Images of the orion nebula.

Those are superb image Dave! I'm really impressed!
When you said you used spacers, were they between the camera and the focal reducer or the focal reducer and the scope?

Thanks Michael,
Remember the post regarding the focal lengths in a SCT a few months ago, well i decided to do a little experimenting,

The first image had a flipmirror and adapter amounting to about 7 inches between the focal reducer and camera, the FR was flush up against the scope.

The second image had the FR on the other side of the flip mirror, placing it about 6 icnhes away from the tube with the camera a further 5 or so inches away from the FR, thats nearly a foot of parts hanging off the back of the scope.

Amazing that it made such an obvious difference.
Thanks for that!

Dave, Wow! Those are 2 excellent shots, from the top drawer as they say.
To improve, all that i can suggest is obvious, wait until the next moonless night with no wind, try it again and see what happens

Keith..

Dave - I am well impressed that you got such a super image with no darks/flats. That is some camera and scope setup you have!

A bias frame is the shortest possible dark frame you can take. You apply it to your darks - the temperature of the camera must be the same for the darks and the bias. The bias frame is used when the exposure times of your darks and lights (images) are different.

Enough of the mumbo jumbo - I really think you are onto a winner with that setup - can't wait to see more images from it - when the skies clear...

Masking is the way to go for the Trapezium as James says.

Cheers

Dave

Keith , Dave,
Next time I'll do it more correctly by making dark/flat/bias frames,
Lets just hope that this weather doesnt last too long !!

To improve, all that i can suggest is obvious, wait until the next moonless night with no wind, try it again and see what happens

Keith..

He only has a few months left to try it Keith, I dunno, skies like that, the chances...



Dave,
they are great shots of the Orion Nebula, super text book quality there!


Seanie