IC 5332 The Galactic Corsage

[topheart]

Top notch Mike!

Very good (if challenging) choice of target!

Cheers,
Tim

[E_ri_k (Erik)]

Looks great Mike, very colourful. Loads of interesting background galaxies also.
Erik

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by plantnerd

That is an exceptionally attractive spiral so tight and swirly in the middle and a splendid image of it

Originally Posted by topheart

Top notch Mike!

Very good (if challenging) choice of target!

Cheers,
Tim

Cheers Luis and Timbo, I agree and apart from the challenge to try and show some good details in the sprawling super faint arms right to the edge of the galaxy, the tight central spiral structure was something that attracted me too

Originally Posted by E_ri_k

Looks great Mike, very colourful. Loads of interesting background galaxies also.
Erik

Thanks Erik, gotta have some colour in this game, the more the better

And yes having those little distant background galaxies is always a scale setter

Mike

[Shiraz (Ray)]

Hmm, what to say??.. exquisite beauty, a very interesting field and technically impressive, that ought to do for starters. Up there with your very best Mike regards Ray.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

Hmm, what to say??.. exquisite beauty, a very interesting field and technically impressive, that ought to do for starters. Up there with your very best Mike regards Ray.

Well, nice words Ray Hey, it's no NGC 253/300 crowd pleaser but I'm glad you enjoyed the view none the less mate

Mike
PS. I do like NGC 253 and NGC 300...aand The Eta Carina Neb, aaaand M42 etc truly, particularly if they are good'uns ...actually, come to think of it, there haven't been the usual number of Helix's posted this year, huh?

[TR (Terry)]

Excellent image Mike. I really like the tight spiral structure of this galaxy. I would take my hat off to you, but I have misplaced it.... As always, excellent processing throughout the image.

T

[SimmoW (SIMON)]

Wow, glad Terry resurrected this thread, glad I didn't miss this wonerful deep shot! Certainly looks faint, judging by the background. And I love all the photo bombing galaxies

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by TR

Excellent image Mike. I really like the tight spiral structure of this galaxy. I would take my hat off to you, but I have misplaced it.... As always, excellent processing throughout the image.

T

Sheesh aaalways losing something aren't ya just don't lose your mind, this imaging game can do this to you if you are not careful

Thanks Terry, I agree that tight spiral in the core is quite cool

Originally Posted by SimmoW

Wow, glad Terry resurrected this thread, glad I didn't miss this wonerful deep shot! Certainly looks faint, judging by the background. And I love all the photo bombing galaxies

Cheers Simon, glad you liked it

Mike

[LucasB (Lucas)]

Great image Mike. It has inspired me to get back into imaging smaller targets with my longer focal length scope.
Lucas

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by LucasB

Great image Mike. It has inspired me to get back into imaging smaller targets with my longer focal length scope.
Lucas

That's cool to know Lucas but just for the record, my scope is only 1120mm FL

Mike

[LucasB (Lucas)]

I probably should have said image scale as you still get great resolution on the smaller targets at with your arcsec/pixel sampling even though you are at 1120mm. When I run the reducer my FL is just over 1300mm
Lucas

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by LucasB

I probably should have said image scale as you still get great resolution on the smaller targets at with your arcsec/pixel sampling even though you are at 1120mm. When I run the reducer my FL is just over 1300mm
Lucas

Yeah, cheers, quite right image scale is the final gauge.

Two questions to ponder:

Given identical atmospheric conditions

1) Will an image show higher resolution (ie. actual separable details/features in the object) using 1120mm FL and a 4.5 micron pixel camera or 2240mm FL and a 9 micron pixel camera?

2) As far as resultant effects of errors on the image resolution is concerned, is tracking any more difficult to tame in one of the two outfits detailed above?

Mike

[LucasB (Lucas)]

You have hit the nail on the head there. It's exactly what I have been thinking about. If I bin 2x2 to get 9 micron pixels at 2000mm focal length with my conditions, I don't lose any resolution but I gain sensitivity. Very important at a slow F8. Great for really small targets. Just gotta make sure guiding is still up to scratch though at the longer FL as you say.
Lucas

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by LucasB

You have hit the nail on the head there. It's exactly what I have been thinking about. If I bin 2x2 to get 9 micron pixels at 2000mm focal length with my conditions, I don't lose any resolution but I gain sensitivity. Very important at a slow F8. Great for really small targets. Just gotta make sure guiding is still up to scratch though at the longer FL as you say.
Lucas

Ok, assuming the use of the same mount and hence identical tracking/guiding error capabilities, how is this going to affect either of the two systems I described any differently...?

Mike

[Fabiomax (Fabiomassimo)]

Hi Mike,

Spectacular! I think they are also interesting objects around, a whole series of weak galaxy, think ten times more distant of IC5332!

[LucasB (Lucas)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Ok, assuming the use of the same mount and hence identical tracking/guiding error capabilities, how is this going to affect either of the two systems I described any differently...?

I am not sure whether it does. I guess the longer FL system will be the same as a cropped shot from the shorter FL system. When you bin 2x2 are you over coming the shot noise better? When I was reading Ron Wodaski's astro processing book there was a chapter that spoke of when you bin 2x2 you may pick up details you don't see at bin 1x1 due to overcoming the read noise or effectively increasing s/n ratio. If you don't lose any resolution as in the two systems described could be a worth going for longer FL at 2x2.
Lucas

[Andy01 (Andy)]

Wonderful clean image Mike, beautifully captured and processed - straight to the pool room with that one.

Also, a reminder of why I don't do RGB. RGB images are really hard to get right! When done as well as this one they are beautiful indeed, and it's real craftsmanship that's on show here.

PS: As has been mentioned already - I too love all the little galaxies on parade here.

[Leonardo70 (Leonardo Orazi)]

Incredible Galaxy ... wonderful Image ..

All the best,
Leo

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Fabiomax

Hi Mike,

Spectacular! I think they are also interesting objects around, a whole series of weak galaxy, think ten times more distant of IC5332!

Grazie Fabio

Originally Posted by LucasB

I am not sure whether it does. I guess the longer FL system will be the same as a cropped shot from the shorter FL system. When you bin 2x2 are you over coming the shot noise better? When I was reading Ron Wodaski's astro processing book there was a chapter that spoke of when you bin 2x2 you may pick up details you don't see at bin 1x1 due to overcoming the read noise or effectively increasing s/n ratio. If you don't lose any resolution as in the two systems described could be a worth going for longer FL at 2x2.
Lucas

Well, you could have something there Lucas but sounds like a maybe in theory but perhaps not too obvious under normal conditions..?

My thought experiment was just to throw it out there for others to think about it, as lots of imagers just kinda follow what seems to be said around the traps without really understanding if the logic is even valid and can think they must need a certain configuration...but for no good reason

To make it even more interesting... here's another one to ponder:

Is it better to extend a short FL fast system or reduce a long FL slow one...aaah??

Hmm? perhaps should have posted this thread in a thread, in the astroimaging discussions area

Originally Posted by Andy01

Wonderful clean image Mike, beautifully captured and processed - straight to the pool room with that one.

Also, a reminder of why I don't do RGB. RGB images are really hard to get right! When done as well as this one they are beautiful indeed, and it's real craftsmanship that's on show here.

PS: As has been mentioned already - I too love all the little galaxies on parade here.

Hmmm, I am a little confused by your post Andy ..do I read between the lines that you like this image

Thanks mate, nice to hear

Originally Posted by Leonardo70

Incredible Galaxy ... wonderful Image ..

All the best,
Leo

Salute Leo ...I put a bit of colour in there just for you

[marco (Marco Lorenzi)]

Ohh Yess, like somebody else already said this is (another) spectacular image Mike, surprised too that there are not too many images around of this one but it looks a not-so-easy object to do..
Great processing mate, love it!
Ciao
Marco