Evolution of my Astro Imaging

 I would say I have been electronic imaging since 2005 with my first Canon camera that was
purchased in 

2005 Canon 300d a 6.3mp. 

2007 updated to a Canon 40d.

2014 Starlight Express Sxvm25

2019 Zwo ASO 294Mc Pro

2021 ZWO ASI1600mm

M81 & M82

I have set the scope up and all is working well, One piece however was sent incorrectly, a critical piece to the optical train, Sky-Watcher manufacture a dedicated field flattener for the ED100. Unfortunately the one sent was for the Equinox 100 refractor. 

5 Hours total integration time in 3 minute sub frames calibrated and integrated in Deep SkyStacker. A very smooth result showing incredible detail in Ha from the cigar starburst galaxy. Estimated to be 100 times more luminous than our own Milky Way. 

It's incredible amount of star birth is though to have started with interaction with M81 in the distant past. 

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Who remembers the type1a supernova observed in 2014. I was lucky enough to capture it. I believe also it was the closest type 1a recorder in the last 40 years.

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A duo of galaxies & a supernova

Still shining bright supernova 2014j looks amazing.

Weather forecast for the next week or so pretty shocking again. I would love to capture it 1 more time as it fades into the background. I am very happy with the depth of detail captured.

M82 Nova Wide field.

For 2 nights in a row we have been treated to clear skies. I have treated my camera again to the amazing supernova in the nearby galaxy of M82. I wanted a wide field shot of the area. Here is the result of 2 hours of exposure in 10 minute sub frames.

 

I am very happy with the dust lanes in M81. Dark dust visible circling the galaxy core.

 

Unfortunatly astronomy for the next week will take a back seat. I am working a set of nights from Monday bad timing with the moon out of the way.

 

 

5 hours processed M81,M82

I am getting to grips with the Starlight Express camera from using the DSLR. This is the first time I have captured 5 hours worth of data. Registered in Maxim DL and processed in Images plus. (Pixinsight trial ended the other day). I know I will revit the processing workflow for this one but here it is at present.

Pixinsight Processing.

I don't mind admitting that Pixinsight is a difficult programme to get to grips with. I am currently running the 45 day trial. I am struggling with the preprocessing script. I have taken a series of 5 minute subs on M81,M82 over several nights. I made a small error and did not plate solve correctly and the 2nd night was not framed quite the same. As it happens that was the least of my worries. The first attempt was jus light frames only. Darks, Flats & Bias frames captured on night two. These images are from just those light frames processed by Andrew Luck at our Great Ellingham observatory. Andrew's skill in using Pixinsight is obvious to see, with the stunning wide field vistas he is producing. Please take a look at what his QHY9 is capturing at  http://blog.andrewluck.me.uk./ .
I had preprocessed with Image Calibration and Image Intergration to obtain a 3 hour exposure. I was amazed at how tight the stars were even when cropping. The new Ioptron IEQ 45 mount is astounding in it's guiding capabilities. I have a pic of a lovely even graph. (but I cannot find it)

Right so here we have a cropped image of the pair. There was a serious hot pixel problem which pixinsight gave a good attempt to remove despite no dark frame intergration. Andrew has followed a standard workflow to enhance the master frame. The real skill is knowing how much stretch, Tweaking, adjustment to make before thee next tool is used. I have tried with the same master. Not quite the same result. I also post on my facebook page and the Breckland AS page too https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/groups/176906152365752/ like and join the page to follow all my frinds images.

The processing of the M82 Galaxy was a real treat to watch as it emerged from the hidden data.

I hope you agree a fantastic piece of processing to

get such detail from the core. Testament to the
SXVm25c too. I would like to test the Canon 40d on the same subject to do a comparison in the depth of detail captured. Please ignore the hot pixels. I am still struggling to remove them despite now having the darks. I mentioned earlier that I was trying to get to grips with the preprocessing script. It / I have an issue with my flat fields. It will not accept there is a signal there and refuses to combine them to a master. I have now managed to create a flat manually. Next issue I have come across occurs with the light frames in the preprocessing script it debayers ok and now cannot locate any stars in the frame. I have tested the whole process using Maxim and everything combines with no issues.
 I would consider myself a patient / tolerenat person god know I need to be in my line of work. But I am just so frustrated with it. I feel at the moment somewhat demoralised by the lack of consistent workflow guides and explanations given on various web pages. I seem to get problems in every step or script I try. Very pleased again with the detail in and around the core. Don't get me wrong it is an amazing piece of software. I am sure there are many who are in the same boat as me. I would like to hear from anyone who is? By now I was desperate to combine those new light frames giving me a total of 5 hours of light. I ran the whole set through Maxim and the flats really make a difference from the vignetting I could see on the 3 hour master. I have yet to play with it using the pixinsight processes but I will not be defeated and will post an update. Watch this space..........I have never using the old set up been capable of 5 hours worth of usable data. Even the smallest of stars are perfect. Sorry for banging on about it but this has really impressed me and I think given me a platform to produce some future stunning images. So in conclusion I am down, but certainly not out, the Jury is out and a verdict no yet reached. How many days of the trial left ?????

 

 

Old favourites

The new set up is better than I would have hoped. Shame the skies have not been so cooperative. However last friday was beautifully clear. I wanted to capture and old favourite a target I was familiar with to put the scope & camera to the test. Guiding was absolutely flawless, sub pixel guiding for ever 3 hours. Captured in 5 minute subs these are the hugely cropped images of M81 & M82 processed in pixinsight by fellow blogger Andrew. It was amazing to see the workflow used by Andrew to pull out the detail in the pair of galaxies. I have also darkened the sky background.

I have a small issue with hot pixels which will be addressed, but I just wanted to get some photons on that CCD. I also have a William Optics 50 mm finder scope which other astrophotographers have used their guider. I think I will have a go and use the GT81 with the 40D Canon. I hope you liking the first results.

M81 & M82 Again

I never get bored of these beautiful galaxies nestling themselves about 12 million light years away M81's (ngc 3031 Bodes Galaxy) A near perfect arm structure circles all the way to it's core. I can also see a 3 dimensional structure like water going down the plug hole to be swallowed up by a raging black hole of about 70 million solar masses. However only one super nova found in recent years found in 1993.

M82 (cigar galaxy ngc3034) also positions itself at the same distance. Recently well about 200 million years ago the pair were interacting resulting in a large amount of gas being funneled into its core. Also known as the starburst galaxy as it produces stars at a rate 10 times faster that our own Milky Way.

The 3rd member of the group the much smaller and fainter NGC 3077 @ mag 10.6 has a very fine wispy structure this is a result of again tidal interaction between its parents many millions of years ago.

I can also confirm a few more faint fuzzies as you can see from my labelled picture.
down to an amazing mag 15.6 Unheard of from an amateur just 10 years ago.

M81 & M82 2 Hours

Hi again all,
Had a great night of clear skies again last night so from midnight I captured another 1 hours worth of photons. Again we have 60 x 1 minute exposures unguided and a master produced. I then combined both masters and done a little cropping due to camera alignment. Had to remove as we had our daughters 8th birthday party to capture. I am preety amazed at the result stars image is a little smoother and stars rounder too?

M81 & m82

Hi Everyone,
Had some good news on the work side of life. I will moving my shift pattern onto days by July. Finally I will become an astronomer again. Have a new nickname from the family too bless em I am now known as Astro Geek. On a week of rest this week cant get my sleep pattern right either probably due to an enormous wisdom tooth excavating through the side of my face. Good news is its coming out Monday morning after a 12 hour shift.

Enough of my woes. Here's the good stuff.

Went outside last night and the weather man said it was going to be clear so I believed him and rolled back the roof of the observatory and let the scopes equalize

I had a re balance and alignment done a month or so ago. I done a couple of test shots to focus etc. I set Images plus to 60 x 1 minute unguided exposures.

I lost a couple of shots over the course so here is a 58 minute taken in JPEG no flats no bias or darks as I had to bin them all due to the new field flattener.

My aim is to go out tonight and do another hours worth and see what that looks like when co added. So here is the first hours worth. Beware this could fall flat on its face and all I end up with is this image.

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M81 & M82

I took this image at approx 1.20 am Tues 20th May 2008 with a near full moon in the sky.

This is a small stack of 8 x 30 second exposures combined and processed using Images Plus 2.0

Taken through William Optics 90mm Megrez refractor and Canon EOS300d