M42 1st time

[luka]

After a full year of trying I finally managed to drift align my EQ5. I thought that it would be easier to do it with the webcam+laptop intstead of an illuminated eyepiece but it was not simple.

The main lessons learned:
1. The real pole is at least 15-20 degrees off from the magnetic pole where I live. Do not trust Internet tables which state 2-5 degrees.
2. I used eqalign software for the alignment. All axes are backwards for some reason. It tells me to change alignment by moving star from red to green circle but I had to do reverse for both, azimuth and declination. Any ideas why?

The alignment was not perfect as I was too tired to improve it (after 3 hours of trying) so the exposures were only 30 sec to avoid trailing but I was surprised by the results. Focus was a bit off as well.

Anyway, here is my first "real" astro image with (short) tracking. ED80 on EQ5. 19 x 30 sec at ISO1600, 3 x 10 sec at ISO400. Stacked each set independently and then used layer mask in PS to reduce the glow of the core.
All taken from my horribly light poluted backyard.

Can't wait until tonight

[pvelez (Pete)]

Very nice Luka - that drift alignment can be a pain - till you get it.

Pete

[xelasnave]

You can be well pleased with your efforts
alex

[TrevorW]

How did you process this to get this result I've got over an hours data of this object and no matter how I try I can't seem to get it looking anything like this in PS7.

I've got an ED80 on a EQ6 guided. Were these taken through the ED80 because if so I'm surprised by the diffraction spikes on the bright stars is it something I'm doing wrong

Cheers

[Kal (Andrew)]

That's a very pleasing result there, very nicely processed, I like the way you can easily make out the 4 trap stars.

Having the pole so far off what your compass telling you must have been a real pain, but this is why drift alignment is so important! Maybe theres some metal in the earth under your suburb or something, or maybe something closer by that is interfering? Either way you will have a better starting position for next time you drift which will save you ALOT of time.

[luka]

Thanks for the encouraging comments.
It was painful looking at all the great photos from other people and not being able to take them myself. It was a long learning curve. I am all excited and ready to go again but it is very windy tonight

Trevor, the images were taken with ED80. The diffraction spikes were added in PS, as per this guide on ice in space. I don't like to add too many of them as they can be distracting from the rest of the image.

Regarding the processing, not being able to align the mount for almost a year made me read any guide I could find on the net and try different things on photos taken with a tripod/horribly aligned EQ5. As the exposure time was always very short, I learned to push things to the limit to get the detail out which actually seems to be paying off.
A good guide for the layermask in PS with M42 as example is here.

P.S. I made one image with tracking and I am already thinking of guiding

[AlexN]

Tracking and guiding are worlds apart... with my setup I can push 4 minute exposures unguided provided I spend a good 2 or 3 hours drift aligning first, with guiding, I drift align for maybe 30 minutes, then take 25~30 min exposures...

Thats a great first shot, you wont know yourself when you get guiding going... When I finally got it working the first time I didnt stop smiling for a couple of days!

[multiweb (Marc)]

That's a great picture. Tracking and focus are spot on and also very good processing. Top work.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Tracking and guiding are worlds apart...

Aint that the truth , but for a 1st light, you have resolved the core well, unusual for a 1st attempt, well done. Next step is guiding, and much more neb extention with longer exposures as a result.

[spearo (Frank)]

Very good indeed for a first shot!
The core is nicely resolved and the extended nebulosity shows well.
only suggestion I would make is to move the black point just a bit more to reduce some of the background gradient.
Very well done
frank