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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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I finally got myself a single mostly-clear night (my first since I joined the CN forums) and was able to get out and do some imaging! 
I was very lucky to have only the day before been loaned a friend's Canon 300mm f/4 L-series lens. WOW is this thing ever an improvement over the cheap 70-300 I had been using!  My friend may never get his 300L back!
Anyway... on to the image! This is only my second-ever attempt at the Orion Nebula - the first, 8 months ago, was my very first successful astrophotography attempt (first attempt to actually result in an image) so it is a fitting thing to return to for my entry here.
This image was shot with the Canon 300L lens @f/4 attached to a unmodified 350D on my new CG5-ASGT, unguided. I shot 50 images each at 60-seconds, 30-seconds, and 10-seconds, captured & stacked in Nebulosity. For of the three stacks I followed these steps:
- per-file align using translate & rotate
- stacking using standard-deviation 1.25
- did an "Adjust Colour Background (Offset)
- did "Digital Development (DDP) - bumping up the B-Power until the background was not too bright
- bumped up the saturation a bit
After that I loaded up all three into separate layers in GIMP and played with the alpha-mask on the 30 and 60-second stacks to replace the core of the 60-second stack. I did no other editing at all in GIMP.
I am really happy with the results I have gotten, especially given the relatively poor conditions (bad seeing, moon, patchy haze/clouds), but I would love to see - and learn from - what you can do with the data!  I have uploaded the stack results - before any adjustments here for you to download (61M). I will upload all source frames too if anyone wants them, but at 1.2gigs I decided to wait until someone asked for 'em 
The full resolution jpg version of the image can be found here.
- Sean
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Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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jmX
super member
Reged: 04/23/09
Posts: 166
Loc: Orange County, CA
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Nice pic. After looking at your 60 second data, it seems like the light pollution kept you from getting the wispy bits of the nebula. Have you considered a CLS filter?
Here's what I could pull out of your 60 second stack (didnt look at or blend in the other exposures, as I just wanted to see what you had)
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Jon
C6N + CG5
Skywatcher Equinox 80 + CGEM
http://jmx.ls1howto.com
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Nils_Lars
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 3439
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
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Looks pretty good , welcome to CN.
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Erik
Orion Atlas Self Hypertuned (EQMOD)
Orion ED 80
Williams Optics VII reducer
Celestron 8" SCT
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D Hap Griffin Mod w/Baader filter
Astronomik clip-in LP filter and 12nm Ha
Stilleto CVF and Bahtinov mask
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31986095@N05/
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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Erik - thanks!
Jon - you certain did manage to pull more detail out of the faint areas then I did. Would you mind telling me what you did?
Quote:
Have you considered a CLS filter?
I am considering an imaging scope, guidecamera, guidescope, any needed correctors/flatteners, a better DSLR, and yes, filters such as the CLS I am fairly budget constrained so I could not get a whole setup at once - thus the new CG-5 mount but the borrowed lens! I do have some light pollution issues, mostly in the south-east sky due to the city of Vancouver in that direction, but thankfully I am in a fairly dark area (on an island that is 90% without landline power!) so except for southern targets it has not hurt me *too* much. The moon had also JUST set when I started the series so that did not help the excess light problem.
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Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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Nils_Lars
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 3439
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
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Well if your in that dark of a location I would say spend the money on other things since you may not even need a LP filter.
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Erik
Orion Atlas Self Hypertuned (EQMOD)
Orion ED 80
Williams Optics VII reducer
Celestron 8" SCT
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D Hap Griffin Mod w/Baader filter
Astronomik clip-in LP filter and 12nm Ha
Stilleto CVF and Bahtinov mask
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31986095@N05/
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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It is not THAT dark alas, the light pollution map shows this location as a yellow zone. Much better then being in suburbia in any case! Because there are no sources of light near me what I actually end up with is an odd gradient, from what is probably orange level light pollution directly at the horizon in the direction of the city to green level as I look to the north sky.
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Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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jmX
super member
Reged: 04/23/09
Posts: 166
Loc: Orange County, CA
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From what I saw in the data, it certainly seemed like there was a decent amount of light pollution, but maybe it's something else causing that...maybe the averaged out noise floor was higher than I'm used to.
Yellow/orange is definitely territory for a CLS filter, I use it all the time even when I drive out to a green site.
Anyway, for a tight budget I can't say its the best thing to buy, but its probably up there on the list. You could use that 4.5" newt for guiding, and I'm betting the 350D is just fine (certainly dont need to mod the camera for good shots).
Was orion high in the sky when you took the shot? I waited until around 3am to shoot it here. I'm not really sure how high it gets from your latitude. Maybe that is what is holding you back?
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Jon
C6N + CG5
Skywatcher Equinox 80 + CGEM
http://jmx.ls1howto.com
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denjo
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 506
Loc: Creve Coeur, IL
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Hope you don't mind Sean but I ran your great shot through a couple of programs to see what I could do. Been so board with the weather and no imaging for months it was fun just to do some processing. I've probably over processed it to most people taste but you have a very nice photo. Congrats on a great photo.
The full resolution jpg version
Image Plus - Streached, Darkened background, Reduced star size,copied made mask, duplicated orginal and reduced background more on it, stacked orginal,copy & mask, sharpened 7x7, smoothed 5x5
Photo shop Elements - Up Shape Sharpened
Noiseware - Minumal Noise Reduction
Picture It - Cropped and sized
Edited by denjo (10/29/09 08:37 PM)
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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Quote:
From what I saw in the data, it certainly seemed like there was a decent amount of light pollution, but maybe it's something else causing that...maybe the averaged out noise floor was higher than I'm used to.
You are probably right it is simply light pollution. I may have it better then those in suburbia or downtown, but I am still rather close to the city. In any case I figure I would wait on the CLS till I have figured out enough of my setup to know what form that filter should take (2", 1.25", clipin, etc).
Quote:
Anyway, for a tight budget I can't say its the best thing to buy, but its probably up there on the list. You could use that 4.5" newt for guiding
I actually just got myself an inexpensive 1.25" focuser and am going to experiment with the old Tasco newt, both imaging through it and guiding using it (it had a 0.965" focuser originally). I do not expect great results from its spherical mirrors, but I figure it is good practice if nothing else. Looks like I will need to at the very least modify the focuser to be able to reach focus with the camera at prime-focus, I would imaging something like the SSAG will have similar problems reaching focus.
Quote:
and I'm betting the 350D is just fine (certainly dont need to mod the camera for good shots).
I agree - but in fact the 350D is a somewhat permanent loan from the same friend who loaned me the 300mm L lens. Nice friend to have 'eh? I do have a 300D on hand, but it is not compatible with apps like Nebulosity unfortunately. So even though there is no pressure/deadline to return the 350D (wish I could say the same about the 300L lens!) I would like to be getting a DIGIC II or higher body of my own - mods are for future consideration entirely.
Quote:
Was orion high in the sky when you took the shot? I waited until around 3am to shoot it here. I'm not really sure how high it gets from your latitude
Not high enough really - I started imaging that at about 2am or so, finished near 3:30am. It was too tempting a target to not attempt though, and I knew I would not get another chance for a while due to weather.
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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denjo - No, I do not mind in the least! I am still learning here so quite glad to see what others can do. You really pulled out more detail in the faint areas! Thanks for sharing.
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
|
jmX
super member
Reged: 04/23/09
Posts: 166
Loc: Orange County, CA
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Quote:
I do have a 300D on hand, but it is not compatible with apps like Nebulosity unfortunately.
For whatever its worth, I don't use a PC to take my images. I just got a little canon timer thing that plugs into the body and automates the photos. The timer cost about $60 for the rebel series.
But yeah, I do think a camera upgrade is probably a good idea. The noise, banding, and sensitivity has gone up a lot since the 300D.
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Jon
C6N + CG5
Skywatcher Equinox 80 + CGEM
http://jmx.ls1howto.com
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jmasin
sage
Reged: 12/22/08
Posts: 489
Loc: Murphy, TX (DFW)
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Great shot! What I like about it most is the sharpness - looks like focus and tracking were very good!
Oh, and scuba in BC eh? And here I think it is too cold to dive in the winter here in Texas! LOL
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Cheers,
Jon
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Orion Atlas 8" (203mm f/4.9 on Atlas EQ-G)
Tasco 60mm (~35 years old and still kicking!)
Nikon D300, 80, 70 & many lenses
http://www.pbase.com/jmasin/astro
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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Quote:
For whatever its worth, I don't use a PC to take my images. I just got a little canon timer thing that plugs into the body and automates the photos.
I took all my early images using the bulky version of the same thing (laptop + DSL Shutter application), so I know it can be done. That being said, I am a computer guy, the extra complexity of a laptop and various cables worry me not at all! I would not give up the focus, framing, and capture tools Nebulosity provides easily!
That being said I may see if I can find one of those if I ever head off on a dark sky seeking roadtrip.
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Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
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jmasin - Thanks! I managed to get a good polar align that night, and the 300L lens really provides a nice sharp focus once you find the sweet spot.
As for scuba in winter in BC... but of course - the water the clearest of any time of the year in the winter! Once you get below 40ft or so it is the same temp all year anyway. I do admit that drysuits are a bit more common here then they might be in texas though.... To veer even further off topic, there is some very nice diving right here off my dock, and soon an old canadian navy destroyer is being sunk right here in the sound as well! I do not get out diving as often as I like, but it is rather convenient to live where I do when I DO get the chance!
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Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
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