I got a black eye last night...

Folks - for your delectation:

Subject: Blackeye galaxy (M63 - Coma Berenices)
Telescope: Skylux 70
Mount: AP1200GTO
Imager: DSI
Optics: No filters, reducers or Barlows
Exposure: 45 sec
No. Images: 5
Processing: Photoshop

The AP1200 is still blowing my socks off. 45 second exposures and only barely perceptible elongation of the stars. And that's without any serious polar alignment. This is a superb piece of kit. The Skylux 70 - well, for 70 quid, this 'scope has also amazed me. Focus is reasonably sharp (for a plastic draw tube), optical quality is fine - what more could you want for the price? The DSI is also surprising me. The software is a nightmare but once you get the hang of it, you can really push the performance of this imager. What is clear though is that if you want to do serious imaging (for pics, photometry or whatever), the number 1 priority is the mount.

I've still to take a pic of the setup for you - hopefully soon.



Here's a second interesting pic - I was imaging M63 and spotted this trail. M63 is the first 'star' to the left of the trail I checked Starry Night Pro but there were no satellites passing the area at the time. So I assume its a meteor trail or could it be one of Seanie's flashes ?



Cheers

Dave McD

Sorry folks - read 'M64' instead of M63 :oops:

Cool pic for a 70yoyo scope

How does Andromeda come out?

Unfortunately, Andromeda is to my North - which is where the house is... And its not getting very high. I'm not sure if I'd get it in one field of view - but it would make a great shot!

As soon as I get the chance, I'll give it a whirl.

Cheers

Dave McD

Great pick of BEG Dave. i was hoping to image it last night but had to be content with brief viewing. The scurrying clouds just prevented me from getting the DSI focused on it, very very frustrating. Looks like you caught a meteorite trail there. I just lef another post where I was explaining to Seanie that one crossed my field of view while observing M51, then it happened again when I swung around to BEG. maybe it's more common than I thought. anyway, great pick of the Gal, you beat me to it.
Bill H.

Nice shot of the black eye, you can really see why it got it's name!