NGC1381 and friends

Peter Ward · #1 07-12-2013, 04:40 PM

Not bad conditions last night

so I decided to finish off this Fornax field with some colour.

Sorry no mega-data, due lack of free time.

The one thing that drove me nuts were satellites. Nearly every colour frame captured some orbiting interloper!

Gradients were also a problem...as you'd expect with imaging from southern Sydney

I expect when time permits I'll re-jig the data with Pixinsight. For now MaxIm's reduction tools will have to do.

Anyway, the link is here

alpal · #2 07-12-2013, 04:52 PM

Looking great Peter,
Might be clear tonight & if so - I'll have a go at NGC 1365.

Larryp (Laurie) · #3 07-12-2013, 05:56 PM

Very nice, Peter!

Peter Ward · #4 07-12-2013, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpal

Looking great Peter,
Might be clear tonight & if so - I'll have a go at NGC 1365.

Ta.. Yep NGC1365 is a pearl....but it needs focal length to do justice to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larryp

Very nice, Peter!

Thanks Laurie.. I suspect I'll work on it a bit more and post a few unheralded updates from time to time at the same URL.

dvj (John) · #5 08-12-2013, 03:56 AM

Really small stars!

LewisM · #6 08-12-2013, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

The one thing that drove me nuts were satellites. Nearly every colour frame captured some orbiting interloper!

Gradients were also a problem...as you'd expect with imaging from southern Sydney

I feel your pain. In 9 of my M78 images I took recently I have either satellite or meteor streaks. One odd one though was an asteroid - I watched it live in the guide cam - quite bright, and took 2.5 minutes to go from the top to the bottom of the frame. Maybe a geo-sync, but not sure.

Don't ***** to me about gradients or I will corner the bacon stock cube market!

I am going to HAVE to purchase a sodium vapor filter.

clive milne · #7 08-12-2013, 12:06 PM

As per your usual form, a very aesthetically pleasing image Peter.
While I am sure the equipment you use helps, kudos for the processing.
c

multiweb (Marc) · #8 08-12-2013, 04:43 PM

Awesome colors. You make it all look too easy.

Peter Ward · #9 08-12-2013, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Awesome colors. You make it all look too easy.

Thanks Marc. Easy? Well certainly getting good raw data helps, the better that looks, the less I have to process afterwards .

Quote:

Originally Posted by clive milne

As per your usual form, a very aesthetically pleasing image Peter.
While I am sure the equipment you use helps, kudos for the processing.
c

Thanks Clive, I'm not too sure about the gear though...old technology Kodak chips and SBIG cameras after all

Quote:

Originally Posted by LewisM

I feel your pain. In 9 of my M78 images I took recently I have either satellite or meteor streaks. One odd one though was an asteroid - I watched it live in the guide cam - quite bright, and took 2.5 minutes to go from the top to the bottom of the frame. Maybe a geo-sync, but not sure.

Don't ***** to me about gradients or I will corner the bacon stock cube market!

I am going to HAVE to purchase a sodium vapor filter.

Almost certainly a geosynchronous satellite..... But still, at least there are work arounds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvj

Really small stars!

Ta John, I think the 9 micron pixels work well with the RHA. At full res the sampling still looks good, but with good signal gain as well.

gregbradley · #10 09-12-2013, 08:15 AM

Fabulous. The AOX is showing its presence there as well. Its quite an achievement to get such perfect stars across such a large field.
All those galaxies.

Greg.

Stevec35 (Steve) · #11 09-12-2013, 09:29 AM

Very impressive Peter

Cheers

Steve

Peter Ward · #12 09-12-2013, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevec35

Very impressive Peter

Cheers

Steve

Ta Steve... You new RC results have not gone unnoticed as well

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Fabulous. The AOX is showing its presence there as well. Its quite an achievement to get such perfect stars across such a large field.
All those galaxies.

Greg.

Thanks Greg, I was quite pleased with the stars in NGC 1365 as it was at the extreme edge of the field, but they show no elongation whatsoever.

The AOX would pay more dividends in a STXL format (nil filter attenuation) but for my setup, it also has a window big enough for a 16803 sensor. I am pleased to say it worked brilliantly with luminance on the STX.

IanP · #13 09-12-2013, 12:02 PM

Nice work Peter,
I can stare at this image for ages, so much to see ..

Peter Ward · #14 10-12-2013, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanP

Nice work Peter,
I can stare at this image for ages, so much to see ..

Thanks....I'll upload a few 1:1 crops in time....much more to see

gregbradley · #15 10-12-2013, 07:16 PM

The AOX would pay more dividends in a STXL format (nil filter attenuation) but for my setup, it also has a window big enough for a 16803 sensor. I am pleased to say it worked brilliantly with luminance on the STX.

[/QUOTE]

I see. So can you get the filter wheel with the chip in it for the STX16803? Or would it pay to add a MMOAG (it needs about 40mm of backfocus)?

Greg.

Peter Ward · #16 10-12-2013, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

I see. So can you get the filter wheel with the chip in it for the STX16803? Or would it pay to add a MMOAG (it needs about 40mm of backfocus)?

Greg.

No. The FWG-STXL only supports 50mm filters.

The STX uses 65mm (ok..just to confuse the issue, you can also use a 50mm, seven position carousel...but you can no longer use the internal guide chip)

Certainly an (unfiltered) AO-X solution with the STX is the remote guide head and a MMOAG, but as I am near the limit of the RHA backfocus with the FW5+AOx+STX, it wouldn't work for me on that scope.