Antares Region probably a 6 year project WIP

[Carole]

Been trying to get this attractive and colourful region since 2014.  It is very low and only appears in Late April, May and Early June.  Taking into account you also have to factor in the weather, a dark site, Moon phases and a low southern sky line, its a real challenge.

Was planning to image it with my sky tracker and DSLR lens when we go to Spain on 12th, so I did a trial run at Cairds.  However the data that came out of the DSLR was VERY poor quality, so much so that I have been fiddling around with the various stacks and could not use any of the images taken with the lens only.  So the 2nd night I used my smallest scope and imaged with the DSLR though the scope.  It was still very poor quality, but I have managed to salvage enough to use for a bit of colour to add to the Luminance I did back in May 2014 at High Halden with my Atik383.

I reckon it's going to be another few years before I manage to get the whole area and that's if I am lucky.

This image is definitely a work in progress and there are some less desirable areas of the image. 
The colour despite being done with the flattener is showing elongated stars to the lower left, and there are dark areas at the top, one of which is the start of the dark Nebula and the other is not, and yet it appears in both the luminance and DSLR images.   As I don't own the Atik383 any more it's going to be a real labour of love to get the remaining luminance.  Luminance is overlaid across the middle diagonally from bottom left to top right (ish).  The DSLR data was blurred to eradicate some of the noise.  When I get some more data hopefully May 2018 I will overlap the area where the elongated stars are. 



Here is a web image showing the whole area with my image overlaid to show how much more I need to do bearing in mind the current luminance I have doesn't yet cover the entire coloured image either.

[ApophisAstros]

WOW,
Roger

[Carole]

For your information, this is the Luminance I gathered at High Halden back in May 2014

[MarkS]

It is so difficult to get decent data round here for a project like that.  It's too low and always in the murky bit except for those exceptional murk-free nights.  Spain should be ideal if you are away from the light pollution.  Good luck!

Mark

[Carole]

Yes I know it's a challenge Mark, but I am a determined so and so.  Unfortunately my attempts at camera lens imaging once again were dreadful, focus was fine, but the data was just awful.  I guess altitude might have something to do with it, so I am going to try to take the Skytracker and DSLR with me to Spain if I can fit it all in, and give it another go, but don't hold my breath.

I shall be in a yellow zone on a dark sky map, and apparently our non astro friends say the sky is good where they are.  So it's not somewhere too dark, but not heavy LP by the sound of it.  I am not sure if I will get a view of polaris though as will be imaging on their terrace, and it's not on the roof.  So not sure how accurately I will be able to get the PA.  Only other option is being out on my own in the dark for a couple of hours, which I don't fancy. 

Carole