M63 test image

I got a chance to try a borrowed ST-10XME camera on the C14 tonight and for the next few nights. I got lucky and the seeing was really good. I lost most of it to things related to getting the setup focused, but I did get in a single 15-minute image of M63, the Sunflower Galaxy, before the fog rolled in around midnight. I assume the high humidity was responsible for the excellent seeing.

This is a single 15-minute image, guided with the camera's internal guider. The image is binned 2x2; the guider was binned 3x3.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

Attached Image:

Another beautiful shot, Ron!
Great detail around the core of the galaxy... I can only imagine how beautiful this would be in color...


Thanks for sharing!


Ivan

Ron,

Very nice shot! and only 1-15min image thats fantastic. Did you use a focal reducer on the C14 for this shot?

Mark

hi,

An amazing shot for only 15 mins exposure. The combined effect of dark skies and the high QE of the ST10XME is telling.

A question I've wondered about ... if two identical imaging set ups are used one in mag 4 skies and one in mag 6 skies, how much longer does the one in mag 4 skies have to image to reach the same S/N ratio as the one in mag 6 skies ?

I think in the mag 6 skies a mag 4 star will appear 2.5 x 2.5 times brighter then a mag 4 star in the mag 4 skies. I would guess this is due to the background noise (light pollution ) in the mag 4 skies is 6.25 times higher. If the relation ship is linear it would imply you have to image 6 times longer. But I doubt there is any lineraity in the reall world.

clear skies,


Larry Citro

If this is just a test image, I am not sure if I want to see the serious stuff!!! :-)

Nice detail.

Maurice