NGC3918 Blue Planetary Nebula in NB

Ric · #1 08-03-2009, 12:28 AM

Hi all I captured this one tonight in between light cloud and an 84% Moon.

This is the Blue Planetary or NGC3918 in Centaurus at magnitude 8.0

Captured with the LX200R 12" in Alt/Az with the DSI II Pro and using IR & NB filters.

Exposure times were the same for all filters.
Lum, Ha, OIII & SII 5.7 seconds x 60 subs each.

Combination and processing done in MaximDL

Cheers

Kevnool (Kev) · #2 08-03-2009, 07:59 AM

Great stuff Ric , you know every time we go observing that this object always gets a look in,and now its great to see it imaged.
Cheers Kev.

Ric · #3 08-03-2009, 09:12 PM

Thanks Kev, I'm always looking for something different or unusual to image.

I'm glad I could provide a different perspective for your viewing.

Cheers

peter_4059 (Peter) · #4 08-03-2009, 09:54 PM

Looks good (and blue) Ric. How do you map the NB images to colour?

Garyh · #5 08-03-2009, 09:59 PM

Small and blue all right!
I love these little PN!

Ric · #6 08-03-2009, 10:31 PM

Hi Peter, I use the combine function in MaximDL and used the Hubble pallette combination intead of RGB that is R = SII, G = Ha and OIII = B.

I agree Gary, some of these smaller PN's can be quite intriguing to image.

Cheers

tonybarry (Tony) · #7 08-03-2009, 10:41 PM

A good pic of something that has eluded me till now. Thanks for the post. Keeps my envy index up!

Regards,
Tony Barry

Ric · #8 08-03-2009, 10:52 PM

Thanks Tony, after imaging this one I was looking at it as well using an 18mm eyepiece. I must say it was just as spectacular.

Cheers

strongmanmike (Michael) · #9 08-03-2009, 11:05 PM

Looks like Neptune

nice

Mike

[1ponders] (Paul) · #10 08-03-2009, 11:06 PM

Yep, there's no denying it. That is the Blue Planetary.

Nice capture Ric though the stars look either over processed or the conversion to Jpeg and done some horrible things to them.

Quark (Trevor) · #11 08-03-2009, 11:18 PM

Well done Ric,

One of my favorites, love the powder blue colour. While your in this region you should try going up into Vela on the Antilia border and have a go at The Eight Burst Neb NGC3132, a very nice PN and my favorite southern PN.

Regards
Trevor

Jen · #12 08-03-2009, 11:54 PM

nice one Ric
yep it sure is blue

spearo (Frank) · #13 09-03-2009, 06:43 AM

lovely blue!
frank

Tom Davis (Tom) · #14 09-03-2009, 08:13 AM

It really does look like Neptune! Nice shot!

Tom

Ric · #15 09-03-2009, 08:45 AM

Thanks everyone for the comments.

Hi Paul, I think it may have been the conversion to jpeg.

Hi Trevor, I have captured the "Eight burst Planetary". Heres the link to it.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=40170

Cheers

Quark (Trevor) · #16 09-03-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

Thanks everyone for the comments.

Hi Paul, I think it may have been the conversion to jpeg.

Hi Trevor, I have captured the "Eight burst Planetary". Heres the link to it.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=40170

Cheers

Thanks Ric,

You have captured some nice structure in the Eight Burst.
Love observing this without an OIII, love the effect of it semi disappearing when I look right at it and then how it just pops out so brightly when I look away and use peripheral vision.

Regards
Trevor

tornado33 · #17 09-03-2009, 03:16 PM

Nice shot, I like the eight burst one you took too
Scott

jase (Jason) · #18 09-03-2009, 09:14 PM

You're a real trooper Ric. A super effort indeed...all that more appealing considering it was shot in Alt/Az. You need to get yourself a wedge or a GEM as your acquisition is probably what's hindering further improvements. Keep them coming.

Ric · #19 10-03-2009, 09:35 AM

Thanks for the comments Trevor, Scott and Jase.

Jase, I have the Meade Ultrawedge but I'm waiting until I build the Observatory to set it up permanently. Hopefully that will be completed in the second half of this year.

Cheers

CoolhandJo (Paul) · #20 10-03-2009, 02:19 PM

Great blue image - imagination is set on fire with this small blue lonley PN!