2 Nebulas from last night with all my new kit working (Mosiac added work in progress)

[Skywatcher]

Well tonight was the big test, it was the first time that all (well nearly all not that new camera I got) the recent tweaks I had made to my Deep Sky Imaging setup had come together

My 350d with the filter removed
My Guiding setup
A new bit of guiding software

and critically the Macbook pro - my Acer had poor usb power as it turns out ( not something that would matter for a mouse but for sub pixel guiding of optical equipment its quite important

First Target in Cygnus the Swan was the Pelican nebula

These are summer objects and low down in the sky but I was just desparate to take pics of some nebulas again

Hope you can tell why it is called the Pelican

(these look better if you click the enlarge bar then expand the image)

2 hours worth of 7 minute exposures at iso 800 all stacked and then calibrated, tweaked in photoshop


I need to spend some time fiddling with it to make myself happy but it will do for now .

And an hour of the same length Subs on the North American Nebula

I especially love the 'Mexico' region.


Last year I really really struggled to get these images by lightening the image to the point of whiteout, now with the new setup I was 'darkening down!'

Definitely getting there

[ukwdwnut]

wow fantasmic photos chris

[mumof2]

oh wow, they are absolutely incredible. The boys and I have just been sitting here looking at them saying "wow" "that's amazing" "they're brilliant" and other such phrases! They'd make awesome posters Chris

[Skywatcher]

You are very kind, I suspect Keiths reaction if he ever reads this will however be mainly 'phew'

[Deb]

Wow. That's all x

[mumof2]

i'm particularly drawn to the 2nd picture. i can't stop lookin at it! can i ask you whether you'd mind if i save it to my pictures Chris?

[Keith]

You are very kind, I suspect Keiths reaction if he ever reads this will however be mainly 'phew'

An element of phew but more just WOW! You see these images in books and think they've been taken from multi million pound observatories with huge scopes. Somehow when a friend takes them from his garden it all feels a lot more real.

[ukwdwnut]

what do they actually look like b4 you have tweaked them chris or do you shoot in raw, not in the raw but raw mode

[lozzy]

WOOOOOOO .you have just blown me and kids away. My younest turned round and said you can'e get pic's like that.

[Tink]

I can actually see the pelican! Herself will be as amazed and awed (she's a particular fan of pelicans. ).

I have this image of you in the garden in the dark of the night, staring up at the sky, and peering through scopes...it's comforting and awe inspiring all at the same time.

Please don't ever stop sharing the universe with us.