New moon. Aspen CG16M on 20 inch PlaneWave. The region was perfectly positioned for an all-night session on Luminance 9.5 hrs, and a second night on RGB 3 hrs each. Seeing (2 sec arc) good for our location.
We've increased the saturation quite a bit, but only to the point where the colour differences between the huge, pendulous, featureless orange ellipticals and the multi-coloured spirals (with their orange-pink central regions and blue OB star forming regions in their spiral arms) becomes clear.
There are very few other images of this area that we can find. The best in our view is by Mike Sidonio.
Strong Mike was interested in the interstellar flux nebulosity, and so his image emphasises the background. Ours is more contrasty. Otherwise, the two images are remarkably similar. As (retired, but card-carrying) scientists, that is a very pleasing result.
We want to say a special Thank You to the NRMA road-side assist telephone officer who totally left us in the moonless pitch dark, temperature 2C, on 100 KPH Burrendong Way, with no mobile reception and no advice other than "Contact your insurer", when NRMA protocol was to forward the call to the insurer and to order a tow truck. Hope you sleep warm and cosy. We did not. But we do thank the farmer who put away his shotgun and called the tow truck for us. We dedicate this image to him.
Blimey! Another M&T "Hubble deep field". One for the bucket list when I get a better camera.
Cheers, Kevin! It is a very busy patch. It has a similar feel to Abell 1060, which also has a couple wombat sized ellipticals, a couple beautiful spirals, and squillions of little fellows of all descriptions: 147 that we could count easily in this image and 224 in Abell 1060. Both even have a very photogenic bright star or two in the field.
Great shot guys, of a very cool galaxy cluster, nice work after surviving a night by the roadside too I recall I had good seeing the night I shot mine...helps with fields like this and you are right there is some faint but obvious galactic cirrus in this field too if you wish to bring it out
Very well done MnT! I think Mike had better seeing when he shot his (better split on some close stars) but I think your extra aperture helps out a lot for a smoother result.
Great shot guys, of a very cool galaxy cluster, nice work after surviving a night by the roadside too I recall I had good seeing the night I shot mine...helps with fields like this and you are right there is some faint but obvious galactic cirrus in this field too if you wish to bring it out
Mike
Thanks, Mike. Will have a look at the IFN. We will also fit some prescribed aluminium roo bars to the Subaru, and I will practice my emergency braking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevec35
A really spectacular galaxy group Mike. Well processed and presented.
Cheers
Steve
Thanks Steve!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Atmos
Very well done MnT! I think Mike had better seeing when he shot his (better split on some close stars) but I think your extra aperture helps out a lot for a smoother result.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde
Ah that's gorgeous MnT. The 'Placidus Deep Field'
Thanks Colin and Pete The aperture meant that we could find another few dozen super-faint distant galaxies.
That's superb Mike. Looks like one of thos ESO galaxy cluster shots. The field is peppered with them. 
A high contrast field that makes the galaxies jump out of the screen. Magnificent 
