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  #1  
Old 03-10-2009, 02:42 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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End of season Eagle

Well I had to test my new RoboFocus... which worked quite nicely and lifted my heavy camera+filterwheel+4"FF fine...much less wasted time now I don't have to push up on the back of my camera to get the focuser to move up everytime I focus!!! hallelulia!

I have always wanted to do the Eagle in narrow band and although it wasn't ideally placed for long exposures (imaged from 70deg elev down to less than 20deg each night). This was shot over two nights and I shared the altitudes between the filters so that each filter had a reasonable shoot at decent altitude above the horizon. The seeing was poor though for most of both nights plus the lower altitude effect didn't help but the sufficient exposure allowed me to save some detail I guess? Done with a large bright gibbous moon up too - ah, narrow band filters, gotta love'em huh?

I decided the FOV the Starfire gives on this target with the 35mm chip is just a bit too big so I have cropped about 30% off the full frame to improve the composition.

Maybe it's not an Eagle at all but...a Green Parrot?

Small size attached for those on dial up but for those who want a proper look here are links to larger versions, enjoy :

Medium size image (1550 X 1000 = 1.8meg):
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...47261/original

Full size Full resolution space walk (2130 X 1380 = 3.7meg):
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...46672/original

Full size close up crop of the Parrots head (800k):
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...46975/original

Mike
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Last edited by strongmanmike; 03-10-2009 at 03:09 PM.
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  #2  
Old 03-10-2009, 03:05 PM
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DavidU (Dave)
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Ok Mike, are you trying to make me give up any future plans to image?
Thats really nice ! and I love the color. You kept it from being too "neon" looking.
Awesome image (as per bleeding normal)
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  #3  
Old 03-10-2009, 03:36 PM
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mill (Martin)
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Very nice image and the green makes the features stand out nicely.
Looks like i have to save up for some narrow band filters (at least one).
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  #4  
Old 03-10-2009, 03:51 PM
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Screwdriverone (Chris)
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Oh very nice Mike,

Not a big fan of Narrowband colour scheme, just normally don't like the look of it, but that one "feels" VERY nice.

Well done indeed.

Cheers

Chris
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  #5  
Old 03-10-2009, 05:47 PM
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alan meehan (Alan)
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Ahh Pretty Poly
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  #6  
Old 03-10-2009, 05:53 PM
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multiweb (Marc)
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Awesome Mike. One of my favourite neb. Just love the greens and blues. Go Green!
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  #7  
Old 03-10-2009, 05:55 PM
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Great shot big fella! chip to wide? no way mate! you get that excellent detail out from the pillars and do an enlarged crop of the pillars and your winning! that could easily handle It,top shot Mike.

ps. post It up on Saint Patrick's Day,the Irish would love you!
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  #8  
Old 03-10-2009, 06:00 PM
dpastern (Dave Pastern)
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That's a very nice narrowband image Michael. A very nice subtle ghostly glow.

Dave
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  #9  
Old 03-10-2009, 06:29 PM
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scopemankit (Chris)
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Great image, what filters were used?
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  #10  
Old 03-10-2009, 06:30 PM
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jjjnettie (Jeanette)
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Peacock Colours!!
Nice one Mike.
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  #11  
Old 03-10-2009, 06:34 PM
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Great image Mike I like it alot.
Cheers Kev.
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  #12  
Old 03-10-2009, 07:05 PM
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AlexN
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Its just much of the same awesomeness I have come to expect from you mate...

Glad to hear the Robo-focus works well, I'm getting pretty keen on the idea of robo-focus myself.. More keen after hearing it easily lifts all your camera gear..
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  #13  
Old 03-10-2009, 07:09 PM
Hagar (Doug)
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The Incredible Hulk does it again. GGGREEEEEENN. Not sure about the colour but the detail is very nice indeed. I seem to think you have done just as well with RGB and the colour is more paletable.
Not sure about NB imaging as yet. I have just bought some NB filters but may just synth the colour to RGB. Good to see someone is getting some clear skies. Misserable here with the best snow fall for the season last week.
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  #14  
Old 03-10-2009, 11:20 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidU View Post
Ok Mike, are you trying to make me give up any future plans to image?
Thats really nice ! and I love the color. You kept it from being too "neon" looking.
Awesome image (as per bleeding normal)
Thanks Dave but please don't give up on imaging cause I post a green Peacock . Glad you liked the treatment, it's always hard to decide exactly how to [present a NB image.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mill View Post
Very nice image and the green makes the features stand out nicely.
Looks like i have to save up for some narrow band filters (at least one).
Yeh go for it Marty I use the new low reflection Astronomik NB filters and they are great, their 11.8nm band pass is very useful as it allows some stars to show through and super long subs aren't mandatory (I use 15min with 6" at F7.5 but 10min is enough for the brighter nebs) but as this image shows, ya can still image under a big bright moonlit sky

Quote:
Originally Posted by Screwdriverone View Post
Oh very nice Mike,

Not a big fan of Narrowband colour scheme, just normally don't like the look of it, but that one "feels" VERY nice.

Well done indeed.

Cheers

Chris
Thanks Chris, I tried to present a soft natural look...?..with unnatural colours

Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb View Post
Awesome Mike. One of my favourite neb. Just love the greens and blues. Go Green!
Ah yes...you love Frog Green huh Marc? Glad you like it

Quote:
Originally Posted by atalas View Post
Great shot big fella! chip to wide? no way mate! you get that excellent detail out from the pillars and do an enlarged crop of the pillars and your winning! that could easily handle It,top shot Mike.

ps. post It up on Saint Patrick's Day,the Irish would love you!
Yes 1140mm FL of good optics is quite versatile..ah yes, as I've said a few times before

The seeing was atrocious Big Louie, in fact most nights out where I image are pretty crap compared to what I was used to a couple of years ago in Canberra, now I rarely have even above average seeing I've had the odd reasonable night or part night of good seeing but alas mostly it's frustratingly poor.

Ah to be sure to be sure

Quote:
Originally Posted by dpastern View Post
That's a very nice narrowband image Michael. A very nice subtle ghostly glow.

Dave
Cheers Dave yes I was happy with the slight glow too, I think this was largely a result of the poor seeing but it seems to work

Quote:
Originally Posted by scopemankit View Post
Great image, what filters were used?
Hi Chris, I use the new Astronomik 11.8nm low reflection HaOIIISII set, I also have the HBeta filter but my 7 position FW is now full, to use it I would need to change one out...one day.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jjjnettie View Post
Peacock Colours!!
Nice one Mike.
With a full comb of feathers displayed just for you Jeanette

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevnool View Post
Great image Mike I like it alot.
Cheers Kev.
Cheers Kev

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexN View Post
Its just much of the same awesomeness I have come to expect from you mate...

Glad to hear the Robo-focus works well, I'm getting pretty keen on the idea of robo-focus myself.. More keen after hearing it easily lifts all your camera gear..
Awe Alex shucks

The only issue I have with RoboFocus is that becasue I use it in manual mode there are only two speeds - a single step or lots (which is pretty fast and doesn't alow for fine control when there is a delay in the focus window of even a second) and when pressing in single steps it recommends not pressing fast, so it is not always clear where that sweet spot is exactly, I like being able to move in and out of focus faster initially to see more clearly where the sweet spot is. Of course the fact that I don't have to keep getting up to help the focuser lift my image train anymore is a god send...I had been putting up with the hair pulling scenario for way too long .

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hagar View Post
The Incredible Hulk does it again. GGGREEEEEENN. Not sure about the colour but the detail is very nice indeed. I seem to think you have done just as well with RGB and the colour is more paletable.
Not sure about NB imaging as yet. I have just bought some NB filters but may just synth the colour to RGB. Good to see someone is getting some clear skies. Misserable here with the best snow fall for the season last week.
Now Dougy if ya not really sure you like NB images why did ya buy a set of NB filters?

Sooooo why is Red/magenta better than Green/blue then, huh?

We've had quite a few good nights here in Newie that I've missed actually...wish I had an observatory in my backyard...

Mike
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  #15  
Old 04-10-2009, 08:19 AM
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Tom Davis (Tom)
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Gorgeous!! Now, this new moon shoot some short RGB frames and replace the stars in the narrowband version with the RGB stars. That will be a stunner of an image!

Tom
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  #16  
Old 04-10-2009, 11:17 AM
Hagar (Doug)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strongmanmike View Post
Now Dougy if ya not really sure you like NB images why did ya buy a set of NB filters?

Sooooo why is Red/magenta better than Green/blue then, huh?

We've had quite a few good nights here in Newie that I've missed actually...wish I had an observatory in my backyard...

Mike
Experiment, experiment, experiment. The detail aquired by NB makes the capture worth while.
Red at least looks like what we have come to expect/ used to. No other real reason. Take it up with Peter Ward. I do recall him winging about true colour of 2070 when taken with an unmodded DSLR.

I have the observatory but pretty ordinary seeing and at the moment lots of clouds.:q uestion:
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  #17  
Old 04-10-2009, 11:50 AM
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kinetic (Steve)
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Beautiful image Mike.
Just to add a comment (from someone way-unqualified to comment btw)...

Page 9 of the US S&T for October has a shot taken with
an Alta back illuminated CCD and RCOS 0.61m RC.
Mike, your image is equal if not far better than that image.
Colour is just sublime....love it.

Steve
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  #18  
Old 04-10-2009, 12:29 PM
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marc4darkskies (Marcus)
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Polly wanna cracker? ..... aaaaaaarrkk!!! Who's a pretty birdy then? ... aaaarrrrkk!!!

So why mannually focus?! Download FocusMax! - it's free and effective!

Cheers, Marcus
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  #19  
Old 04-10-2009, 01:28 PM
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AlexN
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I agree with Marcus.. Get a hold of FocusMax.. No more fiddling... just click on focus... Free, Accurate, Quick.
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  #20  
Old 04-10-2009, 08:15 PM
jase (Jason)
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A great result Mike. Personally, I'd like to see more SII coming through for aesthetics.

Great to see you're trying your hand at computerised focusing - not sure why it took you so long... Don't stop now, improve the data acquisition efficiency with automated focusing.
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