A couple from last night

[LewisM]

First is the ubiquitous M42. 5 x 5min subs, ISO 500 with 10 each darks, flats and bias. Canon 5D MkII totally unmodified. Focus was maybe a TOUCH soft, as I found my drawtube tension knob a little loose later on, but still pretty happy. Want to add about an hours more data, but how far can you take M42 before the eripheral cloud predominates? As is, the ghostly dust is starting to show, and that is ony 25 mins of data. I could stretch it in PS more, but it lost "the look". A bit over exposed in the core- may add my test sub to bring the core back

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5186/m42iis.png


Second is of course Eta Carinae complex. 2 x 10 min subs, ISO 500, same D,F and B's as above. Managed only2 subs before the clouds came over at 2am. Was hoping for 50 mins of light at least. I know some edge distortion - was not using a field flattener (will next time).

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4293/eta2iisf.png

Working on the Horsehead now - 5 x 10 min subs. Real PITA with suburban mercury vapour lamps, and for some reason, my fluorite refractor does not seem to like the UHC/LP filter I am using much.


All photos through my beloved Vixen FL102S on an NEQ6 with an Orion Starshoot guidecam (which was having conniptions with Eta Carina because of the crud preceding the cloud bank). DSS stacked (finally found a setting I like), PS CS5.1 edited (levels, curves, contrast, vibrance, saturation). Was going to redux tonight, but of course, Mother Cloud rolled over again.

I would really appreciate sincere, honest comments from the pros out there - I am getting better, but a long way to go yet - CCD is on the list, but for now, the 5D MkII seems fairly sensitive to red anyway.

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Very nice images, Lewis! Looks like you've got everything well-sorted now

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Well Lewis as far as I would say and given the short exposure lengths that you have used, these are as good as your kit and exposures could do I would think so well done. Great colour and clarity really. M42 could perhaps be stretched a little more but as you say with that small amount of data it may not look as you would like in the outer areas? Layering in some short exposures to reveal the core would be worth a try but only if you do it well and seamlessly and maintain a little brightness, otherwise it can actually look worse in IMO

I'd say you have it all humming and just need more exposure so you can stretch it man

Great work

Mike

[LewisM]

Mike,

Thanks.

There is actually a LOT of peripheral dust cloud data, but it just looks "grainy", so I backed off on stretching it. I will upload a full stretch of the stack just to show.

I want to really do a full mosaic of M42 and Barnard 33 - I guess like a lot of people - s I have a LOT more data to gather as yet. A LOT!

I really am trying - in vain so far - to do the Cone Nebula. Provong frustrating, but so far taken about an hours worth - more, a heck of a lot more, to show anything. Might end up switching to the 8" f/4 R200SS to do that project, but am LOVING working with the 102 refractor.

[Ross G]

Great looking photos Lewis.

Ross.