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LRGB view of M101
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Jun 5, 2021 01:20:06   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
This is a first pass at imaging M101 with a monochrome camera using Luminance, Red, Green and Blue filter. The images where taken at 4096mm focal length at F10. This consists of the following combination of subs:
Luminance 15x300seconds
Red 14X300 seconds + 6x600 seconds
Green 14x300 seconds + 6x600 seconds
Blue 5x300 seconds + 10x600 seconds

appropriate 300 and 600 second dark frames where used. (darks and light frames where taken a 0 degrees C.)
Flat frames for each filter type and bias frames where also used during the processing.
I hope to get some HA frames to add to the image soon.
M101 is a large spiral galaxy ~21 million light years away in the constellation of Usra Major (the big dipper is part of this constellation). It has an asymmetrical shape due to tidal forces from other somewhat near by galaxies (not in this image).

All questions comments and suggestions are welcome.


(Download)

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Jun 5, 2021 06:00:15   #
ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA
 
This is a stunning image. I am in awe of the precision and commitment you are devoting to this craft. Congratulations.

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Jun 5, 2021 07:23:39   #
fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...
 
This is fantastic!! I don't know how you guys do this stuff... but it's really, really cool!!

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Jun 5, 2021 12:13:24   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
ClarkJohnson wrote:
This is a stunning image. I am in awe of the precision and commitment you are devoting to this craft. Congratulations.


Hi ClarkJohnson
Thanks for viewing M101 and for the comment. I found this a fun way to expand my photography and learn new things.

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Jun 5, 2021 12:19:50   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
fuminous wrote:
This is fantastic!! I don't know how you guys do this stuff... but it's really, really cool!!


Hi fuminous
Thanks for checking out the image of M101 and for the comment. Astro photography is the most challenging part of my photography hobby but it is fun and a great leaning experience.

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Jun 5, 2021 15:08:09   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
Very Beautiful, Ballard!

Things like this keep drawing me towards the dark side.
But right now, I'm only using high res Mono for my guiding.

Monday I get my staples out and hope to be able to go outside and play again.
Summer is the best here, clearest skies. Albeit scant for my Nebula passion.
I need to broaden my imaging endeavor's.

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Jun 6, 2021 02:04:43   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
SonnyE wrote:
Very Beautiful, Ballard!

Things like this keep drawing me towards the dark side.
But right now, I'm only using high res Mono for my guiding.

Monday I get my staples out and hope to be able to go outside and play again.
Summer is the best here, clearest skies. Albeit scant for my Nebula passion.
I need to broaden my imaging endeavor's.


Hi SonnyE
Thanks for checking out the image of M101. I'm starting to get the hang of using the mono camera with filters. Tomorrow I will send out a newer version with HA added in and a bit more stretching of the image. Getting staples out sounds painful, good luck with that.

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Jun 6, 2021 08:11:13   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Wow, I didn't know there were that many seconds in a night 😳, but at least you used them wisely. Another keeper for sure even if you don't add any HA. That big gun sure performs well.

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Jun 6, 2021 13:17:20   #
tony85629 Loc: Sahuarita, Az
 
Beautiful image. Excellent detail in the core of the galaxy.

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Jun 6, 2021 14:37:30   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
alberio wrote:
Wow, I didn't know there were that many seconds in a night 😳, but at least you used them wisely. Another keeper for sure even if you don't add any HA. That big gun sure performs well.


Hi alberio
Thanks for viewing the image of M101 and for the comment. The images where actually taken over a couple of nights.
I just posted a new version with 3 hours of HA added in.
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-699728-1.html

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Jun 6, 2021 14:39:40   #
SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA
 
Ballard wrote:
Hi SonnyE
Thanks for checking out the image of M101. I'm starting to get the hang of using the mono camera with filters. Tomorrow I will send out a newer version with HA added in and a bit more stretching of the image. Getting staples out sounds painful, good luck with that.


Never have staples before. Stiches a time or two. And they tickled.
But friggin staples make me wonder. I'll let you know.
I have no choice, they are in and have to come out. So good riddance.
Just got to grin and bear it.
Tomorrow night might be clear for me. So maybe I can totter out and snap something.
I'm still shooting in color, and most of my good filters are designed around the color camera.
But I'm apt to try anything once. Sometimes over and over.

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Jun 6, 2021 14:39:43   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
tony85629 wrote:
Beautiful image. Excellent detail in the core of the galaxy.


Hi Tony
Thanks for viewing the image of M101 and for the comment. I added HA and stretched the image a bit more (hopefully not hurting the core too much). This version is at:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-699728-1.html

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Jun 6, 2021 18:14:31   #
DonVA Loc: British Columbia and New Mexico
 
A nice clean image. Have you tried a denoise filter on it?
What kind of scope and mount are you using and why the combination of 300 and 600 second subs?

Don

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Jun 6, 2021 19:41:35   #
DickC Loc: NE Washington state
 
Wow! What a nice photo, thanks!!

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Jun 6, 2021 21:26:15   #
Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California
 
DonVA wrote:
A nice clean image. Have you tried a denoise filter on it?
What kind of scope and mount are you using and why the combination of 300 and 600 second subs?

Don


Hi DonVa
Thanks for checking out the image of M101 and for the comment. I did do some denoise on the image using Multiscale linear transform in pixinsight. I expect more Luminance integration time might also help reduce back ground noise. The mount is an Astro-Physics 1600GTO, the telescope is a 16 inch Meade LX200 ACF Schmidt Cassegrain. On the first night I took some images at 300 seconds, however after looking at them I realized that it didn't come close to saturating the wells in the CCD, so the next night I took 600 second subs. Note: I have since added ~ 3 hours of HA (900 second subs) and posted that image at:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-699728-1.html

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