M82 on Monday night

[The Thing]

Taken at Beckenham 2 March 2010.
Canon 350Da ISO800 Astonomik CLS-CCD filter LX90 8" UHTC at f10. Captured with DSLR Shutter, Canon Utility.
Guided by QHY5, SkyWatcher 80AT, PHD.
Total 50 mins stacked in DSS. Crop of centre of frame (this is ful size) Darks, No Flats, Offsets/Bias. Levels done in the GIMP. No sharpening.
There was a growing layer of thin cloud that has blurred the image, some of the first subs are sharper. Round stars at last!

[Carole]

Glad to see the QHY5 is working OK with nice round stars. 

Looks like a tricky one to capture. 
Isn't this M82?
I thought M81 was Bodes galaxy.

Carole

[Fay]

Glad you are getting on ok Duncan. We may get a couple of  good nights this week, hope it is not all spent messing around & we all get at least one image that we are pleased with.

[RobertM]

Looking good on the guiding Duncan.  I'm wondering whether focus isn't quite there and or collimation a little out, could just be those pesky clouds though...

Robert

[The Thing]

There is a better version coming from last night  managed over 3 hours of subs (51x240s). Didn't get the collimation done but the focusing is much better. I am wrestling with IRIS to process this time as it seems to do a much better job preserving colours than Deep Sky Stacker.

[The Thing]

Total Reprocess, new subs,darks, flats, offsets, the works. Still didn't do the collimation.
As below 50x4mins. Processed in Iris using the Stellar Registration function at the appropriate point.
Full size crop of the centre. I am very happy with this. It will only get better!


Full frame here http://ancientlight.amateur-astronomy.org//images/m82_better_yet_dynstretch.jpg.

[MarkS]

That re-process is a lovely image image, Duncan - I'm sure it's the best you've done.

Beautiful colours and well-focused stars.  You must be really proud!

The stellar registration option in IRIS is exactly what I use - it's well worth of pain of learning.

Well done again.

Mark

[Tony G]

Well done Duncan, on the re-processed image, a lot sharper, and detailed than the first.

Tony G

[Carole]

Wow Duncan,

As Mark said, your best image yet, with lovely round stars.  Just shows what a difference 3 hours is compared to 50 mins with darks and flats etc.


Carole

[RobertM]

That's very nice Duncan I think it's one of your best yet.  The reprocess and extra exposure have made a huge difference.

[The Thing]

Thanks everyone, I think I might have another go at these subs and maybe get a more out of them. It's all a big learning curve but I think I am nearing the top of the slippery slope!

[Fay]

What a great improvement, Duncan....leaps & bounds!