M13 HDR (again), originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.Despite being bright and easy to find in a telescope, this object is hard to image. There is a huge brightness range from the faint outer stars and the very bright core.
This was HDR combined in PixInsight from 100 exposures each at 5 seconds, 10 seconds and 30 seconds, then processed in PixInsight and PS.
Atik 320e camera. CPC800 Hyperstar (f2) telescope.
Lagoon Nebula, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
M8 in Sagittarius. My first, quick image of this object, which is low in the sky from here.
This is a star forming region in the direction of the centre of our galaxy.
20 x 30sec exposures. Atik 320e camera on CPC 800 Hyperstar telescope. Process in Maxim, PixInsight and PS.
Hercules Cluster, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
M13 again. This is a stack of 135 frames (from 10s to 30s in length) and much gentler processing in Maxim DL and PS.
I am pleased with this – there is much to criticise, but much to enjoy too. Stars are consistently visible down to mag 16.9 – very close to the theoretical predictions for my scope and camera. This is equivalent to a 17 inch (430mm) telescope used visually (though it would also have more resolving power too)
M3-lots of subs, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
I have been experimenting with processing images I have already taken, combining large numbers taken on different nights. It is hard to get the processing just right, especially with sky backgrounds that are orange or mucky brown from light pollution, but the results are encouraging. This image clearly shows 17th magnitude stars and gives some sense of the scale and extent of the globular cluster.
Via Flickr:
The globular cluster M3 – approximately 100 subs from several nights – most subs 20 ro 30 seconds long. Processed in Maxim and PS.
Atik 320e camera and CPC800 Hyperstar Telescope
Great Hercules Cluster with spikes, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
Although it is a nice, bright object, M13 is quite difficult to image. There are lots of small faint stars next to much brighter ones. As well as my usual processing with Maxim and Photoshop, I used the Starspikes Pro 2.0 plugin.
I do not like how Flickr has reprocessed this image, but it is convenient for publishing.
M3 short exposures, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
M3 – a magnificent globular cluster. This time, I took a different approach. Lots of short exposures.
This was 40 x 5 second exposures. Atik 320e camera on a CPC 800 telescope with Hyperstar (f2). Taken from a light polluted suburban garden. Processed with Maxim DL5 and Photoshop.
IC361, originally uploaded by ThinkingCamera.
IC361 – a cluster in Camelopardalis.
I like this cluster with its swarsm of 15-18th magnitude stars. Their relative dimness and reddish/yellowish colour is due to clouds of dust between us and them.
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