April 27, 2009

Cygnus + Milky Way Widefield

Below is a widefield image taken with my QHY8 + Gerd Neumann + 28mm Nikon DSLR lens (using a CLS LP filter), piggy backed on the back of the usual imaging setup.

The best thing about this image is that its a SINGLE 10 minute sub, hence why its a bit noisy, and why there is no larger image to view… it was a target of opportunity against a rapidly lightening dawn sky. Cant wait to get some more time on this target later in the year, and also with the IDAS filter instead… and maybe use an Ha filter for added detail

Posted by under Astro | Comments Off on Cygnus + Milky Way Widefield

April 16, 2009

Nikon DSLR lens widefields

Taken with my QHY8 and the Nikon adapter.

I have a new lens, a Nikkor 28mm, with a lovely flat field. Some images from 1st April, 300s subs, cant remember how many of each (will have to go hunt them down). I think the CLS filter used is too harsh, so I will have to find the funds for another IDAS filter, as well as taking much longer subs.

Click on image for the larger version… M51 and M101 are both visible in the large version 🙂

And if you squint, you can kind of see the merest hint of milky way… click on image for larger version

Posted by under Astro | Comments Off on Nikon DSLR lens widefields

April 2, 2009

A crisp and clean Leo Triplet (reprocessed)

Well, what another great night… seeing was great, transparency kind of “magic murk” again. With the hour change, I was out, set up and polar aligned well before astro dark started. I discovered that I can now laterally balance the MakNewt on the ADM side by side plate if I have my QHY8 + Nikon lens bundle on top of the ED80 on the other side of the plate… result! (Might post some wide field images from that later)

Anyway, here is my attempt at the Leo Trio. Never imaged this before, so am very happy with the way this has come out. I may have to reprocess it over the next day or two, as I havent had any sleep at all, and we all know what that can do to your post-processing 🙂

Note: This is now the reprocessed version.

OTA: Skywatcher 190 MakNewt
Guiding: ED80 + SX Lodestar + PHD
Imaging: M25C + MaximDL, 21×600s, IDAS (100 bias, 100 flats)
Stacked: DeepSkyStacker
Post Process: PSCS2

(Click on the image for the larger version).

Posted by under Astro | Comments Off on A crisp and clean Leo Triplet (reprocessed)