Made a start on M42

[paulgrover68]

I had a clear sky... for about 2 hours.  I wanted to start a multi-night session on M42. I got 2 hours of data. It's a bit noisy and I'm not 100% sure I on point with the core blending (I processed the data in two passes). I left the scope and canera as is so I can continue with this one later. 180 second subs - 2hours total. Unity Gain. Optolong L-enHance.

This is what I got... I'm more pleased to have just seen some sky!  

 

I also discovered a new fresh hell. My neighbour has a security light with a hair trigger. When his boiler fires up it expels steam and it triggers the light, which turns the steam white.  It ruined about 10 subs... it's due east, so I need to wait until targets swing more to the south.

[PaulB]

Neighbours can be a real PITA with there obsession with security lighting. Especially the one's who's lighting is not set-up correctly.

I like that image of M42 very much. Don't worry too much about noise. That can easily be removed in post-processing.

 

I'd like to know how on earth you managed to get a CLEAR sky ? You must have been very good ? 

[paulgrover68]

@PaulB Thanks. I am so grateful for that 2 hour window and for the image that came from it.  I'm still very much finding my way so every hour is not just imaging it's learning too. So this year it's about trying to make every minute count.

The sky opened up slowly over the evening and closed abruptly. It was just luck that I spotted the break.  We had rain about around sunset, so everything was wet and my dew sensor was reporting 99% humidity. The dew was not so bad as it was around 7C.  Seeing was peaked around 9pm and was pretty good.

I think I will need to have chat with the neighbour about this one light - it triggers when I walk past a line in my garden. On some nights it just fires every other minute.

[AstronomyUkraine]

It's looking great considering the time frame, and shooting through a security light and steam. Your colour balance looks to be a little off though, the stars look a little green to me.

Brian

[Carastro]

Looking great, and the core is well processed.

What camera was it, you kit seems to run off the page.

Carole 

[paulgrover68]

@Carastro I've been meaning to fix my sig for a while -I'll revise it.  The Camera is an ZWO ASI294MC Pro. 

@AstronomyUkraine - you're right. I think I know where I introduced that. It was one of those moments of working on one part of an image and not considering the wider effects.  I'll play with that today.

[Gina]

That's a lovely image - I really like it.  Great colours.  ? 

[Stub Mandrel]

Ver' nice :-)

[Bob-c]

Very nice.

Bob.

[P Holdsworth]

Lovely image. Colour looks great  ? 

[MarkAR]

Very nice image Paul, well done.