The Crescent Nebula Area. Mosaic of 117x60sec ISO 6400, 9×720″ ISO400, 11×480″ ISO800 (5.21 hrs.) Data acquired on Oct 17, 2014, Nov 2, 2013, Nov 6 & 7, 2010 and Oct 1, 2007.
The Crescent Nebula Area, Version 2. Mosaic of 117x60sec ISO 6400, 9×720″ ISO400, 11×480″ ISO800 (5.21 hrs.) Data acquired on Oct 17, 2014, Nov 2, 2013, Nov 6 & 7, 2010 and Oct 1, 2007.
A mosaic of the Crescent Nebula area. Exposures from 4 different years were used. The base image was acquired on Nov 2, 2013 and was 40x60sec ISO 6400. I imaged it again on October 17, 2014 with 77 images and added that into the mix. Two nights of imaging in Nov 2010 of 9×720″ ISO400, 11×480″ ISO800 sub-images were also added in (for a total of 5.21 hours integration time.) Finally, data from an image of just the Crescent Nebula itself, taken with my SN-8 telescope was used and it was made with 57×180″ ISO 1600 sub-images taken on Oct 1, 2007.
I used RegiStar to manipulate the data. The beauty of software like RegiStar is that it can combine data taken years apart. In this case, over 7 years. I was able to take the nebulosity caught with a high ISO stack of sub-images, but with a noisy background and combine it with stacks of subs taken at lower ISO values which had a much smoother background. The stacked mosaic-like result let me bring out more of the dim nebulosity that pervades the Crescent Nebula area and keep the noise at bay, somewhat. A little more detail in the Crescent itself was enhanced with data from my larger, 8″ scope.
I present a regular version and an enhanced, lighter version that was generated from the data in the first image with Starizona’s Levelizer plug-in for PS.
This image of the Pleiades was a combination of data from October 2013 and October of 2011. I sized it to be used as a screen background for my current monitor.
The Crescent Nebula. 40×60 sec @ ISO 6400, TV-85 at F/5.6, IDAS-LPS, Modified Canon T3.
I was looking at some unprocessed data recently (Oct 5, 2014) and found this set of 40 sub-images taken at ISO 6400. It was a batch of 60 second subs, so only 40 minutes worth of integration. It came out surprisingly well for just 40 minutes. I’ll have to try some more with that setting and see if I can get some dimmer nebulae.
NGC 2345 – The Jellyfish Nebula. 12×120 sec @ ISO 3200, TV-85 at F/5.6, IDAS-LPS, modified Canon T3.
This was just me playing around with something while waiting for Comet ISON to rise high enough to begin imaging. It is only 24 minutes of integration and it really needs ten times that much. Another project for another day, I guess. Or, I’ll just keep plugging away at it before shooting the comets and I might get enough data to make this project worth my time.
M38 Region. 17×180 @ ISO 1600 & 40×30 sec @ ISO 6400.
This is a busy area in the Auriga constellation. M38 is an open cluster at the top of the frame. Beneath that is NGC 1907, another open cluster. To the right side is a faint nebula listed as LBN794 in Cartes du Ciel. At the bottom of the frame another patch of nebula known as IC 417/LBN804.
Edit: I managed to add 40×30 sec @ ISO 6400 sub-images to this and the above image has been updated. Below is the original details and image:
The N.A. Nebula and Pelican Nebula. 58×120 sec @ ISO 3200, TV-85 at F/5.6, IDAS-LPS, modfied Canon T3.
Here is the October 2013 version of this photogenic area of the sky. I used a high ISO and lots of sub-images. Noise was low, which was good. Color was more difficult to deal with than a lower ISO stack normally is.
The Veil Nebula Complex. 26×180 sec @ ISO 1600, TV-85 at F/5.6, IDAS-LPS, modified Canon T3.
This was taken with my TV 85 and a modified Canon T3. It is only 26×180 sec sub-images @ ISO 1600. I was just testing the scope, mount and computer to make sure it all still worked, since the last time I used it was last April.
I shot some sub-images with my modified Canon T3 of the Running Man the other night and added that to the Orion Nebula test image I took recently and made a composite mosaic image of the two. I also shot some short subs (9) of the Orion Nebula core and made a HDR image from them and then composited that in to replace the burnt out core that I had previously.
So, the breakdown is 36×180 sec @ ISO 3200 for the bottom half, 30×180 sec @ ISO 400 for the Running Man and 9 sub-images from 5 to 30 seconds @ ISO 1600 merged into a HDR image in IRIS and then divided into 3 layers of various opacity settings and masking to blend in for the core area.
The ISO 3200 images had 2 LP filters – a Deep Sky filter and an IDAS-LPS. The ISO 400 images and the core images were only shot with an IDAS-LPS. A GSO 8″ F/4 Newtonian with a GSO 2″ Coma Corrector was the imaging scope.
This is a supernova remnant in Cygnus. I took this with a GSO 8″ Newtonian that I was testing. I used ISO 3200 Speed on a Canon T3 DSLR camera that has been modified for astrophotography.
Images of Comets, Nebulae, Galaxies and Star Clusters
