This is a widefield image of IC63 and associated Ha nebulosity around the star Gamma Cassiopeia. I've tried to catch some of the wider nebulosity which is very faint and more or less succeded. It was a very difficult capture with the moon and had to put additional shielding around the lens. The image was taken the same night as the Horsehead/Flame image I posted a week ago. The reason it took so long to post was processing problems caused by gradients, this is the result of the fourth attempt. I think it's kind of ok but any suggestions are welcome.
Field of view 5 x 4 degrees.
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/5128976629_5c05194474_b.jpg)
Full res image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/5128976629_1261ebd4e0_o.jpg (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/5128976629_1261ebd4e0_o.jpg)
Usual culprits...
Capture details:
Exposure: 60 x 300s (5hrs) Baader Ha 7nm bin 2 x 2
Camera: FLI ML 8300 @-30C
Optics: Canon 200L lens @ f/3.2
Conditions: Clear but nearly full moon
Sky Magnitude: approx 3.5
Location: Orpington BR6
Date: 21/10/2010
Guiding: Lodestar + converted 50mm finder
TFL
Robert
Hi,
Ok you have done the easy bit :-) now get the colour :-), I think the dark lanes below are just showing in the image below where ic59 is, also the ickle blue cluster bottom left.
Are you going to add the colour at DSC next week if its clear?
Chris
Just added my colour, well the pathetic little area
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5129086209_ced82fcd69_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13007140@N05/5129086209/)
RobertOver (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13007140@N05/5129086209/) by chrissuddell (http://www.flickr.com/people/13007140@N05/), on Flickr
Thanks Chris, that's a really good start. You obviously have a flair for adding colour to Ha images - would you consider doing the other 7 panes if I buy you a beer ;-)
errrr, no.
I would spend ages doing the whole frame.....
:-)
Ah go-on, go-on, go-on!
You know you want to.
Robert,
It's not nearly as spectacular as the Orion one - I think some widefields work better than others.
This one would be helped by having a lot more data to bring out the darker areas better.
Mark
Thanks Mark and I agree but 5hrs is all the Ha it's going to get from me at home. I think the RGB treatment might help a lot in this case. Whether or not I get around to it is another thing.
It's also not the best target for a nearly full moon!
Robert
Yes, I think with these very widefields, the main subject has to be quite large with different brightness intensities, like Horsehead/M42, to look dynamic