Haven't had much luck with work, my sons graduation from ADFA early Dec (four ceremonies/functions in three days), Christmas, travel, New Year, the weather aaaaand the bluudy Moon all lining up ...so, I fiiiinally got one clear (and free) night on Friday night just gone, yaaaay first time out at the observatory since late Nov still there..just a couple a big Red Backs inside the dome that a broom got rid of but the scope, well she just chugged away as beautifully as ever
So, decided, no faint dwarfs, no faint stella ejecta or halos, no Olsenesque exposure time...I want an image now! I want something (relatively) bright! and that I haven't imaged before...and not M42
So...the seeing was kind to me yet again and all the data was collected in a single night, unfortunately the first hour of darkness was clouded out (I almost went home thank god for beer! ) so 5.2 hours after that (incl a manual meridian flip) and this time of year, is pretty good going I recon
This is the traditional/original Hubble wavelength ordered emission line palette SIIHaOIII
Yeah, apparently this nebula is sometimes called the Mandrill Nebula and the wide field appearance is also known as the Skull and Crossbones nebula, read more HERE
Mike
Last edited by strongmanmike; 08-01-2017 at 08:56 PM.
Very cool Mike!! I like it! Detail & colour very pleasing!
I've been waiting for some clear dark nights since early December! Notwithstanding the nice holiday I had in Nov, I haven't imaged since October! Sydney seems to have become the land of permanent white / grey cloud!
Thanks for checking it out fella's I think it looks more obscure than it really is because it is a close up shot, this object is usually imaged with a larger FOV..? Looking at it again this morning though it looks to have a bit of a blue cast, hmm?..might look a that ...I seem to have a habit of imposing a blue cast..my eyes must like blue?
I love the image and I love the story of it's acquisition - summarising the challenges, frustrations and tribulations I'm sure most of us can relate to very strongly. It is sometimes amazing that imaging get's done at all when you have to have family, social and work arrangements in synch with the universe and weather and moon cycle!
I love the image and I love the story of it's acquisition - summarising the challenges, frustrations and tribulations I'm sure most of us can relate to very strongly. It is sometimes amazing that imaging get's done at all when you have to have family, social and work arrangements in synch with the universe and weather and moon cycle!
Well done!
Cheers,
Tim
Cheers Timbo ...mate, actually and sadly, New Years Eve was perfectly clear here and no Moon...but how does one leave family and friends when you have a party organised ...I spent most of the night trying not to look up from my city apartment terrace...until I had downed a few coldies....then I saw the funny side and stopped lamenting and sang opera instead hic!
Nice one Mike - although I imaged it myself last year, I havn't seen a closeup of that one before.
Great detail for such short integration time - your system must be pretty fast!
Not in love with purple stars but hey, thats probably just me.
Good one
Nice one Mike - although I imaged it myself last year, I havn't seen a closeup of that one before.
Great detail for such short integration time - your system must be pretty fast!
Not in love with purple stars but hey, thats probably just me.
Good one
Cheers Andy, I do recall your effort, looked more like a Butterfly to me than a skull and cross bones too. Ah yes... the purple stars , I think I like'em because I recall the early days of HST when this was the true Hubble Palette (nowadays people call any weird colour combo the Hubble Palette) and all its images had purple stars, nobody complained then
Nice image Mike. Congrats on your son's graduation.
New Years Eve sure was clear, Phil and his son Alex and I saw the New Year in observing from his dark site north of Yass (accompanied by some fine Penfolds)
Nice image Mike. Congrats on your son's graduation.
Cheers mate, was a few days of grinning and feeling very proud ...not to mention all the brews
Quote:
New Years Eve sure was clear, Phil and his son Alex and I saw the New Year in observing from his dark site north of Yass (accompanied by some fine Penfolds)
...Thaaaaanks maaate ....does sound bluudy great though, jealous
That looks so different from the usual RGB or OSC images I'm used to seeing. I wouldn't have recognised it if you hadn't named it. It's certainly detailed.
That looks so different from the usual RGB or OSC images I'm used to seeing. I wouldn't have recognised it if you hadn't named it. It's certainly detailed.
Cheers Kevin, yes I guess it does look different and yes I was happy with the details. It was a bit of a late decision to shoot it and I hadn't imaged it before nor did I investigate FOV's much before hand either, so I wasn't sure what would show up really . I only had SII Ha and OIII to make something with so getting an RGB imitation is more difficult without at least some RGB, so I didn't bother, hence the more traditional Hubble palette.
...so, I fiiiinally got one clear (and free) night on Friday night just gone, yaaaay 
first time out at the observatory since late Nov 
still there..just a couple a big Red Backs inside the dome that a broom got rid of but the scope, well she just chugged away as beautifully as ever 
and that I haven't imaged before...and not M42 
thank god for beer! 
) so 5.2 hours after that (incl a manual meridian flip) and this time of year, is pretty good going I recon 
Sydney seems to have become the land of permanent white / grey cloud!
...I seem to have a habit of imposing a blue cast..my eyes must like blue? 
