Andromeda core

Socked in by clouds led me to processing some data from early october 2007. Here's just under 40 minutes of exposure thru the Meade SN10. IDAS LP filter. Combination of 60 and 90 second subs unguided on an AP1200. Atik 16HR. Captured and averaged in AstroArt 4.0. No calibration frames. Processed in Nebulosity.

Mag 4.5 skies. I am next to a six lane sodium vapor superslab. After 5 years of visual work with a big dob under dark skies, I am forever amazed with CCD. A quick study with Megastar/Realsky indicates that a mag 18.6 globular is easily captured. Although I miss the glow of the milky way and the pinprick star fields that only visual observing provides, CCD work is much better suited to the busy life with my 5 and 6 year old children.

Enjoy,

David

Attached Image:

Resized to 70% of original

Attached Image:

David,

Great image! I like the dust lanes close to the core's center. I see a ton of potential in your image. If you have some software capable of the DDP (Digital Development) routine (such as MaximDL), or one that does Curves (like Photoshot), you should be able to soften the transition of the core from the very bright center outwards.

Eric