Night Sky Gems

Here are my latest imaging efforts...
M1: The Crab Nebula (Revisited), NGC 7331(Revisited), NGC 2372 and NGC 2392

Image Details:
M1
14x480s=1.86hrs.
NGC 7331
15x340s=1.4hrs
NGC 2372
4x480s=32min.
NGC 2392
1x480s, 1x240s, 4x30s=14min.

Equipment Details:
10” Reflector
Atlas EQ-6
DSIc
900NC
EQMOD
PHD
PSE 2.0*PixInsight*Registax4

Conditions:
Clear*Mid 30’s*Calm Winds*Fair Seeing and Transparency

NGC 6946: The Fireworks Galaxy

Here is my latest imaging effort. NGC 6946 (The Fireworks Galaxy). This face on galaxy approximately 10 million light-years away, boarders between constellations Cepheus and Cygnus.

Conditions: High thin clouds and fair seeing

Image Details:
11x240s
10” Reflector
Atlas EQ-G
DSIc
Autoguided (Web cam)
PSE 2.0*PixInsight*Registax4

M1 & M82

Here are my latest imaging attempts. M1 (The Crab Nebula) and M82 (Cigar Galaxy) The conditions last night were not favorable for imaging, but I was testing some PEC software that I was unable to get to work…

Details:

M1
23x120s=43min. Guided Post processed in PSE 2.0 & PixInsight LE

M82
4x30s=2min. Un-guided Post processed in PSE 2.0 & PixInsight LE

NGC 7635 & M27

Here are my latest imaging targets NGC 7635 (The Bubble Nebula) and M27 (The Dumbbell) The Bubble consist of a total 35x120s Subs and the Dumbbell is 15x120s Subs. Both images were taken under clear skies and fair seeing.

NGC 7331

Here is my latest imaging target. NGC 7331 (Deer Lick Group) I’m not very happy with my results though… I captured 15x120sec. Subs and thought with 30min of exposures would reveal more detail. I suppose the bright moon had some to do with it.

Autoguiding Finally!

Here are a couple of my first Autoguided images. M57 taken a few nights ago was mostly an attempt to figure out the PHD software. The image is 10x60sec. subs. and star trails were caused by the lack of good balancing and I eventually had to add another 7lb. counterweight. M74 was captured last night and it consist of 4x120sec subs. I did a better job at balancing and polar alignment this time. I captured second image of M74 but it consisted of 30x120sec. subs and for some reason the image did not turn out, it looked like I adjusted the brightness down to about 3%..?? Hopefully on my next session I’ll be able to take longer subs and get more data.

Faint Fuzzies

Here are a few unguided images of Galaxy M74, NGC 772 and NGC 891. All were 20x30 sec. Subs. Post processed with PSE 2.0 and NEAT