Trifid

Peter Ward · #1 12-06-2016, 11:54 AM

Very nearly didn't put this one up on the web, as the seeing was very ordinary for most of the data capture, and it needs a few more blue and green sub-exposures to tidy things up.

Seeing as the moon is now waxing... with the clear weather

....I doubt I'll get any more time on this anytime soon.

But it is such a pretty nebula....so I thought , why not.

Your average Trifid aka M20 is here

Saturnine (Jeff) · #2 12-06-2016, 01:50 PM

What can one say, but that's seriously good . Thanks for sharing.

Jeff

alpal · #3 12-06-2016, 04:06 PM

Nice one Peter,
Still plenty of detail but that kind of focal length needs top seeing.
The stars are little bit powdery looking but
you did clearly pick up the needle thin jet:
http://messier.seds.org/more/m020_hst.html

Well done.

cheers
Allan

Peter Ward · #4 12-06-2016, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saturnine

What can one say, but that's seriously good . Thanks for sharing.

Jeff

Maybe a little vanilla at this stage, but thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpal

Nice one Peter,
Still plenty of detail but that kind of focal length needs top seeing.
The stars are little bit powdery looking but
you did clearly pick up the needle thin jet:
http://messier.seds.org/more/m020_hst.html

Well done.

cheers
Allan

The needle is actually pretty easy to pick up..it often showed in my 130mm. That said, yes the seeing was just OK....bit like being stuck in a school zone with a F-1 car...

I've since tinkered with the image just a tad...a smidge of an unsharp mask has removed a bit of the powder

Paul Haese · #5 12-06-2016, 05:07 PM

The core detail is a fair bit sharper than my image I did last year and I thought mine was pretty sharp. So you are getting good value for money there. Like you said more data is needed. The back ground is pretty noisy and I am not a fan of the hard edge to your stars, but the overall potential with more data is for an outstanding image.

alpal · #6 12-06-2016, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

The needle is actually pretty easy to pick up..it often showed in my 130mm. That said, yes the seeing was just OK....bit like being stuck in a school zone with a F-1 car...

I've since tinkered with the image just a tad...a smidge of an unsharp mask has removed a bit of the powder

Hi Peter,
yes - it looks even better now.

cheers
Allan

DavidU (Dave) · #7 12-06-2016, 07:30 PM

Wow, excellent work.

Peter Ward · #8 12-06-2016, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidU

Wow, excellent work.

Ta.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpal

Hi Peter,
yes - it looks even better now.

cheers
Allan

I guess so. I'm not the sort of imager who spends countless hours trying to fix problems in "post production". De-con is not my best friend

While I am amazed at the plethora of tools that can fix eggy/bloated/trailed and rainbow stars, and then some, I've found they often leave artifacts, hence don't use them. I'd rather re-shoot the data.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

The core detail is a fair bit sharper than my image I did last year and I thought mine was pretty sharp. So you are getting good value for money there. Like you said more data is needed. The back ground is pretty noisy and I am not a fan of the hard edge to your stars, but the overall potential with more data is for an outstanding image.

Ta Paul. More data can indeed do much

But I've found unless the seeing is around 2 arc sec or better I'm wasting my time at 3300 mm with this 'scope. I have yet to attach the reducer/corrector...while it doesn't improve the seeing...it might mask the effects a tad

Atmos (Colin) · #9 12-06-2016, 08:51 PM

Apart from needing some more data it's looking really good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

The needle is actually pretty easy to pick up..it often showed in my 130mm.

It showed up in my image a week or so ago (not as pronounced as yours) so I do agree

multiweb (Marc) · #10 13-06-2016, 08:15 AM

Cool pic. I see what you mean about the seeing on the outer starfield. Hope you did image last night. Excellent seeing in Sydney.

marc4darkskies (Marcus) · #11 13-06-2016, 08:20 AM

Bad seeing eh? Your scope must have the "cutting through bad seeing" optional extra because I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything. Is this taken with a reducer? Damn fine image. Maybe in my next life I'll have an Alluna!

Edit : just saw that you have no reducer.

Placidus (Mike and Trish) · #12 13-06-2016, 08:39 AM

Of the four bright stars in a line on the tip of the PussyCat's nose, I can usually see that the inner two brighter ones are elongated. In your image they are almost fully resolved into doubles, making the whole thing clearly six separate stars.

gregbradley · #13 13-06-2016, 10:12 AM

Pretty stunning detail in the nebula. You've got your system singing.

Greg.

leon · #14 13-06-2016, 02:52 PM

Yea not bad I suppose,

, just kidding absolutely awesome.

Leon

Peter Ward · #15 13-06-2016, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

Bad seeing eh? Your scope must have the "cutting through bad seeing" optional extra because I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything. Is this taken with a reducer? Damn fine image. Maybe in my next life I'll have an Alluna!

Edit : just saw that you have no reducer.

Ta Marcus... I have the (stupidly expensive) reducer...but sadly not fitted due the back-focus of the STX16803

As Maxwell Smart used to say "missed it by that much"

I waiting for Alluna to respond on whether a 4mm spacing error will prove fatal....in which case a STXL 16200 may be on the cards

Peter Ward · #16 14-06-2016, 09:45 AM

Started to reply to these... run out of batteries and forgot to pack a charger..

Quote:

Originally Posted by leon

Yea not bad I suppose,

, just kidding absolutely awesome.

Leon

Thanks Leon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Pretty stunning detail in the nebula. You've got your system singing.

Greg.

Ta Greg...I've still a few tweaks to make and I'll need consistently good seeing for that to happen...might take a while

Quote:

Originally Posted by Placidus

Of the four bright stars in a line on the tip of the PussyCat's nose, I can usually see that the inner two brighter ones are elongated. In your image they are almost fully resolved into doubles, making the whole thing clearly six separate stars.

Thank you for your insight..I had no idea my images deserved such close scrutiny...can I take it that, this 'scope is OK then

. And what pussy cat? All I can see is a fish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Cool pic. I see what you mean about the seeing on the outer starfield. Hope you did image last night. Excellent seeing in Sydney.

Ta Marc...seeing was OK but not excellent...I'm still waiting for such a night

Andy01 (Andy) · #17 14-06-2016, 01:17 PM

Right then, that's just beautiful - so much core detail - darn fine result sir

Stevec35 (Steve) · #18 17-06-2016, 07:06 PM

I don't think you need to make excuses for this one Peter - it's pretty darn good!

Cheers

Steve

Peter Ward · #19 18-06-2016, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevec35

I don't think you need to make excuses for this one Peter - it's pretty darn good!

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve, I guess it's not too shabby then

. I'm also now a total convert on the merits of this superbly engineered optical system...My hope is to one day relocate it to a dark site..but have to say it's working just fine from my urban location for now.

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #20 18-06-2016, 11:13 PM

Stunning Peter. I do hope you add more data to clean it up a little, but for general viewing it's a stunning image, plenty of detail. The system you have is working very well for you.