Part of the IC1396 complex in Cepheus

[RobertM]

This if the first of my images from Kelling.  Since I forgot the dodad to attach the guide camera to the C11 the whole weekend was spent using the C11 with Hyperstar and the NEQ6 mount unguided.  I'm quite happy with the results as all the images look like they have come out ok; there is a tinge of drift but it only required a small crop to deal with the edges.

Capture details:
Mount: NEQ6
Camera: SXVF-M25C
Filter: 2" IDAS LPS-P2
Optics: C11 Hyperstar @f/2
Subs: 79 x 120 seconds
Guiding: none
Image capture/Stacking: MaximDL
Image processing: Pixinsight



Link to full size: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/8002536073_25c481178f_o.jpg

TFL
Robert

[Jim]

Nice Robert. This unguided lark could catch on! I'm curious about pixinsight, is it easier to use than maxim or photoshop?

[Carole]

Amazing work for unguided Robert good job you had the hyperstar with you.
Lots of interesting detail and colour.

Bottom of image looks like another "running man".

Carole

[JohnP]

Wow - mega widefield - really great image - tons of nebulosity & great colours with that 'milky feel' - really like it - you have to be haps with that & I think your first in a while... John

[MarkS]

Robert,

That's a remarkable result for such a short total integration time.  It really demonstrates the power of that colour camera on the Hyperstar.  As predicted, it's a killer combination and it's really good to see how it performs in a dark location.  You must be really pleased with this - the image is so smooth.

I'm surprised how well the stars have come out given the lack of guiding.  Were there any bad frames you had to throw away?

You have also made a very sensible choice of filter given the relatively dark conditions - it reminds me that I really need to get myself a filter better suited to where I now live.  My CLS filter is much too severe.

Is that filter designed to work well at F/2?

Stunning image!

Mark

[Mac]

very nice.

Mac

[RobertM]

Thanks very much for the positive comments.

Jim, Pixinsight is to photoshop what photoshop is to paintbrush (well that's my opinion) but it is a bit of a steep learning curve.  I don't now use MaximDL for anything other than capture and calibration; all my images are processed in Pixinsight.  It's just so powerful that's I just wouldn't consider using anything else at the moment.

Mark, it may be only 79 x 120 but that is approx 160 minutes at f/2 which equates to over 10 hours at f/4.  The mount performed flawlessly and, at least in this image, there were no bad frames.  The filter is not designed to work well at f/2 but the filter is wide enough for that not to matter.


I've now tweeked the histogram slightly to bring the brightness up a tad - thoughts.



Full size: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8442/8003011689_280d2dbc3f_o.jpg

[The Thing]

The second version is stunning Robert - publication perhaps?

[Fay]

Really lovely Robert, the equipment & you all performed well!

[JohnP]

Even better Robert - tremendous - John.

[RobertM]

Thanks.  I have three other images to process from the weekend.  The next is causing me headaches with dark pixels not calibrating out and is giving me a real headache!

[MarkS]

If you've got 3 more images of the same quality as this one, then you've certainly had a brilliant weekend of imaging!

[RobertM]

I didn't say that but I do have about 4 usable hours of IC1848 that I can't get calibrated properly in MaximDL (cool pixel problem)

[MarkS]

IC1848? The Pussy Cat Nebula?

Now that will make a very interesting comparison with the BananaScope version.
Your 4 hours at F/2 would be equivalent to 8 hours at F/2.8 if the same camera were used.
But the Canon is a less sensitive and more noisy camera so I reckon your 4 hours should give a similar quality image to my 15 hours.

We need a set of independent adjudicators to give their verdict

I've just remembered that you were using a light pollution filter and I wasn't.  That should tip the balance, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see your image coming out better than mine.

Mark

[RobertM]

No matter what, your star colours will always give your images the edge

Might also be interesting to combine them into a mega-depth never again to be repeated image

Robert