Firey Eye of God - 6 possible outbursts identified..?

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Just tinkering again

Reoriented it as I like it better this way - looks more like it is on fire. I also enhanced the nebulosity a little to show up the parallel radiating OIII streamers (most obvious in top right area of the main ring) and made the colour a little more vivid....

There have clearly been a few outbursts in the long history of this dying star in Aquarius, visible as shells of gas getting ever fainter as you go out from the main ring, best seen on the screen in a darkened room.

(770k)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...63597/original

Shell structure possibly indicating at least 6 periods or outbursts in the life of this dying star
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...95818/original

Ah sigh...where's my new PL16803



Mike

[mill (Martin)]

Looks fantastic Mike
A Sidonio by Sidonio

[suma126 (Shane)]

very nice but little noise on the out parts it must be a older photo. i do like the firey colour

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Yes, Sidonio by Sidonio = Sidonio squared = lots of Sidonio's ...

Martin it is very low signal that had to be pushed pretty hard to reveal so it appears a little patchy in the outer areas. The very outer shell is incredibly faint, I could have kept it perfectly smooth but I would have lost this very faint stuff, the aim of this image was to reveal the extremely faint outer shells that are not usually seen while at the same time keeping the more commonly revealed inner details in good render. A larger faster aperture would reeeeeeally help ...imaging such faint stuff with a 6" scope at F7.5 is like trying to drain a keg of beer by sucking it out through a straw...hmmm...beeeeeer (Homer Simpson)

Mike

[gregbradley]

Great repro Mike you've brought out the faint nebula all the way to the edge of the image without noise. Great job, the long exposure time pays off eh?

Greg.

[Tom Davis (Tom)]

Great image Mike!! Stunner!! That one will be hard to beat in the 2010 competitions!!

Tom

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Great repro Mike you've brought out the faint nebula all the way to the edge of the image without noise. Great job, the long exposure time pays off eh?

Greg.

T'was very difficult being portable (6 nights over nearly 3 weeks) that's for sure. I was out servicing my pedestal (which I leave out there in the elements) today and I had a discussion with the owners of the farm I use as a dark site and they are quite open to having a resident Astronomer on site soooo who know...?

Originally Posted by Tom Davis

Great image Mike!! Stunner!! That one will be hard to beat in the 2010 competitions!!

Tom

Yeh? Ya recon..? well at least there will be no competition from you!.. yeer right ...bah! all your images are covered in dust anyway, no self respecting mother in law would vote for them, that's for sure

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

I have added an image that labels the shells that appear to indicate at least 6 distinct episodes in the life of this planetary..?

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...95818/original

Not scientificly presented just an intresting observation.

Mike

[DavidU (Dave)]

Very interesting Mike. I can't make out #6 due to my gammie laptop screen.
That's a lot from a 6" AP !
Now...... where is that new camera? till then, we can expect more Sidonio's?

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Very interesting Mike. I can't make out #6 due to my gammie laptop screen.
That's a lot from a 6" AP !

Yes a good screen with excellent dynamic range qualities certainly helps, All the shells are quite obvious on my screen.

Now...... where is that new camera? till then, we can expect more Sidonio's?

...A February dispatch has been 90% assured soooo hopefully pretty soooon