Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Astrophotography => Topic started by: RobertM on Apr 01, 2012, 19:11:04

Title: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: RobertM on Apr 01, 2012, 19:11:04
This image shows the area around Antares in Scorpius.  It's an area that's been on my list for a number of years and it gives me great pleasure to have finally imaged it.  Again it's not perfect but I hope you like it.

Capture details:
Mount: Astrotrac on Gitzo tripod
Camera: SXVF-M25C
Filter: 2" IDAS LPS P2 filter
Optics: Canon 200L II @f2.8
Subs: 20 x 180 seconds

North is left, west is top.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6889683596_0d501013e3_b.jpg)

Wartburg: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6889683596_7c7b20a7dd_o.jpg (http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6889683596_7c7b20a7dd_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: JohnP on Apr 01, 2012, 20:54:30
a lot better than the orion though..Like'n this a lot, Nice one,  John..
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: MarkS on Apr 01, 2012, 21:30:27
Nice one.

A very difficult target - just about impossible here in the UK.   The dust has also come out well.

Excellent image for such a short total integration time.

I agree with John - it's come out better than the Orion image.

Mark
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Kenny on Apr 01, 2012, 21:38:01
That's an amazing image!
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Mike on Apr 01, 2012, 21:59:25
Absolutely stunning. I love images with dark dust lanes in them. Fantastic.
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Rocket Pooch on Apr 02, 2012, 02:16:38
Very nice...
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Fay on Apr 02, 2012, 08:29:53
well done Robert, that is extremely nice, what a lovely area to image. glad you seem happy with  it as well 
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: doug on Apr 02, 2012, 10:56:38
That is an amazing image, Robert.  Being a no-no.... what is the star cluster in the image??  Very well done, Sir.

Doug.
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: MarkS on Apr 02, 2012, 13:12:40
I still can't get over the fact that this is just an hour of data!

Even at F/2.8, one hour doesn't give you much, back here in the South East, even for an ideally positioned target.

Mark
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Whitters on Apr 02, 2012, 17:19:00
Stunning. What a beautiful image. I remember buying slide sets in the 80's from professional observatories and being knocked out by the images. This has the same effect.
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Fay on Apr 02, 2012, 20:42:39
I cant believe the short subs either & that lovely globular cluster!
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: RobertM on Apr 02, 2012, 21:12:12
Thanks for the kind comments.  I must admit I was very surprised myself by the way it processed up in the end.

Doug, The Globular is M4 and the smaller one near Antares is NGC6144.

I was imaging from a place called El Paso through some murky skies at an altitude of about 300m and not up near the caldera at 2700m where all the big telescopes are.  There were some sunbeds which I piled up to try to shadow the lens from the nearest street lamp (to some effect) but it could have been much better.  The short subs were because of the Astrotrac - as the lens moves the center of gravity shifts and causes a little trailing plus I don't trust the polar scope !  Short subs = little trailing.

Robert
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: Mac on Apr 02, 2012, 23:47:21
very nice capture.

Mac.
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: julian on Apr 03, 2012, 16:21:21
Very nice Robert
I may keep the  Astrotrac now

julian
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: mickw on Apr 08, 2012, 07:54:09
Fantastic image Robert
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: The Thing on Apr 08, 2012, 10:31:46
The French 'Astronomie' magasine has nearly exactly this image on page 70 as an exemplar for a technical processing article. Not quite as good though 8). Then on page 73 they have the Orion widefield with the same framing as Roberts.  :alien: Telepathy?

Out of interest, the guy used a 70-200mm Tamron lens at 100mm f2.8, 350D, but he was at the Pic du Midi observatory. 31x5min @ iso200.
Title: Re: Antares area wide field 1
Post by: MarkS on Apr 09, 2012, 20:58:12
Quote from: The Thing on Apr 08, 2012, 10:31:46
The French 'Astronomie' magasine has nearly exactly this image on page 70 as an exemplar for a technical processing article. Not quite as good though 8).

Agreed - Robert's version is better!