Filters: IDAS NB1
Frames: 120x120"
Integration: 4.0 hours
I feel like this is my best image to date, nice detail and sharpness, low noise, I think I squeezed about all I could out of my setup on this one. I also tried hard not to bloat the larger stars and I think I did well on that too. I also think I tossed only one sub so that's a record for me.
Processing was done in Photoshop (Level, Curve and Color corrections) and a bit also in the beta of the new version of Siril (Check it out it's nice)]]>2020-09-10T20:52:53+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/123/flame-nebula
My first Deep Sky Image. Captured in Eden, NY. 20 exposures at 120seconds each (40 minutes total exposure) plus calibration frames,]]>2021-01-09T05:03:47+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/136/hoo-final-medium-jpg
First processing run with PixInsight with only Photoshop tweaks. A little messy, but workable.]]>2021-02-25T18:51:23+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/145/hhoo-pi-ps-final-small-jpg
Just 9 hours of data with my ONTC 8" Newtonian, and low in our skies. One of my favorite objects with the highly contrasting red and blue areas.]]>2021-04-12T18:49:30+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/170/m51-pix-sai-softness
This is an HaLRGB image of M81, Bode's Nebula, taken with an 8" ONTC Newtonian. It's a total of 26 hours of data]]>2021-04-12T19:07:20+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/185/heart-nebula
An SHO image of the Heart Nebula, processed by me from data obtained from Deep Sky West's Takahashi 106 refractor located under dark NM skies.]]>2021-04-12T19:09:22+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/186/ngc-1893-tadpoles
This is an LRGB image of open cluster NGC 1893 and bright nebula IC 410. 26 hours of data captured over the winter 2020-2021. The pink "tadpoles" swimming in from the upper right are gas and dust regions that have been energized by the nearby stars.]]>2021-04-12T19:16:02+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/187/m1-crab-nebula
M1 is a super nova remnant in Taurus. This image was taken with SHO filters over 20 hours using an Esprit 120 refractor.]]>2021-04-12T19:20:02+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/188/ngc-7293-helix-nebula
Captured with an ASI1600MC OSC camera during a vacation at the NC shore with a clear horizon to the SE, the Helix is a beautiful planetary nebula.]]>2021-04-12T19:23:44+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/189/hickson-44-galaxy-cluster
Hickson 44 is a galaxy cluster in Leo that includes NGC 3185, 3187, 3190 and 3193.]]>2021-04-12T19:27:58+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/190/ngc-2175-monkey-head-nebula
M33 is a gorgeous galaxy, part of the local group. It's large but on the faint side. This is just under 30 hours of LRGB data taken with an Esprit 80 refractor and an ASI1600MM camera.]]>2021-04-12T20:03:21+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/200/rho-ophiochi-cloud-complex-2019
Close to Milky Way lies this very nice and colourful region. ]]>2021-04-12T20:04:42+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/201/milkyway-ohlenhard
NGC 2903 is a barred spiral galaxy in Leo. This is 24 hours of Ha and LRGB data captured with an EdgeHD 9.25 SCT.]]>2021-04-12T20:05:43+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/203/ngc7635-bubble-nebula
The Bubble Nebula, ngc7635, formed by the hot stellar wind of a massive young star blowing against the surrounding giant molecular cloud creating a glowing 7 light year wide bubble.
There was a lot of dew during capture as you can see from the blue halo around the star. When I saw that in the subs I was worried that there wouldn't be any good data in there, but the data emerged and I liked the way the blue halo contrasted with the red of the hydrogen alpha so I left it in.
Tal-2 telescope 1200mm f/8
Heq5 mount
~5.5h exposure time in LRHaGB with a ZWO ASI1600mm
Processed with Astropixelprocessor and Pixinsight]]>2021-04-13T19:24:15+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/204/ic1396-elephant-trunk-nebula
The elephant trunk nebula, ic1396 is a dense pillar of cloud which is being ionized by the massive bright blue star HD206267 on the right, creating the halo of glowing light around its rim. Inside the head of the nebula are two young stars that have formed in the last couple of million years which have blown away a small circular cavity in the cloud. The combined pressure of the ionizing star and the young stars at the centre are compacting the gas in the nebula creating ideal conditions for further star birth.
Tal-2 telescope 1200mm f/8
Heq5 mount
~4h exposure time in LRHaGB with a ZWO ASI1600mm
Processed with Astropixelprocessor, Pixinsight, and Photoshop]]>2021-04-13T19:30:55+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/205/ngc1499-california-nebula
The California nebula, a glowing emission nebula excited by the nearby energetic star Xi Persei. Captured with an optolong dual-band filter split into Ha and OIII by astropixelprocessor for separate processing. I went with a RGB mix which was Ha:70%OIII & 30%Ha:OIII giving the gold tint rather than the more realistic Ha red.
Williams Optics Redcat 250mm f/4.9
Heq5 mount
Optolong dual-band L-extreme filter (Ha & OIII)
109x2m frames for a ~3.16h exposure time with ZWO ASI533mc
Processed with Astropixelprocessor, Pixinsight, and Photoshop]]>2021-04-13T19:31:03+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/206/ngc6992-veil-nebula
The eastern extent of the Veil Nebula, a cloud of superheated and ionised gas and dust that is part of the Cygnus Loop - the remnant of a 10,000 year old supernova of a star 20 times more massive than our sun.
Williams Optics Redcat 250mm f/4.9
Skywatcher Staradventurer mount
~400 1m frames for a ~5.5h exposure time with a Canon 750d DSLR
Processed with Astropixelprocessor, Pixinsight, and Photoshop]]>2021-04-13T19:31:19+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/207/m42-orion-nebula
First light on the Orion nebula with some new kit - Asi533mc on my redcat and an l-extreme dual band filter. Processed with Astropixelprocessor using its Ha-Oiii bayer algorithm with drizzle.
Williams Optics Redcat 250mm f/4.9
Heq5 mount
44m exposure time in HaOiii (l-extreme) with a ZWO ASI533mc
Processed with Astropixelprocessor, Pixinsight, and Photoshop]]>2021-04-13T19:31:31+00:00Gerhard Claassenhttps://astrochest.com/image/208/ngc7023-iris-nebula
My first attempt at the iris nebula, a beautiful reflection nebula roughly 1300 light years from earth. I was pleased to capture some of the dark dust and bring that out, but I had some serious dirt on the sensor in the luminance layer. Hopefully get back to this one next year and get a cleaner run.
Tal-2 telescope 1200mm f/8
Heq5 mount
~9.5h exposure time in LRGB with a ZWO ASI1600mm
Processed with Astropixelprocessor, Pixinsight, and Photoshop]]>2021-04-13T19:32:03+00:00