284×30 sec or 142 minutes from a Bortle 7-8 metro zone, an L-eNhance filter, a QHY183c at -20C cooling and a TV-85 at F/5.6.
“Thor’s Helmet,” aka NGC 2359. First time I ever shot this with any camera. For years I’ve passed this guy up for bigger or better objects nearby, but not on this night. It was a main goal for this night’s imaging session. It did not get high enough to image until 2:00 am here and I took a nap as soon as I started it going. Luckily, I got enough data before sunrise to make a half-decent final image
UPDATE Nov 13, 2020:
More time added with 30×120 sec sub-images at Gain 20, offset 200 to the above. Total time 3 hrs, 22 min.
Thor’s Helmet – 30×120 sec and 284×30 sec from a Bortle 7-8 metro zone, an L-eNhance filter, a QHY183c at -20C cooling and a TV-85 at F/5.6.
B33 and Flame Nebula – 262×30 sec sub-images LiveStacked in Sharpcap 3.2. Gain 37 (1-54 scale,) Offset 200, QHY183c at -20C, Optolong L-eNhance filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.
I was killing time while waiting for Thor’s Helmet to get into position, so I shot the Horsehead and Flame Nebula region. I used Fitsworks to crop out the dithering artifacts and set a black point and do the initial color balance. Photoshop and some hue and saturation adjustments to finish it off. Then, one pass with color blotch action and one horizontal banding removal action later and this is how it came out. A few other tweaks were done, too. Not too bad for the minimal effort and a full moon night.
Bubble Nebula. 190 x 30 sec, QHY183c at -15C, Gain 37, Offset 200, L-eNhance filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6, SharpCap 3.2 LiveStacking with dark subtraction and dithering. Metro area and a full moon out.
Hunter’s Moon, Oct 31, 2020. Rising in the east at sunset.Halloween Night Oct 31, 2020 – Full Moon. The best 31 frames out of 155 stacked in AutoStakkert. No sharpening to this image, just contrast and color.
Eastern Veil on Oct 11, 2020. 240×15 sec, QHY183c at -15C, Gain 37, Offset 200, L-eNhance filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6, SharpCap 3.2 LiveStacking with dark subtraction and dithering.
Images of Comets, Nebulae, Galaxies and Star Clusters
