Atik Cameras

Author Topic: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19  (Read 27289 times)

bwa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« on: May 20, 2012, 09:47:53 PM »
Took another run at the Whirlpool galaxy last night:

https://picasaweb.google.com/116260312230579398213/MVRGalaxies#5744718600550852066

Better than some, not as good as others...

Enjoy!

bwa

Kaidan

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
    • Astrophotographie à l'île de la Réunion
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2012, 03:19:07 AM »
There's something you do during the processing that kills your pictures.
Jeremy Skuza
Astrophotographie à l'île de la Réunion
TMB Optical 130 Signature Series + 3" corrector
Losmandy G11 "O&V" [NS + Spacer] Gemini II
DS : ATIK 383L+, Astronomik LRGB | AG / P : ATIK Titan

bwa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2012, 07:54:43 PM »
And what do you see wrong with the image?

bwa

Kaidan

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
    • Astrophotographie à l'île de la Réunion
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2012, 03:17:45 PM »
I don't know, it's like you would have removed the first three or four wavelets layers : there's no detail and weird gradients in the object.
Jeremy Skuza
Astrophotographie à l'île de la Réunion
TMB Optical 130 Signature Series + 3" corrector
Losmandy G11 "O&V" [NS + Spacer] Gemini II
DS : ATIK 383L+, Astronomik LRGB | AG / P : ATIK Titan

MikeM

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 158
    • myastroimages.com
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2012, 03:19:05 PM »
I'll tell you what I think - it appears that there is too much blue channel in the image judging by the overall cast
in the background. I think because of that it makes the galaxy have a magenta tint.
Also it appears that you may be either slightly out of focus or out of collimation. Just my thoughts.
Clear Skies!!
Mike

FSQ106N - AT8RC
G-11

bwa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2012, 01:12:35 AM »
...it's like you would have removed the first three or four wavelets layers...
Ok, now I'm totally confused.  I have absolutely NO idea what you're talking about by "wavelet layers"!?

bwa

bwa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2012, 01:20:53 AM »
Also it appears that you may be either slightly out of focus or out of collimation. Just my thoughts.

Collimation was dead on and focus was good before and after imaging per a Bahtinov mask.

I did have to correct star shape and size due to guiding problems.  It is possible this introduced some eccentricity into the final image.

As for the blue cast, I don't see it in the 32 bit image; however, it is present in the uploaded 8 bit JPG.

bwa

Lex

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 244
  • We do it at night...
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2012, 11:51:05 AM »
Hi;

Wavelet layers can be created in processing softwares like PixInsight; I do not think that this is the source of the problem..
As collimation and focus were spot on my only concern is that there is simply not enough data...
I had a go with M51 and even with 6 hours of integration I was not satisfied...
I simply attached my Lum file who needs more and more hours...

M51; IMHO is an object that needs at least a minimum of 12 hours of integration to have a real nice result...

Astrophotography; an easy and slow hobby eating all of your time  ;D
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 11:58:11 AM by Lex »
CGEM, C11, TS Carbon Apo Triplet 90/600, TS Carbon UNC 254/1250, Atik 383l+, EFW2,
TSOAG, Lodestar....

bwa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2012, 10:27:18 PM »
I had a go with M51 and even with 6 hours of integration I was not satisfied...

M51; IMHO is an object that needs at least a minimum of 12 hours of integration to have a real nice result...

What scope focal ratio are you using with the above hours?

bwa

Lex

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 244
  • We do it at night...
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2012, 01:12:24 AM »
It's a 10" f5 Newtonian that I am using for the moment, i also did use an f6 triplet without compromising result...
CGEM, C11, TS Carbon Apo Triplet 90/600, TS Carbon UNC 254/1250, Atik 383l+, EFW2,
TSOAG, Lodestar....

petervde

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2012, 09:50:58 PM »
This is what I made of it last year, when there was a bright supernova in M51: 10x3m with an Atik 16HR and my William Optics 80mm f/6 triplet apo.

Peter


Lex

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 244
  • We do it at night...
Re: M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy - 2012Mar19
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2013, 07:51:14 PM »
Answering an old topic I know;

Peter; this is a nice result according to the short FL!
For me M51 is something for FL above 1000mm...
CGEM, C11, TS Carbon Apo Triplet 90/600, TS Carbon UNC 254/1250, Atik 383l+, EFW2,
TSOAG, Lodestar....