. You're right though, these images are easily the best I've produced and I'm very happy. Keeping my feet on the ground though, MUCH better images from most of the contributers to this forum. I'll keep swinging though

.

RB (Andrew) · #8 03-09-2010, 09:37 PM

Tony, lovely to see some DS shots from you.
Nice work mate.
It doesn't matter how many times I see M42 and M45, I never get tired of them.

Thanks for sharing.
Cheers.

firstlight (Tony) · #9 04-09-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

Tony, lovely to see some DS shots from you.
Nice work mate.
It doesn't matter how many times I see M42 and M45, I never get tired of them.

Thanks for sharing.
Cheers.

Thanks Andrew, it is hard to pass up imaging these staples even though they've been done a million times. both of them were captured through the morning mists at the Astrofest, and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

h0ughy (David) · #10 04-09-2010, 01:12 PM

ahh yes one of the mornings i did see you up and about - and it produced some nice results given the short time they were up

firstlight (Tony) · #11 04-09-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

ahh yes one of the mornings i did see you up and about - and it produced some nice results given the short time they were up

More than once I drifted toward your compound in the wee hours only to find it a desolate wasteland

.

It was my most productive Astrofest for years. I can't thank Paul enough for that WO... I will concentrate on getting more data for each object in future Astrofests.