NGC 2244 Rosette Nebula in Monoceros
A central open cluster illuminates a vast cloud of hydrogen gas making it fluoresce at 656.4nm.
I had quite a few problems tonight - more to do with me doing stupid things rather than kit so this is 5 x 10 (acquired around 9–10pm) and 14 x 5 minute exposures (11pm-1am). Definitely better than my previous efforts
www.flickr.com/photos/16271433@N02/13974909305/in/album-7...
There’s a slight artefact around the bright stars which seems to be a registration problem of merging two different data sets with different star sizes together but Ive finally got rid of my “iron cross” stars due to pinched optics!
480/80mm f/6 Altair Starwave triplet refractor.
Altair Planostar 1.0 x FF with 2 inch IDAS LPS D1 filter
Astro-modified Canon 80D at ISO800; 5 x 10 + 14 x 5 minute subs (140 mins total integration).
NEQ6 pro mount with Rowan belt drives -2 star align.
Mini-PC NUC with WiFi extender
Mount WiFi control with ASCOM/AstroPhotography Tool
Camera WiFi control with Backyard EOS
Camera sensor temperature (external battery): 11-12c @ 600s, 10c @ 300s.
32 dark frames from dark library (temperature selected; 10-14c)
90 flat frames (electroluminescent panel @ 1/80s)
90 bias frames
Post processed in PixInsight 1.8.6 and Photoshop CC 2019.
Local parameters:
Temp: 3.8- 4.2c
Humidity: 76- 78%
Pressure: 1017 kPa
Light Pollution and Weather:
SQM (L) at start of session (2115 hrs UT) =19.80 mag/arcsec2.
SQM (L) at end of session (0100 hrs UT) =20.05 mag/arcsec2.
Clear until 1 am when high misty cloud came in.
Polar Alignment:
QHY Polemaster alignment -
Error measured by PHD2=0.8 arc minute.
RA drift + 1.64 arcsec/min
Dec drift -0.20 arcsec/min
Guiding:
PHD2 guiding with ZWO ASI290mm/Altair Starwave 206/50mm guider. Not Dithered.
RA RMS error 0.75 arcsec, peak error 2.66 arcsec
Dec RMS error 0.52 arcsec, peak error 2.17 arcsec
Astrometry:
Center (RA): 06h 31m 32.569s
Center (Dec): +04° 59' 04.568"
Size: 1.4 x 1.13 deg
Image scale: 1.59 arcsec/pixel
NGC 2244 Rosette Nebula in Monoceros
A central open cluster illuminates a vast cloud of hydrogen gas making it fluoresce at 656.4nm.
I had quite a few problems tonight - more to do with me doing stupid things rather than kit so this is 5 x 10 (acquired around 9–10pm) and 14 x 5 minute exposures (11pm-1am). Definitely better than my previous efforts
www.flickr.com/photos/16271433@N02/13974909305/in/album-7...
There’s a slight artefact around the bright stars which seems to be a registration problem of merging two different data sets with different star sizes together but Ive finally got rid of my “iron cross” stars due to pinched optics!
480/80mm f/6 Altair Starwave triplet refractor.
Altair Planostar 1.0 x FF with 2 inch IDAS LPS D1 filter
Astro-modified Canon 80D at ISO800; 5 x 10 + 14 x 5 minute subs (140 mins total integration).
NEQ6 pro mount with Rowan belt drives -2 star align.
Mini-PC NUC with WiFi extender
Mount WiFi control with ASCOM/AstroPhotography Tool
Camera WiFi control with Backyard EOS
Camera sensor temperature (external battery): 11-12c @ 600s, 10c @ 300s.
32 dark frames from dark library (temperature selected; 10-14c)
90 flat frames (electroluminescent panel @ 1/80s)
90 bias frames
Post processed in PixInsight 1.8.6 and Photoshop CC 2019.
Local parameters:
Temp: 3.8- 4.2c
Humidity: 76- 78%
Pressure: 1017 kPa
Light Pollution and Weather:
SQM (L) at start of session (2115 hrs UT) =19.80 mag/arcsec2.
SQM (L) at end of session (0100 hrs UT) =20.05 mag/arcsec2.
Clear until 1 am when high misty cloud came in.
Polar Alignment:
QHY Polemaster alignment -
Error measured by PHD2=0.8 arc minute.
RA drift + 1.64 arcsec/min
Dec drift -0.20 arcsec/min
Guiding:
PHD2 guiding with ZWO ASI290mm/Altair Starwave 206/50mm guider. Not Dithered.
RA RMS error 0.75 arcsec, peak error 2.66 arcsec
Dec RMS error 0.52 arcsec, peak error 2.17 arcsec
Astrometry:
Center (RA): 06h 31m 32.569s
Center (Dec): +04° 59' 04.568"
Size: 1.4 x 1.13 deg
Image scale: 1.59 arcsec/pixel