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Posts Made By: Rob Mackie

September 26, 2006 01:06 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

PacMan in HA with AP 130

Posted By Rob Mackie
Here's an HA (13nm)Pacman (NGC 281)from last week. 120 min total (20 6-min subs)using SXV H9 and AP 130 F/4.5 guided with SBIG STV/Efinder. Image done from my light polluted back yard in SF Bay Area.
Rob Mackie

September 28, 2006 05:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Two Pacmen (NGC 281) in HA and HA-G-B

Posted By Rob Mackie
The HA (13nm) Pacman (NGC 281) consists of 120 min total (20 6-min subs) using SXV H9 and AP 130 F/4.5 guided with SBIG STV/Efinder. The color version used the HA image as the red channel and 48 minutes each (eight six min subs) G and B done with AP 130 @ F/6. Both images done from my light polluted back yard in SF Bay Area.

I was curious how this would come out. There’s no luminance channel but I suppose I could convert the HA image to luminance (?). Critical comments most welcome.

Rob Mackie

September 30, 2006 06:29 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Evolution of Pacman: 4 Versions

Posted By Rob Mackie
Here are 4 versions of Pacman (NGC 281) made with various combinations of HA, R, G, and B data. The latest versions at lower right uses HA for luminance, HA (for red), G, B. It looks a bit too salmon colored. I have no illusions about the quality of my work, but nevertheless this has been a useful exercise. I used an IDAS LPS filter while gathering RGB data, because all imaging done from my light polluted SF Bay Ara yard. I probably should have combined red with HA for the red channel rather than using HA alone. Suggestions most welcome.
Rob Mackie

October 22, 2006 09:41 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M27 w/AP 130 & SXV H9

Posted By Rob Mackie
This M27 was done last night with an AP 130 @ F/4.5, SXV H9 and SBIG STV for guiding. 2 hours of exposures (60 min luminance, 20 min each R, G, & B, 5 min subs). I also used an IDAS LPS filter as I was imaging from my light polluted SF Bay Area location. No flats, bias or dark frames. The displayed image is 150% actual size. FWHM accoring to Maxim was 1.7 - 1.8. Acquisition and stacking with MaximDL, Photoshop for post processing.

Rob Mackie

October 23, 2006 04:59 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Bubble Nebula Ha, HaR,G, B

Posted By Rob Mackie
Imaged with AP 130 @ F/4.5 with SXV H9 CCD. Guided with SBIG STV. Luminance consists of 156 minutes with Hydrogen Alpha 13nm filter (6 minute subs). Red channel is combination of five 6 minute HA exposures and three 10 minute red filter exposures. Green and blue channels each consists of six 10-minute images.

Total exposure time was 336 minutes. HA portion was done in Sept 2006, colors acquired October 2006.

Color exposures were filtered through an IDAS LPS filter to combat light pollution at my SF Bay Area imaging home.

Comments and criticism most welcome. I'm still trying to figure out CCD imaging and appreciate people telling me where I'm going wrong.

Rob Mackie


October 27, 2006 05:45 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Bubble Nebula Ha, HaR,G, B...REPROCESSED

Posted By Rob Mackie
Many of you provided helpful critiques of my original bubble. It had problems, but I wasn't sure where to start in fixing them.

I redid the processing, going much easier on the saturation, and eliminating a nasty gradient in the green channel. I was also much more careful in applying curves and levels. The photo shows the final result (top) and the earlier effort (bottom) posted a few days back.

Once again, please be free with your criticisms and suggestions, which I find most helpful.

Rob Mackie

Note: I Imaged with AP 130 @ F/4.5 with SXV H9 CCD. Guided with SBIG STV. Luminance consists of 156 minutes with Hydrogen Alpha 13nm filter (6 minute subs). Red channel is combination of five 6 minute HA exposures and three 10 minute red filter exposures. Green and blue channels each consists of six 10-minute images.

Total exposure time was 336 minutes. HA portion was done in Sept 2006, colors acquired October 2006.

Color exposures were filtered through an IDAS LPS filter to combat light pollution at my SF Bay Area imaging home.




November 12, 2006 09:29 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Horse Ascending Mountain in Storm

Posted By Rob Mackie
Image, done from my SF Bay Area back yard, consits of 24 5-min subs (2 hours total)done with a 13nm HA filter, SXV H9, and AP 130 @ F/4.5. Guiding via STV/Efinder, mount is Tak EM200. Stacking done in Maxim, post processing (levels, curves, noise reduction) in PS. Try to ignore the jpeg artifacts. The tiff version is too large to post here.

Rob Mackie

December 3, 2006 09:23 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC 2024 Flame Nebula in Orion

Posted By Rob Mackie
Image consists of 90 minutes through 13nm HA (18 5-min subs). Scope is AP 130 @F4.5, SXV H9 ccd and guiding via STV/Efinder. Seeing was poor. Best FWHM readings in Maxim were 3.6, with 4.0 more typical.

NGC 2024 is a neighbor of Horsehead. Fat bright star at top middle in Alnitak, easternmost star in Orion's belt. Small reflection nebula at upper left is IC 432, and IC 434, the nebula in background of Horsehead, is visible at upper right. Image is 75% of original.
Rob Mackie

December 5, 2006 07:22 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

IC 405 "Flaming Star" Nebula in Auriga

Posted By Rob Mackie
This image consists of eighteen 10-minute subs (3 hours total} through a 13nm hydrogen alpha filter. CCD was SXV H9 and scope an AP 130 @ F/4.5 guided by an STV/Efinder. Moon was about 70% illuminated and seeing fair, with FWHM in low 2's.

Rob Mackie

January 28, 2007 10:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M42 HaRGB

Posted By Rob Mackie
This M42 consists of a 100 minute luminance layer consisting of 20 5-minute 13nm HA subs. Color was added with 5 minutes red, 5 minutes green, and 7.5 minutes blue. All color subs were 30 second in duration. I attempted to bring out the nebulosity on periphery of the red interior of M42. I don't know if it's any good, but here it is. Comments welcome. Done with AP 130 @ F/4.5, SXV H9 CCD guided by an SBIG STV/efinder.

Rob Mackie

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