Target: NGC3372 Eta Carinae Nebula Camera: Canon 350d Unmodified Exposure Capture: DLSR Focus Scope: Skywatcher 120 f/5 Achromat Mount: EQ6 Pro Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Daylight WB Exposures: 20 x 3 minutes total 1 hr taken 17/1/09 Seeing: Average Guiding: Orion Starshoot Autoguider using PHD Focus: DSLR Focus Stacking: DSS darks, lights, bias applied Processing: PS7, PS CS3, PSP
Info: Situated in the Carina
Carinae Nebula 10h 45m 59.52 bright diffuse nebula surrounding n Carinae easily visible with the naked eye. Discovered by Lacaille 1751-52. This giant diffuse nebula is one of the largest H II regions (composed of ionized hydrogen gas) in our Milky Way galaxy. The star forming nebula NGC 3372 has produced the very conspicuous peculiar star Eta Carinae, which is among the most massive and luminous stars in our Milky Way, and perhaps in the universe.
Star forming region and its complex structure of bright area of gaseous emissions and dark absorption lanes bears examination with a wide range of apertures, it contains various star clusters and several double stars. Distance 3.4 kpc (10400ly)
Note: What intended to be a session on NGC2070 after 2477 but by 12:00 midnight it turned into Eta as 2070 was too high in the sky and it became a back breaking job trying to line it up and then focus on 2070 so I went for Eta instead.
Last edited by TrevorW; 17-01-2009 at 07:38 PM.
Reason: added another frame
Nice going Trevor, May I ask why you're imaging with the 120 F/5 acro rather than the SV80ED? The SV80ED would produce a better image, and a wider field of view....
Nice going Trevor, May I ask why you're imaging with the 120 F/5 acro rather than the SV80ED? The SV80ED would produce a better image, and a wider field of view....
Just wanted to give it a try so it didn't feel neglected, it's been sitting idle doing nothing for sometime as I've rigged my 10 x 60 finder as a guide scope atop the SV80, so the 120 doesn't get used much these days.
Nice shot, Trevor....the achro isn't doing such a bad job at all. But the ED is the better scope. I think there's a strong bias against using achro's for imaging...and fair enough, given the CA you get in them. However, some achro's are far better than others and the Skywatcher f/5 120mm looks like one of the best of them in terms of optical performance.
Yeah... I'd keep the 120 F/5 for narrowband work for sure.. Im really regretting selling my 152 F/8, as it would have been a beastly refractor for NB imaging... oh well.. live and learn I guess..
Steve - I bet your scopes have been gathering dust after receiving the FLT110 My scopes all get used about equally.... as they all do very different duties at very VERY different focal lengths..
Yeah... I'd keep the 120 F/5 for narrowband work for sure.. Im really regretting selling my 152 F/8, as it would have been a beastly refractor for NB imaging... oh well.. live and learn I guess..
Steve - I bet your scopes have been gathering dust after receiving the FLT110 My scopes all get used about equally.... as they all do very different duties at very VERY different focal lengths..
The FLT110 is a very convenient size ( 6.5kg and 770mm long ) with excellent optics, much easier than dragging my 254mm ( 15kg - 1200mm ) newt outside . When I get my observatory setup again it may be a different story .... we'll see .... I doubt it though I love my apo.
oh well.. live and learn I guess.. 
My scopes all get used about equally.... as they all do very different duties at very VERY different focal lengths..
. When I get my observatory setup again it may be a different story .... we'll see .... I doubt it though I love my apo.
