M51 from Sunday morning

[Whitters]

Hi Folks,
OK so set up at 4pm on Saturday afternoon, expecting t get some decent images even with a 70% moon. It all started when I plugged in the RA cable to the Dec motor and vice versa, and wondered why the heck my scope was not tracking. Doh!
Then loads of problems getting the balance set up right for the scope, then it got cold and other strange things started to happen.
So at around 3am I finally managed a shot of M51 through an Astronomic Ha filter. Darks, bias and flat saw the sun come up on Sunday morning, all for 110 minutes of image!

Exposure 110minutes (10 ten minute subs)
Starlight X-Press MX916 camera
WO 110 f6.5 scope
Processing levels and curves + selective sharpening and background smoothing

[Ian]

ooh, is that ngc5169 in the top right hand corner?

[Whitters]

Nope, close NGC5169 is just out of the frame. It's IC4263, with IC4278 just visible under the bridge.


Comments from the NGC-IC Project:
Galaxy IC4263
Type: SBcd
Magnitude: 15.2
Major axis: 1.90 arcminutes
Minor axis: 0.4
Alternative designations:
UGC 8470        MCG 8-25-7      ZWG 246.4

Comments from the NGC-IC Project:
Galaxy IC4278
Type: I
Magnitude: 16.0
Major axis: 0.50 arcminutes
Minor axis: 0.3

[Ian]

yup, you're right. Dim little galaxy isn't it

Not bad for a night's work that mate 

[Whitters]

Cheers mate.

[Mike]

Nice one Paul !

[MarkS]

Nice one Paul.  Sounds like you're a bit out of practice though!

[Whitters]

Yep, haven't done much CCD imaging for quite a while. I stripped down, cleaned and re-lubed the Losmandy mount which made a huge difference to the tracking, but balance is a critical factor now, so having to get to grips with that. But it is nice to be able to take 10 min subs rather than 2-5 minute and still have round stars rather than the elipses I had been getting.

[Fay]

Paul, so nice to hear from you, and what a lovely image, must be one of your best. You earned it, staying up so late & getting past all your problems!

[JohnP]

Paul,

Nice round stars for 10min subs & background looks very black/ smooth but galaxy itself looks very noisy esp considering it was 110mins in 10min subs - any ideas why... is it processing or just sky conditions - probably moon & mist...?

Good to see you out again though - it's been a while - hopefully it'll all work at DSC...

Cheers, John

[Whitters]

Thanks John,
I was shooting through the 13nm Ha filter this will have significantly cut down the signal, also the moon will have caused some loss of contrast. I could have done with another hour or two of images.

[Mike]

Paul can you post up an raw image please?

[Whitters]

Sure will do when I get home

[Whitters]

Mike,
You can get it from http://www.axqo90.dsl.pipex.com/Temp/M51_Ha-Raw.tif