The Crab Nebula. 414×8 sec @ 3500 Gain, RT IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6, SharpCap 2.9.
The Crab with an 85mm objective. Scopes of this size are not normally known to produce good images of M1, the Crab. But, I tried anyway since I am still learning the ropes with the IMX224.
Taken from the middle of a metro area in a Bortle Red zone. 8 sec seems to give good results with the LP levels at this location. More exposure just gets more LP and very little more, if any, faint target material.
Above is the gussied-up and gaudy version. Below is the not-so-gaudy version with less saturation and curves boost.
The Crab Nebula. 414×8 sec @ 3500 Gain, RT IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6, SharpCap 2.9.
I also left more green behind, since the Crab has some green parts. It shows that better but also shows more of the LP that I had to cut through to get the shot.
M103 Open Cluster. 10×15 sec, 30×8 sec, 540×2 sec @ 2000 Gain. RT Sony IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6.M15 Globular Cluster. 9×8 sec, 47×2 sec @ 2000 Gain. RT Sony IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6.NGC 891 Edge-On Galaxy. 152×4 sec @ 2000 Gain. RT Sony IMX224, TV-85 at F/5.6.Gamma Cass Ghost Nebula. 50×8 sec @ 2000 Gain. RT Sony IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6.The Little Dumb Bell Nebula. 100×8 sec @ 2000 Gain. RT Sony IMX 224, TV-85 at F/5.6.
Here is a roundup of objects I was able to see during my most recent Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) observing session. These were taken in a Bortle Red zone and under a nearly full moon on Dec 1, 2017.
Yep, the Supermoon lives again. 50 frames stacked per panel and two panels for this shot (top and bottom.)
The moon still appears full and tonight (Sunday, Dec 3, 2017) is supposed to be the night when it is actually at its largest and closest to Earth at perigee.
It looked bigger to me the night before, but I guess that was because the weather was better. 🙂 To find out, I made an animated GIF that compares the 4 days worth of images:
Animated GIF of the Moon for 4 days starting with Nov 30 and ending on Dec 3, 2017.
It does look like the 4th moon is bigger than the others! So, it was worth it to re-setup the scope and get the shot. Lucky for me the sky cleared long enough to do it. Later that evening, the clouds arrived in force and it hasn’t been clear since.
The Supermoon of Dec 2, 2017. Two panel mosaic taken with a TV-85 at F/5.6 and a Rising Tech Sony IMX224 eyepiece cam. Best 100 frames for each panel out of 200 in each AVI file.
The full “Supermoon” of Dec, 2017 taken on the night of the 2nd at about 11:30 PM local time (Dec 3, 2017, 05:30 UT.) Not too bad seeing and just a few high clouds that I had to wait out.
I have another version from data earlier in the evening. At about 7:30 PM CST, the moon was high enough to shoot. I shot 2 AVI’s with 200 frames each and processed those in IRIS:
The Supermoon of Dec 2, 2017, 7:30pm CST. Two panel mosaic taken with a TV-85 at F/5.6 and a Rising Tech Sony IMX224 eyepiece cam. Best 100 frames for each panel out of 200 in each AVI file.
M42 taken with an Rising Tech Sony IMX 224 camera and 100×4 second and 200×8 second sub-images. TV-85 at F/5.6, Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD, PHD Guiding2 and Sharpcap 2.9.The data from above with an additional 400 frames added in Sharpcap, making it a 700-subs image. Kinda reminds me of my old planetary imaging days. lol
Who knew just a few years ago that I would be shooting 8 second sub-images and building up images that rival my best efforts with a DSLR camera and 180 second sub-images. Now, all I have to do is save up for one of these new breed of Sony CMOS cameras with lots more mega-pixels that can match the resolutions I get with my Canon cameras. They are not too costly anymore and the results speak for themselves.
Blended rendition of the 700 subs image using the central region of the 300 frame image and some of its color.
BTW, this was shot with the bright moon nearby. I got him, too, though! 🙂
Images of Comets, Nebulae, Galaxies and Star Clusters
