The Ultimate Helix..?

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Well you knew I'd come up with something else, huh

Josch Hambsch kindly asked me to combine our deep data sets into a single image to give a total exposure time of 35hrs across 7 filters (L SII Ha OIII R G B) and the result is well...mind blowing if I may say so?

Big file (4.5meg) but worth the wait! - all details under the image

Hit F11 on your keyboard for an unobstructed full screen view and try zooming out using the + and - buttons in your browser window (bottom right corner of your screen)

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...84678/original

NB. The focal length of the two scopes are only 1140mm and 1500mm respectively...so as I have said before, who needs long FL?

Mike

[leinad (Dan)]

...just sprayed coffee all over the keyboard.

That is amazing Mike! Simply amazing.
So many small galaxies can be seen and a few irregulars as well

how long did this take to process the two ?

[MrB (Simon)]

Could you post a dial-up friendly version please?

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by MrB

Could you post a dial-up friendly version please?

Hi Simon

Here is the "large" file, which is actually pretty small (100k) so it will get your interest, have a look and if you think it is then worth the wait, click on "original" size in the other sizes menu at the bottom of the image page then go and have a cuppa while it downloads and come back and swim through a small window into the Universe and beyond

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...18284678/large

Mike

[MrB (Simon)]

Cheers Mike

Ok you got me, loading the full one....

[RobF (Rob)]

Wow - what a gobsmacker!
That is the most inspiring astro image I've feasted my eyes on for a long time. Many thanks for showing Mike.

Actually, I'm worried you guys have found some way to hack into the Hubble's telemetry, it really is THAT good....hmmm

[TheDecepticon]

That's nearly as good as the one I think Gendler did on one of the 4m telescopes recently, cant quite remember all the details. And nearly can only be measured in thousandsthsths of an inch!!
Top stuff!

[MrB (Simon)]

Wow
Definitely worth the wait!
Can't say I've ever seen galaxies in the nebula before.
Awesome.

[Enchilada]

Just Beautiful! Great deep shot!!

[multiweb (Marc)]

That's pretty awesome. Can even clearly see the little background side-on galaxy on the top right through the nebulosity and all the jets in the center are really well defined. Hubblelesque!

[gregbradley]

Amazing image Mike. Interesting how much better the combined image
is from the original Josch image.

All those little galaxies as well make a fabulous result.

Greg

[Hagar (Doug)]

Now This is one mind blowing image..... Try to count all the tiny galaxies scattered throughout the image when you can finally get your eyes away from the Helix itself.
Really lovely Mike. Your best repro to date.

[DavidU (Dave)]

Hubblemanmike !Galaxys through the Nebulosity???
Unbelievable stuff. How do you top this one?
APOD APOD APOD

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

......... The focal length of the two scopes are only 1140mm and 1500mm respectively...so as I have said before, who needs long FL?

Mike

Nice image Mike.

BTW, I ran a quick back of the envelope calculation, to get the same flux through the AP as was captured in the 5.75 hours by the 20", you'd need to expose, well, for about 58 hours. Aperture helps

[Paul Haese]

I like this combination. Such great data and nicely processed.

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

As amateurs we are all pushing the envelope every day! Its great to have something to aspire to. now to get the 40d to produce images like that... hahahaha :S Great Siduno

[Ric]

That is amazing Mike

The outer nebulosity and the faint galaxies are a real stunner.

Wonderful work.

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

Whoah, and I thought the last shot was nice. Awesome!

Dave

[peeb61 (Paul)]

Mike...Josch........OMG!
That is a stunner....

Paul

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

So glad you all liked the end result

Nice outcome in the end really as I was toying with the idea of doing a similar marathon effort to capture the LRGB data myself, problem being to do the 26hrs of narrow band data any justice I was looking at a few trips out to my scope again..... and while I would probably have done it I was quite releaved really when Josch offered to comnbine our current efforts and now my image has the LRGB added aaaand it was taken through a Killer of a Philip Keller designed 20" to boot

Yes Peter, aperture certainly wins in the end and your calculations are only for the Ha Josch collected, or about half the final exposure time so I would have spent a lot on petrol trying to match all that with the 6" and no observatory

Thanks again all

Mike