The Iris nebula taken from Kelling

[RobertM]

Needs a lot more subs but this is the best I can do for now.  34 x 120s unfiltered with the C11 hyperstar and unguided NEQ6.



Link to a larger version: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8042/8029517473_6599d1afe4_h.jpg

TFL
Robert

[MarkS]

An excellent result!

Your dust has come out very well and your processing has done a good job of distinguishing it against the background.

Iris Nebula is a great target for demonstrating the power of your new imaging setup.  You have just over one hour total exposure - incredible image for such a short time.

Personally I would increase the colour saturation a bit but that's only a matter of taste.


Mark

[RobertM]

Thanks Mark.  I have to say I agree with you about the saturation.  Even though I did boost it a bit it still looks like I need a bit more.  I also have another 30 mins in 30s subs that I'm considering adding (if I can work out a way to do that without adding noise).

Cheers
Robert

[Carole]

Love the brown dust Robert.  I know you are using a hyperstar but what camera were you using with the hyperstar.  sorry if this is a dumb question but I am not quite sure how the hyperstar works and am assuming a small camera is plugged into the hyperstar itself.

Also I agree with Mark these are excellent results for such short subs.

Carole

[RobertM]

Thank you Carole.  The camera is a Starlight-Xpress SXVF-M25C one shot colour which has an APS size Sony sensor.

The hyperstar works by using the C11 main mirror and a special corrector lens.  The corrector lens replaces the normal SCT secondary mirror in the corrector plate at the front of the OTA so instead of being f/10 it becomes f/1.9.

Robert

[Carole]

instead of being f/10 it becomes f/1.9.

Wow, I knew it reduced the focal ratio, but I didn't know it was by that much.

Carole

[MarkS]

Wow, I knew it reduced the focal ratio, but I didn't know it was by that much.

At F/1.9 it collects photons more than twice as quickly as the Tak Epsilon at F/2.8 which itself is twice as fast as "fast" F/4 scopes.

[JohnP]

That's excellent - really liking ALL that brown stuff - really deep - John.

[MarkS]

Your 1 hour of data seems to have come out better than 4 hours on my Tak:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2010/iris_2010.html

I might try reprocessing to see if I can bring out more in the image but it's a very thought provoking comparison ...

[mickw]

That looks really good Robert, so much dust

[Fay]

Fantastic Robert, such short subs as well!!!!!!

[Rocket Pooch]

I like that a lot, would be tempted to put another hour or two into it then it will be a super image.

Hmm no do I go out and but a OSC and C11?  Would work well from my place.

Better not though or winter will be cloudy.

[MarkS]

Hmm no do I go out and but a OSC and C11?  Would work well from my place.

Yes - I'm also tempted ...

[mickw]

If you get stuff now while the weather is crap anyway, the weather gods might get confused and clear the skies and make the wind go away 

[Rocket Pooch]

Like I need a 6th scope!

[mickw]

The man who dies with the most toys wins 

[RobertM]

Sounds like I've got some catching up to do

Thanks for the good comments.

Mark, I'm not sure of the 4:1 ratio on hours but I can tell you that the M25 wipes the floor with the 450D.  It's not just about focal ratio and sensitivity but also because the s/n ratio on the camera is just so much better, I can pull more data out of images.