Deep Sky Section

This is the most challenging area of astrophotography.

M13 - the Great Globular in Hercules - 11 May 09
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 10x300s, darks, flats, biases applied
Guided using PHD guiding v1.9, 70mm refractor
Processed in MaximDL and Photoshop (click pic for full image)

M71 - loose globular cluster in Sagitta - 24 August 2008
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 10x4min, darks, flats applied
Guided using PHD guiding v1.9, 70mm refractor
Processed in MaximDL and Photoshop (click for full image)

M82 - Cigar Galaxy - second of Bode's "nebulae" - 15 May 08
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 9x5min, darks, flats applied
Guided using PHD guiding, 70mm refractor
Processed in MaximDL and Photoshop

M13 - the Great Globular in Hercules - 08 May 08
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 8x40s, 10x50s, 3x60s - no darks or flats
Processed in Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M81 - First of Bode's "nebulae" - 24 Feb 08
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 10x5min, 10x8min, 5x10min, darks, no flat! (really need to start taking those!)
Processed in Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop, Noiseware

M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 10x80s, 5x5m, 4x480s
Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker, gradient removed in PixInsight LE,
Noiseware, final touches in Photoshop

The Double Cluster
NGC 869(left) and NGC 884
10" Newtonian
Canon 400D 10x10s, 10x20s, darks no flats
Shot under full moon
Processed in Deep Sky Stacker, dark applied.

(click image to show in new window at full resolution)

M102 - Lenticular galaxy in Draco - 21 May 07
Orion Optics SPX250 SAC8-II CCD, 42/99 x 22s exposures
Autoguided with Vixen 70mm f/12, Toucam 840k SC1, PHD
Processed in Registax, Photoshop

NGC4565 - spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices - 22 May 07
Orion Optics SPX250, SAC8-II CCD, 28/48 x 32s exposures.
Autoguided with Vixen 70mm f/12, Toucam 840k SC1, PHD
Stupid me forgot to take a flat field, hence bright band at bottom
Processed in Registax, Photoshop and Noiseware community edition

M3 - globular cluster in Canes Venatici
Orion Optics SPX250 SAC8-II, 68/100x12s, autoguided with Vixen 70mm f/12, Toucam 840k SC1, PHD
Processed in Registax and Photoshop

M57 Ring Nebula
LXD55 SN8, SAC 8-II, 5x 2 seconds each of LRGB processed in Stellar Magic & Photoshop
31 May 2004

M2 globular cluster
LXD55 SN8, SAC 8-II, LRGB
02 Oct 2004