NGC 6559

[MarkS]

A challenging target this -taken on Wednesday night 8 June - it reached only 15 degrees above the southerly horizon.  I also forgot to remove the CLS filter I had used the previous evening so I have lost a lot of that lovely blue nebulosity (do a Google image search to find some decent images and realise what I mean).  And it's not framed very well - mainly because the nebulosity was so faint I couldn't see it in a single sub whilst framing!

Only 18 frames were usable - the rest had too much background light.  
So this is 18 x 5min at ISO 800 with the modified Canon 350D on the Tak Epsilon 180ED.



Uncropped version is here:  http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2011/ngc6559_08062011.jpg

This object is right next to the Lagoon Nebula (M8) part of which is visible at the top of the uncropped image.

Mark

[JohnP]

You did well to get that even lower than Carole's m20 from BlackLands... Looks very promising - are you going to add to it - like you say loads of lovely blue stuff & something that is not imaged often.

Nice one - John

[MarkS]

Yes I definitely think it's worthwhile trying again - next time without the CLS filter!  But it'll need some clear nights in the last week of June because there's too much moon now.

In my opinion, those areas of sky with a mixture of red H-alpha nebulosity and blue reflection nebulae are ideally suited to the Canon/Bananascope combo.

Mark

[Carole]

Cor.......what a field of view.
Stunning image. 

Carole

[MarkS]

A very interesting comparison is the image I took from Beachy Head this time last year:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2010/trifid12062010.jpg
This was 12x5min with the same setup and the same CLS filter [Edit - I've just realised I didn't use the CLS filter for that image].  The bottom part of that image overlaps the top part of last night's one.

NGC6559 has a lot more contrast - mainly because the background brightness of the Beachy Head image was 4x greater! [Edit - mainly because I didn't use a CLS filter]

So it shows is probably a good idea to use the CLS filter on such horizon-hugging targets.

Mark

[Carole]

Did you have to take any shorter subs for the core of M8, it looks quite bright?

Carole

[MarkS]

No, back at the time, I didn't realise I'd burnt out the core of M8 until I got back home.

[RobertM]

That's a great result for such a tricky target and virtually no noise (amazing).  I certainly agree with you about those regions of sky more suited to your combo.

Keep em coming !

[mickw]

Very nice, loads of detail Mark, but I personally  prefer the uncropped version, sort puts it all into context.

[Fay]

yes uncropped version I like better

[MarkS]

The cropped version was just a taster to entice you to look at the full one!

[mickw]