More nebulosity and dust than I can ever get from Edinburgh. It was also chosen as the BAA’s Deep Sky Picture of the Month
| Object ID | M45 Pleiades |
| Details | 19/20 November 2023 |
| Telescope | Sharpstar 94 mm f/4.4 Triplet Apo JTW Trident P75 mount |
| Camera | ToupTek Colour IMX571 |
| Filters | Optolong L |
| Exposure(s) | 509 x 60s exposures |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Processed in Siril and PS |
Using the ASE’s new facility at Trevinca Skies in Spain that I set up.
| Object ID | M31 Andromeda Galaxy |
| Details | 2023-07-30 |
| Telescope | Sharpstar 94EDPH f4.4 JTW Trident P75 mount |
| Camera | ToupTek 2600 colour |
| Filters | L |
| Exposure(s) | ~80 x 120s subs |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Final in Photoshop |
Annual pilgrimage to M42. This time a 4-pane mosaic and an R-photometric filter.
| Object ID | M42 Orion Nebula |
| Details | 2022-12-19/20 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460Ex @-10°C |
| Filters | Baader R photometric |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s each pane |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Was setup for an exoplanet transit but cloud got in the way, so took 4 frames M42 with the R-Cousins filter and CCD camera again. Not bad!
| Object ID | M42 |
| Details | 2022-01-05 20:51 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | ATIK 460EX mono Baader Rc filter |
| Exposure(s) | 5x180s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Only a small window available to take this. Narrowband brings out the emission regions and clusters well I think.
| Object ID | M33 Triangulum Galaxy |
| Details | 2021-10-09 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian Tri-band filter |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 14x300s darks, flats, dark-flats |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Test to see if imaging M31 in tri-band is worth it. Yes! Detail in there that I haven’t seen in other images I’ve taken. Planning a 6 pane mosaic of the galaxy.
| Object ID | M31 Andromeda Galaxy |
| Details | 2021-09-07 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian Tri-band filter |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 10x300s darks, flats, dark-flats |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Didn’t expect to get too much out of this because of the high wispy cloud and only got 9 subs, but not too bad.
| Object ID | M51 Canes Venatici |
| Details | Mag. 8.4 Size 11.2′ x 6.9′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 29x180s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Free trial of Telescope Live using one-click imaging (basically piggybacking onto other observations). It’s really not the same as doing it yourself, with your own equipment, from you own garden, with all the challenges. But when the weather is dire – it’s fun! Advanced, full control of the telescopes costs A LOT more. though!
| Object ID | M42 Orion Nebula |
| Details | 2021-02-08 |
| Telescope | Planewave CDK24 https://help.telescope.live/hc/en-us/articles/360002557197-CHI-1-60cm-F6-5-Reflector Aperture: 610 mm (24 inches) Focal Length: 3962 mm F-ratio: 6.5 Mount: Mathis MI-1000/1250 |
| Camera | Model: FLI PL 9000 Pixel Size: 12 μm Pixel Array: 3056 x 3056 Pixel Resolution: 0.62 arcsec/pixel Cooling: -25 degrees |
| Exposure(s) | 6x30s Ha Calibrated |
| Capture | TelescopeLive |
| Processing | SiriL, Photoshop, Topaz Denoise AI |
Strong moonlight
| Object ID | M52 and NGC 7635 Cassiopeia |
| Details | 2021-01-23 Mag. 6.9, 10.0 Size 13′, 15’x8′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C Tri-band |
| Exposure(s) | 20x300s 2/20 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
I’ve been imaging M42 for a long time and this is my set of images from 2010 to 2020.
Telescopes used were:
Cameras were:
Filters include:
Just caught it by the way…
| Object ID | M50, NGC 2323 Monoceros |
| Details | Mag. 5.9 Size 16′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x90s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
The annual M42 this year is a mosaic with the Running Man. APP dealt with the gradients really well after messing with the Normalisation and Integration parameters.
| Object ID | M42, NGC 1977 |
| Details | 2020-12-19 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4. Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168c @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s each pane, 2/10 Darks, flats, dark-flats |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Reminder:
Mosaics in APP – defaults unless otherwise stated
1. Load – all as normal – you don’t need to use separate sessions for each frame if you did it all at the same time
2. Calibrate as normal
3. Analyse stars – I needed to increase from 500 or it wouldn’t work – went 1400 – might have been the subject but I suspect it helps to stitch the mosaic together
4. Register – Registration mode – mosaic, use dynamic distortion model, uncheck same camera and optics (will be suggested if you don’t)
Scale stop = 1 (for a 10% mosaic overlap)
5. Normalize – Mode – advanced – neutralize background
LNC degree – 2nd degree, iterations 3
6. Integrate – Enable MBB – 10% because I did 10% overlap in the mosaic
INTEGRATE – and if you’re lucky it all works
Second test with longer exposures but same gain/offset. Nice to have a larger field of view again.
| Object ID | M31 Andromeda Galaxy |
| Details | 2020-08-31 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C 10/50 gain/offset IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 23x90s darks, bias, flats |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | APP, PS |
This year in narrowband. Two attempts at colour mapping.
Need to get rid of the MPCC with this telescope as the image is better without. Too much star trailing with.
| Object ID | M42 Orion Nebula |
| Details | 2019-01-22 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-20C Baader Ha, OIII, SII filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x120s 2×2 each Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop OHS, SHO colour mapping |
Poor night of transparency and seeing so just got this in the passing. Lots of sky fog that got processed out.
| Object ID | M44 / Praesepe / Beehive cluster, Cancer |
| Details | 2019-01-07 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX Baader RGB filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s each RGB 2×2 Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Shows Trapezium stars really well with just Red channel.
Submitted to HOYS-CAPS project.
| Object ID | M42 Orion Nebula |
| Details | 2018-12-09 22:16 – 22:42 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS P2 Baader Red filter |
| Camera | ATIK 460EX @-20C |
| Exposure(s) | 15x90s darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
First test of the old 10 inch Newtonian I picked up. Focuser and dovetail were a mess, but with some work it could be good. Optically pretty sound though.
| Object ID | M31 Andromeda galaxy Mag. 3.44, Size 3.1 x 1 degrees Andromeda |
| Details | 2018-10-11 22:26 – 23:49 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guided |
| Camera | Atik 460EX, Baader LRGB filters |
| Exposure(s) | L 16x120s 1×1, RGB 10x60s 2×2 each darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity 4, Photoshop |
Messier 40, also known as Winnecke 4. Basically it’s a double star, and an optical double at that!
It was discovered by Messier while he was looking for a nebula reported in the area by Johannes Hevelius. He couldn’t find it so he catalogued this double star instead. Most have been a slow night or something…
And why did I bother imaging it? Well it was in the only patch of clear sky there was and I only had a few minutes before it clouded over. Still, it’s another Messier object to add to my list 🙂
| Object ID | M40 / Winnecke 4 Double star, Ursa Major Mag. 8.4, Size 0.8′ |
| Details | 2018-09-14 through gaps in cloud |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 5x20s darks, flats |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity 4, Photoshop |
Nice wide open cluster with a deep Milky Way background too.
| Object ID | M39 (NGC 7092) Open cluster Cygnus Mag. 4.6, Size 32′ |
| Details | 2018-09-08 Not very transparent. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guiding c80ED, ASI 290MC |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s, darks and flats |
| Capture | APT, PHD |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Red channel has poor focus.
| Object ID | M42,43 and Sh2-279 |
| Details | Nebulae, Orion Mag. 4 Size 65’x60′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x60s 1×1, RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT, finder guiding with PHD2 |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
A new combination tonight.
| Object ID | M45, Pleiades |
| Details | Open Cluster, Taurus Mag. 1.6, Size 110′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x60s 1×1, RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop |
