Target: NGC253 Sculptor Galaxy
Camera: Canon 350d modified, Astronomik CLS clip filter
Exposure Capture: DLSR Focus
Scope: GSO CF RC200
EFR: f/8
Mount: EQ6 Pro
Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Daylight WB
Exposures: 23 x 330s lights taken between 8:00 and 11:00pm 14/10/09
Seeing: no moon
Guiding: Orion Starshoot Autoguider using PHD with ED80
Focus: DSLR Focus
Stacking: DSS no darks or flats
Processing: PS CS3
Right Ascension 00 : 47.6 (h:m) Declination -25 : 17 (deg:m) Distance 10000.0 (kly) Visual Brightness 7.1 (mag) Apparent Dimension 25 x 7 (arc min)
Discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783.
NGC 253 is the brightest member of the Sculptor group of galaxies, which is grouped around the South galactic pole (therefore, also sometimes named "South Polar Group"). The Sculptor group is perhaps the nearest to our Local Group of galaxies. NGC 253 is also one of the brightest galaxies beyond the Local Group. The RASC Observer's Handbook gives the common name Silver Coin Galaxy for NGC 253; it is also referred to as the Sculptor Galaxy.
NGC 253 was one of the major discoveries of Caroline Herschel, the sister of William Herschel. She discovered this object on September 23, 1783 with "an excellent small Newtonian Sweeper" of 27 inches focal length and a power of 30 (William Herschel's description), and added it to her list as No. 10. William Herschel included it in his catalog as No. V.1.
Some good data there Trev, collimation looks good.
There appears to be an uneven color balance?
Have you tried using auto AWB, as you need to adjust the color balance anyway with the CLS filter.
Very nice Trevor, on the same night I was imaging the Sculptor galaxy too, from the burbs of Perth, just over an hour of data through my WO FLT98CF on a modded 1000D. I haven't finished the processing in photoshop yet (I'm still learning to master this) but my images definitely have the browns and Richie Benaud shades of jacket prominent in the galaxy. I'll spend some time on it and try and post for comparison with the different scopes.
Number 3 is incredibly sharp.. the stars look great, diffraction spikes are much like those seen from the RCOS and BRC scopes, so thats got to be a plus. The only thing I'm not liking about it is that it looks almost monochromatic... Do you have anywhere to post up the unprocessed tiff?? or can you email a copy to me? I'd love to have a crack at this... data looks fantastic, and im yearning to process something from a long focal length!
