Smooth Space Curve Nebula

Addos (Adam) · #1 20-08-2022, 02:11 PM

First target with the new filter set! Antlia LRGB and adriano's heavily discounted Opto 3nm's. The Opto's are ok, but the Oiii doesnt really want to do good flats with the standard filter masks. Little bit of side edge / off axis light bleed.

Hoping some fully enclosed filter 'rings' I've got coming will solve the problem, but for now had to do this integration with a synthetic flat. Starting to already wonder if popping the extra 500 for the Antlia's mightve been the better play.... we shall see! The antlia rgb though have been fantastic!

Also very happy with the EQ6 and its guiding performance, as we had to go to 15 min subs for a bit to grab that fainter Ha signal. Even with some pain with PEC curves last couple of sessions, managed to stay under 0.6" avg error. This is certainly where those f4 newt's clobber an f7 refractor

That said though, that contrast

HOO colour palette, with RGB stars screened in! 2hrs RGB and 39hrs NB. Taken over 7 nights between 7 and 17 August.

Bigger and higher res: https://www.astrobin.com/j5ky06/

Dave882 (David) · #2 20-08-2022, 07:19 PM

Wow!! That’s a spectacular result! The depth and detail is mind blowing- seriously one of the best renditions of this target I’ve seen. Well done!!

Bassnut (Fred) · #3 21-08-2022, 05:38 PM

Thats impressive, well done !. Pretty deep and excellent processing. The exposure time was well worth the effort.

Startrek (Martin) · #4 21-08-2022, 06:31 PM

One of the best images of the Helix I’ve seen in years
Exceptionally fine outer and inner detail plus colour is superb
Well done for effort alone

Martin

strongmanmike (Michael) · #5 22-08-2022, 12:49 AM

A very good image of the Helix Adam, very well done

Mike

AstroViking (Steve) · #6 22-08-2022, 04:23 PM

That's gorgeous... So much detail, and amazing colours, too. (Yeah, I know it's false colour, but the palette really works for me.)

Well done - that image is well worth printing and putting on the wall.

Cheers,
V

Addos (Adam) · #7 22-08-2022, 05:11 PM

thanks alot guys! my goal on this one was to improve on my osc/doublet shot from last year, which had a similar total integration, and to go for as long as it took to be able to see some of that fainter edge.

the jump from 7 to 3nm certainly makes you sweat alot harder about wind gusts and random clouds going from 5 to 10/15 mins! the eq6 did it though! think i only had to throw away 5 or 6 subs total! the only thing i dont absolutely love about this mount is lugging it up and down the stairs all the time

now i wish i had a 10 inch newt to be able to resolve some of the edges in the structure a bit better... maybe thats 2023's goal

thanks again!