Omega Centauri TEC180FL

gregbradley · #1 05-08-2009, 06:10 PM

This image is the result of several trips to my dark site. It seemed doomed at times. Its been a different weather pattern for some time now where the cloud is on the western side of the Great Dividing Range so Sydney can be clear yet my site is cloudy. For several years it was the reverse.

I would try to image it through a gap in poor weather when I couldn't image my main imaging target for that night.

So a few times I would get through maybe luminance or even as far as through to the green shot when clouds would roll in and wreck or prevent the blue. So it became - next time I am down here I will have another go at it.

So here it is. Taken under relatively poor conditions with a 2/3rds moon and low in the sky, so not ideal. It turned out reasonably well anyway although I will be reshooting it under better conditions (I am ever hopeful of good weather at my dark site).

TEC180 fluorite, Apogee U16M camera, Baader filters, Tak NJP mount.
Sbig ST402ME guide camera. LRGB 10 10 10 10.

CCDstack, Gradient Xterminator, Photoshop CS2.

http://www.pbase.com/image/115746072

Greg.

telecasterguru (Frank) · #2 05-08-2009, 06:34 PM

Greg,

There is a lot of movement in the stars and they look great. The one thing I love the most about globs is the way they shimmer.

Frank

renormalised (Carl) · #3 05-08-2009, 06:42 PM

Great shot, considering. Keep up the good work, Greg

AlexN · #4 05-08-2009, 06:42 PM

looks awesome! I cant wait to attack this properly...

(coming to the end of my second season in astrophotography and I've still not done omega cent with longer than 30sec exposures!

)

RB (Andrew) · #5 05-08-2009, 07:20 PM

Greg this shot is wonderful !!!
So sharp and well resolved down to the core.

You wouldn't think it was taken under difficult conditions.

Excellent work.

TheDecepticon · #6 05-08-2009, 07:21 PM

Nice version. Can't wait to see you do a good shot of this one!

DavidU (Dave) · #7 05-08-2009, 07:42 PM

Such tight stars ! super resolution. The 180 must be amazing
Well done

peter_4059 (Peter) · #8 05-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Wow - that's a great omega cen shot Greg. I can't wait to see one you are really happy with.

Peter

multiweb (Marc) · #9 05-08-2009, 09:01 PM

The stars are so tight and there are so many of them. The resolution is amazing. Best I've seen around. Top shot.

Tom Davis (Tom) · #10 06-08-2009, 12:51 AM

Great image Greg!! Nothing wrong with that image.

Tom

strongmanmike (Michael) · #11 06-08-2009, 06:37 AM

Ah yes pesky weather conditions can be a pain

Very nice result regardless and that FOV, being square, looks very cool.

Mike

dpastern (Dave Pastern) · #12 06-08-2009, 08:27 AM

I'll echo what others have said - wonderful shot, love the resolution and number of stars, and the star colours too. I think it's a fantastic shot.

Dave

Matty P (Matt) · #13 06-08-2009, 01:15 PM

Top shot Greg. The star colours are amazing and great depth to the image.

Considering this was taken in less than ideal weather conditions. I can't wait to see what you can do when the weather improves.

gregbradley · #14 06-08-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telecasterguru

Greg,

There is a lot of movement in the stars and they look great. The one thing I love the most about globs is the way they shimmer.

Frank

Yes globs are gorgeous in a scope.

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

Great shot, considering. Keep up the good work, Greg

Thanks for that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexN

looks awesome! I cant wait to attack this properly...

(coming to the end of my second season in astrophotography and I've still not done omega cent with longer than 30sec exposures!

)

Have fun with it the northerners are always jealous of us when we post Omega Centauri on Yahoo Groups

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

Greg this shot is wonderful !!!
So sharp and well resolved down to the core.

You wouldn't think it was taken under difficult conditions.

Excellent work.

Thanks. The big refractor does all the work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDecepticon

Nice version. Can't wait to see you do a good shot of this one!

I'll have to do it soon as it is getting low now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidU

Such tight stars ! super resolution. The 180 must be amazing
Well done

It is a beautiful scope. I don't know how long Yuri will be making them. Much like Roland Christen of AstroPhysics, these production runs don't always last. I think sometimes they have trouble getting the glasses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_4059

Wow - that's a great omega cen shot Greg. I can't wait to see one you are really happy with.

Peter

Thanks Peter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

The stars are so tight and there are so many of them. The resolution is amazing. Best I've seen around. Top shot.

Thanks for the compliment

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Davis

Great image Greg!! Nothing wrong with that image.

Tom

Thanks Tom. I've been admiring your great shots for a long time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Ah yes pesky weather conditions can be a pain

Very nice result regardless and that FOV, being square, looks very cool.

Mike

Hey nothing wrong with the rectangular shot and the 11002 chip is still a leader

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpastern

I'll echo what others have said - wonderful shot, love the resolution and number of stars, and the star colours too. I think it's a fantastic shot.

Dave

Thanks dave. This type of scope is ideal for Omega Centauri.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matty P

Top shot Greg. The star colours are amazing and great depth to the image.

Considering this was taken in less than ideal weather conditions. I can't wait to see what you can do when the weather improves.

Thanks Matty. I'll be setting aside some time to do it again.

dpastern (Dave Pastern) · #15 07-08-2009, 03:19 PM

I sadly can't afford/justify it (yet). I need to be taking good images with my current setup, instead of crappy ones before I consider anymore expenses on Astronomy gear!

Dave

gregbradley · #16 07-08-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpastern

I sadly can't afford/justify it (yet). I need to be taking good images with my current setup, instead of crappy ones before I consider anymore expenses on Astronomy gear!

Dave

Yes it can be a very expensive hobby although great results can be gotten with modest equipment. Its a matter of doing the basics very carefully and thoroughly.

Greg

Alchemy (Clive) · #17 07-08-2009, 06:28 PM

very nice, that image is about as close to what it looks like in the eyepiece of a big scope as you can get, just a shimmering of thousands of tiny pricks of light. lovely

edit... just had a look at the images on your website, you have a wealth of interesting images there, just the thing to cruise around when the weather is a bit ordinary . quite a library !

gregbradley · #18 08-08-2009, 08:23 AM

Thanks very much Clive.

Greg

marc4darkskies (Marcus) · #19 08-08-2009, 11:51 AM

Given your difficulties and shortness of exposure the image is still quite striking - nice one Greg!

Cheers, Marcus

gregbradley · #20 08-08-2009, 05:07 PM

Thanks neighhbour Marcus. Its a super scope it does all the work really.

Greg.