M33 Triangulum Galaxy - 23/11/2014

[Johnnyaardvark]

Finally got out this month when the seeing was a bit better. (Had a go at a couple of targets a week or so back but failed to get much worthy of showing   )

 

Not perfectly happy with this as there is some reddening around the bottom and a little at the top (even after cropping) I have made some attempt with some PS trickery to mostly remove it but didn't want to over blacken everything else so there may be a little [subtle] artistic licence here. Anyhow, quite pleased in the end and a new target for me visually and photographically. It appeared much bigger in the frame than I expected.    )

 

ED80 on an HEQ5 Pro with an un modified Nikon D5000.

640ISO 2min subs x55
20 Darks and 20 Flats
Best 85% of 55 frames stacked in DSS
48 subs - 1hr 36minutes total

 

Comments, feedback and what to do about the red noise (apart from shoot the @~*&*^ street lamp!    )

 

Steve

 

M33 Triangulum Galaxy by sja88, on Flickr

Edited November 24, 2014 by Johnnyaardvark

[philjay]

That's nice Steve, nice colour. It is a big target is M33 and one of my faves, I never really mastered it with a DSLR, always too many gradients but you've done a nice job. I like to use the Atik on it mainly because Im lazy and it doesn't need so much processing time.

 

The only suggestion for the streetlight halo is to either extend your dew shield or put a screen up to shade your scope. I have to do that when the lighthouse family next door have every light on in the house but no curtains closed. I made a special lift up extension to the obs wall that shuts the light out nicely.

Edited November 24, 2014 by philjay

[Johnnyaardvark]

Thanks Phil,

 

Did set up a bag on a step ladder last time I  was out but didn't last night. I will struggle though as I'm attacked from several sides. Used the house to shield from the main problem one.

 

Thinking about flocking the dew shield on the ED80. Don't want to do it completely. I am assuming this is from streetlamps and not amp glow too.

[red dwalf]

nice Steve,

i`m trying to image m33 myself at the moment, i`ve got 3 hours of luminance, 2 hours of red and 2 hours of green, looking at the weather forecast it might be another week until i can get the blue channel.

oh the joys

[Johnnyaardvark]

Hi Rob,

 

Saw a last night on the chatbox that you were imaging this so was expecting a glut of M33 images here tonight . Guess we'll be waiting a bit longer for yours but sounds like it should be pretty cool with all that data... and from your Atik as well. Do you hope to do any H-alpha?

 

Would love to have a go with filters but 1st need a camera sensitive to that range and looking at prices it's pretty shocking... esp for the 2" versions.

 

Next for me to sort is probably a finder guider and focal reducer.

[+Graham]

Hi Steve

Nice shot.

To loose the red you could try using Photoshop's selective colour tool.

its in the image adjustment tab.

Select 'RED' and then use the sliders to change it to black.

[philjay]

Dont worry Steve thats not amp glow, the light is your culprit. Flocking your dew shield will help. Roll some flocking up and make an extended dew shield, say twice as long as your main one, then slide it over, that will keep stray light from getting on the objective

[Stephen]

 That's a very nice image Steve nice detail

 

  Stephen

[Johnnyaardvark]

Thanks Phil, Graham and Stephen,

 

I'll give that a go sometime Phil but keeping my current piece of flocking material intact for the 200P so will either have to wait till I get some more or see if a smaller piece comes my way at some point 

 

Well Graham, Had a  go at reducing the red a little and upped the saturation a little too... arguable still quite a rough edit/or modification to the last as it was done in the day time so was difficult to see how much the reds were changing. Is this at all better? I also tried to reduce noise with a little gaussian blur and then a sharpen. I am not sure if this has improved things but thought i'd give it a try. Decided to submit this as my POTM entry but hey the competition is tough!

 

M33Triangulum Galaxy by sja88, on Flickr

 

Steve