NGC7293 - The Helix Nebula

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Yes, a hard task and you will never get the performance out of it that you could...how about moving it to a remote lcation and well you know...

Lord don't I know it....but I'm lazy....an hour is long enough to spend driving to work....perhaps when I pull the pin from the day job

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

No doubt - a positively spectacluar image Jase!!!! Too bad it's mapped though

It's hard to let this thread go by and not buy into the underlying debate ... soooo ...
... You paid $US175 per HOUR??!!!!! That's over $US600 for your single 3.5hr image!!!! Presumably it was quite a bit more than this too - setup time, darks, flats etc (unless there's a library to choose from) Bet you didn't throw away any subs!!

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

.... I prefer a more hands on approach, and enjoy the challenge of personally getting the equipment choices I have made to perform at their optimum to produce good data in less than ideal skies.

Here here!!! And I'm pretty sure this is what being an "amateur" actually means!

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

....I thought Jases Helix was a great example of what shouldn't be considered amateur in the context of an amateur imaging contest. I love the work some amateur guys are doing using proffessional observatories, I just don't think it is fair to allow it to be entered in an amateur imaging contest that's all, a rather simple concept really?

Yep, agree with that. If I enter a bicycle race, I can't reasonably expect my entering with a Harley (owned and driven by someone else) to be considered fair! (there I go with the analogies again ). I'm quietly confident though that those who run the competitions will modify the rules appropriately to cater for this trend. If not, I'll just have to be content sharing my astro-imaging exploits with my family, forum friends and the wall of my study!!

Cheers, Marcus

[Garyh]

Spectacular image Jase!
Doesn`t matter how it was acquired it still a ripper image!

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

No doubt - a positively spectacluar image Jase!!!! Too bad it's mapped though

It's hard to let this thread go by and not buy into the underlying debate ... soooo ...
... You paid $US175 per HOUR??!!!!! That's over $US600 for your single 3.5hr image!!!! Presumably it was quite a bit more than this too - setup time, darks, flats etc (unless there's a library to choose from) Bet you didn't throw away any subs!!

Pleased you liked it Marcus. Nothing wrong with narrowband imaging, perhaps you should try it sometime if you have the courage.

You pay peanuts, you get peanuts. What would you expect to pay to gain access to such equipment?

Setup time, darks flats...Huh? Price is inclusive. You gain access to a calibration library which is refreshed automatically to ensure quality data. Talking quality, you're right, you don't throw any subs away...there's no need too on this gear. Should a problem arise, you'll find many rental scope parties will refund your points. You're paying for quality data on premium instruments - not egg shaped stars or uneven field illumination. This leaves you spend time where its important - the processing. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Garyh

Spectacular image Jase!
Doesn`t matter how it was acquired it still a ripper image!

Cheers Gary. I agree, acquiring and processing data from different sources is part of the fun.

[gregbradley]

Wonderful image Jase and nicely processed.

I often find it amazing how something as "innocuous" and passive as astrophotography could get so many different viewpoints often passionately expressed.

I think my wife would laugh pretty hard about how what are really "minor"
differences of opinion about relatively trivial things gets so much heat at
times.

I say argue on though, as it makes the game interesting.

Who wants to all be the same!


Greg.