M27 25 July 2009

[MarkS]

Here is this year's attempt at M27.

Modified Canon 350D on Celestron C11 with CLS filter.
24 x 5min exposures.

I'm not yet entirely happy with the processing so this is still a work in progress.

Mark

Bigger version here: http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10046/m27_250709.jpg

[Daniel]

Wonderfull Image Mark, you've brought out the outer halo beautifully, and love the star colours you've maintained, Guiding looks perfect too, excellent job!

Daniel
:O)

[JohnP]

Mark what can I say except I think you are getting too 'picky' in your old age. Looks great to me.... John

[MarkS]

I use M27 as the test of my progress - here is a short history for those interested:

1) August 2007 - First Image
Celestron 130 SLT, unmodified Canon EOS 300D, 30 sec unguided subs
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/dumbbell110807.jpg

2) Ocober 2007 - Change of Telescope
Celestron C11, unmodified Canon EOS 300D, 30 sec unguided subs
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/dumbbell191007.jpg

3) June 2008 Guided Image - Unmodified webcam on 300mm lens
Celestron C11, unmodified Canon EOS 300D, 300 sec guided subs
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/m27_080608.jpg

4) June 2008 Modified DSLR
Celestron C11, Modified Canon EOS 300D, 300 sec guided subs
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_shelleys/Astronomy/m27_220608.jpg

5) July 2009  Change of Camera plus Better Guiding
Celestron C11, Modified Canon EOS 350D, 300 sec guided subs modified webcam at 600mm
http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10046/m27_250709.jpg

[RobertM]

Looks like a great result to me Mark, excellent work.

[MarkS]

After hours of tinkering I've ended up with something almost identical to the original 

But here it is at full scale (a crop of the full frame with effective focal length of 1800mm).  I applied some mild deconvolution to sharpen up the stars a bit.

[Daniel]

Lovely image even at full resolution, Amazed your able to get such round stars even at F10, Are you using AIP4Win for the deconvolution?

Daniel
:O)

[Fay]

Mark, I don't think you could get any better than that........looks perfect to me!!

[MarkS]

Amazed your able to get such round stars even at F10, Are you using AIP4Win for the deconvolution?

Daniel,

It's not F10 - I'm using the F6.3 reducer this brings the focal length down from 2800mm to 1800mm.
I've never used AIP4Win - for deconvolution I use a piece of software I wrote myself.

Mark

[RobertM]

After hours of tinkering I've ended up with something almost identical to the original

It still looks good so does that mean you got it right the first time 

[Mike]

Very nice Mark but you forgot to mention WHEN you did it.

[MarkS]

Very nice Mark but you forgot to mention WHEN you did it.

I put the date in the subject line just to confuse you 

[Ian]

Very nice Mark but you forgot to mention WHEN you did it.

I put the date in the subject line just to confuse you 

And next week's challenge. Putting your trousers on with the zip at the front...