LBN412 region: 34.5 hours of Lum, Ha, RGB

[ptc (Richard)]

I was at the ranch for a few nights this past two weeks and had a friend visiting from out of town (Jim Moronski from FLI). He brought a nice imaging train with him (PL16803 camera, Centerline filter wheel, Atlas focuser) and we affixed it to my ancient fixed dew-shield Fluorite FSQ106 and did some imaging with it in the LBN412 region above NGC7000. This is in a good part of the sky this time of year.

there's a nice PNe captured in this upper left quadrant of the image, We-1-11 (discovered 1977)

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/we1_11.jpg


and what looks like an interesting jet near the curly Herbig Haro object in the dark lane in the center. At 34.5 hours exposure that is not an artifact, but it might not be a jet.

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/lbn412_lum_ha_RGB_sq_16803_atlas_34 _crop.jpg

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/lbn412_lum_ha_RGB_sq_16803_atlas_34 _markup.jpg


Shot with my FSQ106 and Jim Moronski’s Proline 16803 with Atlas focuser and Centerline filter wheel. Exposure details: 770 minutes Lum, 730 minutes Halpha, 100 minutes red, 160 minutes Green and 310 minutes Blue

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/lbn412_lum_ha_RGB_sq_16803_atlas_34 .jpg

the Halpha and Red filter data were mixed together with equal weighting for the Red channel, the Blue channel had the Halpha weighted at 30% for combining with the Blue filter data to mimic the ever-present Hbeta line.

This was my first experience using the Proline/Centerline/Atlas combination on the FSQ. The Atlas is amazing. Now I can use my FSQ again. I have not had an acceptable focusing solution for about 4 years with the Atlas (since my sensors got larger than my old 6303). The centerline not only has the symmetric weight load advantage over other large capacity 50 x 50 square filters, it also has a smaller diameter that is helpful in avoiding pier strikes when imaging near the zenith

Photos of the FSQ setup are here:

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/fsq_with_pl_atlas_centerline.jpg

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/fsq_with_pl_atlas_centerline_01.jpg

and of the Trifecta de FLI/Astro-Physics

http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/incoming/trifecta.jpg

Since Jim was only visiting for a short time I had to cobble something together fast to balance the Dec Axis. A barbell weight and C clamp was an effective, albeit unglamorous solution… One thing about ranch life is you have to learn to improvise because it is 20 miles to the nearest hardware store and there are no telescope supply places in a 125 mile radius.

[Ross G]

Hi Richard,

Great photos and looks like a great location.

Thanks.

Ross.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Great shot and it looks indeed like a herbig haro object poking its head through the dark dust. Well spotted.
Love your gear! Fantastic toys.

[Osirisra (Ken)]

wowzers!, Nice gear allright. Darn nice looking spot too, and the pics are brilliant.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Re those mount leveling systems... I didn't know you were into Karate Richard

[ptc (Richard)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Re those mount leveling systems... I didn't know you were into Karate Richard

Oh I'm not but I bet you would like to give those stacks of travertine a chop or two

Out at the ranch I have to learn to improvise. The only level ground I have either has buildings on it or is in a bottom of a valley so I had to come up with something quick. Also the ground is very soft there so the darn pier would always be shifting around

so I had this stack of travertine from a remodeling project a long time ago and decided to put to use. Works great!

[Greg Bock (Greg Bock)]

...the gear alone is mouth-watering....