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Posts Made By: Charles Hakes

June 19, 2008 05:40 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M8 Ha

Posted By Charles Hakes
Of 1.5 hours of taking data a few nights ago, including LRGB, the first 24 minutes of Ha are all that were worthwhile. So... I will try to get some color one of these days. Processing was just an unsharp sharpen and "logarithmatize" of the histogram in AstroArt.

Does this one count as low hanging fruit? There are SOOO many things out there to take pictures of...

Charlie


July 18, 2008 02:46 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NASA APOD - Dietmar Hager

Posted By Charles Hakes
Congratulations. Good job on yesterday's picture.

Charlie


July 26, 2008 02:20 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M57 flat test

Posted By Charles Hakes
First, let me apologize to anyone who has been trying to observe in the Four Corners region. I am the one who got the new equipment and brought the clouds. (The new wedge for the 16 inch is installed.) In the mean time, with moon, vacations, rain, etc., I wasn't able to image anything for over a month! Probably the only clear time available for the last couple of weeks. There was a moon up when I took these, so that likely affected the result.

I was only able to do a "polaris" alignment this time, but was close enough to get going. My first goal with the new wedge was to see if no field de-rotator had any help with getting flatter backgrounds. And my quick answer appears to be yes. This is LRGB at 22:11:11:9 minutes (had to toss a strange mix of frames), spread over ~2.5 hours. The only processing was an "unsharp" on L and "logarithmasizing" as much as the slider would let me.

I hadn't intended to do any more with this, but since I think this is enough better than my earlier shots that I may have to re-visit and maybe add some Ha to get the halo.

Comments and suggestions always welcome. Thanks for looking.

Charlie



July 30, 2008 02:13 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M57 - round 2

Posted By Charles Hakes
Just added more data as the mount is being fiddled with. Now up to 60:23:23:22min and still no Ha. Maybe one more night if it stays clear? I plan to take some different (better?) flats and try re-processing one of these days when I get the time. Or maybe I should just post all the fits, since most of you are better at processing than I am...

Thanks for looking.

Charlie


July 31, 2008 03:37 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M27

Posted By Charles Hakes
This is round one on the processing from a couple of nights ago. Too bad I missed taking more pictures last night, as it was very clear and those nights have been rare recently. This one is hard for me to tell when the colors get oversaturated. I will try to play with it some more next week after a few days on the Colorado Trail. Suggestions welcome. Thanks for looking.

LRGB-35:18:18:18

Charlie


August 16, 2008 01:13 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Rescue M63

Posted By Charles Hakes
This is really a group project that didn't get finished. From earlier this summer, the data was taken by Garrett, and partially processed by Laurie (my daughter). I combined it this morning to see what was there. After power returned to the observatory.

We had a lightning strike that knocked out power to the Old Fort Lewis water pump for just over a week. Unfortunately that is where we tap power. sad So these frames had been hidden, while we couldn't get power. Apparently the equipment on the power line that got hit was so old, they had to scavenge something off an old pole in Silverton. (!?)

And the new wedge still needs aligning. And this is the local monsoon season, so the weather has been flakey for over a month. Not too productive!

But! Finally got power back yesterday and did a left-right drift alignment at zenith. (Then took some un-useable M13 while playing around.) Looks clear tonight, so will aim low to try a DEC drift align. Might try to get back to M13, since that should show through the moon.

Maybe something new this weekend.

Charlie



August 23, 2008 01:34 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

More Power - M13

Posted By Charles Hakes
Power is back on at the observatory. grin Happened to coincide with a trip out of town though, so missed a couple of good nights.

Last night spent a little time tweaking the wedge, and then took some M13 and M92 data. Lots of processing yet to play with (re-learn?) This is an RGB-only version to start with. (9:10:9 min)

Charlie

August 23, 2008 06:44 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M92

Posted By Charles Hakes
This is the first time I have imaged M92. it really should be a more popular target, but I have heard that before too.

This is an LRGB processing (13:13:13:11x1min subs) with a "DDP" on the L channel in Astroart. Way different than what I did with M13. I think I like this one better, but some of the stars look overprocessed (which is what I usually don't like about DDP). Should I try this on M13? Not too hard at this point.

And what target(s) should I aim at in the next few evenings if it is clear? More globs? More data on 13 and 92? Maybe see if M101 fits? (Another one not done at FLC.)

Thanks for looking.

Charlie

August 27, 2008 12:23 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Work in Progress

Posted By Charles Hakes
About half the time fiddling with wedge and scope adjustments, half the time with subs that didn't work and the third half (66 minutes here) that worked. And now clouds in the way. (of course during new moon!)

Saw this cluster on the charts near M13 when I imaged that the other night and thought I would try it. Centered around NGC 6050. I need to at least double exposure and try some color. This processing is only a stretch with no sharpening yet.

Charlie


September 5, 2008 11:43 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC6050 and friends - round 2

Posted By Charles Hakes
Three minute subs LRGB total 165:36:33:36 over four nights. (Including the one night the dog really tried to show that skunk who was boss - and then had to ride in the same vehicle with me for 18 minutes back home!)

I would like to take longer subs, but there is a periodic error quirk that I need to track down one of these weeks. It may be a tooth on the belt? This way I don't have to throw out as many.

I usually try not to change the color too much after initial calculations, but I may go back and tweak this one. Any thoughts?

Thanks for looking.

Charlie


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