SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

So, I decided to try streaching out my imaging from 300 seconds (5 minutes) to 450 seconds (7.5 minutes) to see what I might get.
Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359) popped up on Stellarium so OK, victim of the evening.
And the revisit could be compared to the prior 300 second subs.

Besides, this object seems to fit my telescope well...

Basically, rotated and cropped. The Rainbow Sprinkles are back. (I didn't filter them out.)

I'm having fun with these long run images. 1.25 hours, and 2.5 hours shown here. I ran out of sky real estate.
Feel free to download and try your hand at processing if you would like.
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Thor's Helmet 450S 10 4500s - tif original

(Download)

Thor's Helmet 450S 20 9000s - tif original - 20 images

(Download)

Thor's-Helmet-450S-10-4500s-w - Post Processed, cropped gif format

(Download)

Thor's-Helmet-450S-20-9000s-w - Post Processed, cropped gif

(Download)

Europa Loc: West Hills, CA

Really nice Sonny...someday I’ll get this one.

We haven’t had a lot of clear skies, I guess you squeaked a pix out in between clouds.

alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ

I like it...#3

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Nice image SonnyE. Looks like you are getting some great images using that new Losmandy mount. I'm still waiting for some parts I ordered and some clear skies to do some more imaging.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I think I live in a vortex.
Yesterday the wife was helping with the 3 youngest grandkids and called. She said it was raining hard over there, just a few miles away, and our driveway was dry.
So either I live in a vortex, or the clouds are afraid of me.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

#3 is the shorter one. Just 4500 seconds.
I ran out of sky before I got more. The neighbors Cyprus trees were invading my guide camera's picture and would have been in the main picture, so I aborted.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Ugh! I hate the waiting part. You do your research, finally decide, then push the button...
And the waiting starts...
And it drags on, and on....

I'm really happy with my mount, especially now I have my routine dialed in.
Just in time for our Spring Rains/Brush Growing season.

But my app is saying clear skies tonight, so I hope to be back at it.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Thank You, Jack!
Feel free to download and try your hand at processing if you would like.

Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA

Enjoy your pictures. Must use my CPC8 telescope in a relatively dark sky area and learn more about what I can achieve. You are helping to encourage me. Thanks,

Oh, and one more thing...... still haven't found the town of Communist California on any maps.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Ha, Ha, Paul, you won't.
It's a State of Mind. Just look at Pelosi and you get a picture.
And our Governor thinks he's King.
But about to be kicked out.

But we do have the community of Weed up North.
And Paradise, which became Hell in the brush fires.

What I love about Astrophotography is there are so many ways to go about it. All of them fun.
I chose to go after Nebula. They fascinate me. And from my backyard, I know they are absolutely huge.
I use Stellarium to show me where to look. But it also slews my mount to almost dead centered to image now.
The tricks are Polar Alignment with Sharpcap, followed up with an extensive Alignment (Modeling).
I always one for as many stars as the mount would allow.
2 plus 4 with my AVX. Now, 10 to 15 with my Losmandy Gemini II controller. Takes about 30 minutes with my mount all set up. But I enjoy the fruits of my labor, which is more play than work.

Listen, If I can do this, ANYbody can do this!
Just takes persistence.