Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Astrophotography => Topic started by: MarkS on Jan 04, 2009, 11:50:18

Title: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: MarkS on Jan 04, 2009, 11:50:18
Here is the best of my recent Horsehead failures.
Only 10 of 24 subs were remotely usable because of the increasingly bad transparency.

Modified Canon EOS 350D on Celestron C11 with F6.3 focal reducer and CLS filter.
10 x 5min subs.

I can't be bothered to remove the background gradients.

(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/horse030108.jpg)
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Daniel on Jan 04, 2009, 12:38:10
Ok, I think i'll be showing my inexperience when I say this but.........what's wrong with this image? doesn't look too noisy, the stars look perfectly round and as you said, the rest can be processed away (this one's crying out for Noel carboni's reduce vertical noise)

The clarity in the image is great, especially with only 10 subs.

Daniel
:O)
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: JohnP on Jan 04, 2009, 13:32:54
I must admit as well Mark looks brill to me - I'd be well chuffed with that...

What are the semi-circular lines at 9'0clock position on LHS - I've not seen this before...Is it flare from Alnitak?

John
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: MarkS on Jan 04, 2009, 13:38:45
Daniel,

What's wrong with the image - well, it's never going to win image of the month is it? ;-)

Technically it is O.K. but the conditions prevented me getting the perfect image I'm after.  I was planning to go out to a dark site last night to grab a few hours imagaing but the forecast changed for the worse so I sensibly decided not to go.

BTW,  your new Hyperstar setup is simply crying out to be used at a dark site - the results would be phenomenal!  Maybe the February DSC?

Mark
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: MarkS on Jan 04, 2009, 13:41:00

John,

Thanks John.

Yes, it must be flare form Altinak.  I don't quite know why it creates that curious effect though.

Mark
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Rocket Pooch on Jan 04, 2009, 15:05:54
Thats internal reflection from the scope, try another bright star the other side you will get the same, the dark images will emphasise it.

Chris

P.S. I like the image just crop the horsey out.
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Daniel on Jan 04, 2009, 17:34:34
Mark, what I wouldn't give to try the hyperstar under a dark sky, who know's I may be able to do exposures all the way up to 2 minutes! :P

I'm going to try to make it to the february DSC, and hopefully finally sort out a membership too. My only problem will be getting the huge SCT and mount down to tuesnoad. Might see If I can hire a van and get my mate to drive me down.

Daniel
:O)
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: RobertM on Jan 04, 2009, 20:34:57
Looks great if you ignore the odd lighting effects caused by Alnitak.  As Chris has suggested do a crop and you won't see them.
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: MarkS on Jan 04, 2009, 22:49:29

I've done some gradient removal.  Here is the final result:

(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/horse030108v4.jpg)
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Rocket Pooch on Jan 05, 2009, 04:46:26
looks good
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: RobertM on Jan 05, 2009, 09:04:11
Mark, you've done a really excellent job there, good guiding too.
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Whitters on Jan 05, 2009, 23:32:42
Nice!
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Mike on Jan 06, 2009, 14:19:09
Very nice Mark.
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Carole on Jan 06, 2009, 20:28:52
With Mark's permission I have done a little Photoshop processing on his image and removed the artifact on the left so he doesn't need to crop the image.

(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10047/thumb_Marks_Horsehead_copy.jpg)

Carole
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Carole on Jan 06, 2009, 20:30:46
Bugger, posted the thumbnail again.  I never learn!!!

Try again:

(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10047/Marks_Horsehead_copy.jpg)

Carole
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Carole on Jan 06, 2009, 20:33:34
Bingo!

So not a Horsehead failure after all.

Carole
Title: Re: Another Horsehead Failure
Post by: Mike on Jan 06, 2009, 20:33:59
 :-?