Instead of just admiring everyone else's artwork, I feel like I should at least post something, even if it isn't up to some of the great shots I see here. Here is my latest version on M57, shot during an almost full moon. I was really just testing diferent guide times on the PHDGuiding software, but took a bunch of 1 minute exposures of M57 along the way. I will have to verify, but ~12min L, and ~6 or 8min RGB through a 16" LX200. I definitely threw out a few frames along the way and just adjusted the color so it looked about right. There was much more depthl I could see in the raw frames, but there was an irritating gradient I suspect from the mostly full moon behind me that didn't subtract out with the flat frame. I just made things darker until the sky looked mostly black. I could see at least a half dozen galaxies in the background, so I think I might go back and get some more data that is hopefully flatter. Overall, I am getting happier with the guiding now, and would always appreciate any comments and/or processing hints.
Thanks,
Charlie
Thanks,
Charlie
Attached Image:
Fort Lewis Observatory: (37.238, -108.052) ~2360m (7744 ft.) elevation.
Darkness - typically 6.5+
Scope - Meade 16" LX200; f6.3 focal reducer
Focus - JMI Smart focus
Camera - SBIG ST-10XE; (~.5"/pixel)
Guiding - AO-8 and/or Meade 5"/DSI/PHD
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory
