M20 Lagoon Nebula and M8 Triffid Nebula. 2020-07-09 Southern France

[The Thing]

My first image with an Optolong L-enhance dual band filter. I'm really pleased with the result. 135x60s subs on an unguided StarAdventurer mount. Gain 120, Offset 4, Temp -5c. Very accurately polar aligned with Sharpcap using a guidecam with 22mm lens. Homebrew electronic focuser. I might be 9 degrees south of you lot but it's still a low target and there is fierce light pollution to the south along the motorway  and coast so this filter got a workout. And the Moon was rising all the while. I had cooling on, the ambient was about 25c.

Telescope aperture and focal ratio:   Sharpstar 61EDPH with flattener fl275mm f4.5 on StarAdventurer
Camera and filters used:   ZWO ASI294MC Pro, Optolong L-Enhance dual band filter
Processing applied:   ASTAP, PixInsight, Irfanview


Click for picture, I can't get to the small pic img url on my phone browser, I'll add it later.
Click for full size image. P.S. It's cropped 100pixels.

[Carole]

That has a makings of a very good image Duncan, The filters have worked well. 

I do find the colours a bit overcooked (yes I know I am a fine one to talk), it looks worse when you zoom in.  But otherwise excellent. 

I'd love to do M8, but I have missed it for another year as I have no low southern horizon from home and doubt we will get to Cairds next week as the forecast is not good.  I got M20 a few years ago from Cairds so I know it's possible. 

Carole

[NoelC]

Great work Duncan
A lovely expanse of sky.

Noel

[RobertM]

Good work Duncan.  It shows what can be done with the shortie refractor and the 294.

Might be worth looking at the camera spacing to get really tight stars in the corners if that isn't correct already.

Robert

[The Thing]

Thanks guys. Very pleased with the filter. I just processed it an RGB bayered image, the colours are as set by ASTAP, I think they are OK since its not true narrowband or RGB.

Robert, I ordered a filter drawer just before we went south and had to pick it from a UPS depot down there. It seems to measure exactly the same as the T extension it replaced, but then I fiddled with the order of bits connecting the camera to the flattener so it may be a tad out now. The processing could be a lot better, i was doing it in between packing the car to come home as I only got the StarAdventurer tracking properly the last night, the OTA and camera were right on its limit.