Select an image size for a larger view:

800 x 600

1290 x 960

1600 x 1200
            



            
This is the
            very first CCD image with my ST10xme through the SV80s Refractor.
            It is essentially a shot to confirm focus ability, and to test
            the spacer I had to install on the Televue FF to keep it from
            jamming into the filter wheel. I followed this image with a shot
            through the 12.5" of the same subject. The comparison will
            be interesting! 

            
Object Details:

            
Surrounding
            the dim but moderately rich open cluster IC1590 is Sharpless2-184,
            also known as NGC281. The nebula is quite large, spanning over
            half a degree in size, filled with dark Bok globules, the birthplace
            of stars. The cluster on the other hand is a respectable 7.4
            magnitude, but only 4 minutes in size.

            
Notes: 

            
If you look
            at the brighter stars, they seem to have an extra diffraction
            spike. That was from the cord from the ST4 Autoguider hung unfortunately
            in front of part of the objective. Using the 12 inch for a guider
            creates lots of headaches, as the differential flexure was obvious
            in this image. Also, there were SO many stars, that the nebulosity
            was almost blotted out with bright stars. Applying the minimum
            filter at 50% through an alpha channel mask made quick work of
            the bright stars and reduced them to allow the nebula to shine
            through.

Instrument:  Stellarvue SV80s with Televue .8x FF
Platform:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
CCD Camera:  SBIG 10XME NABG with Enhanced Water Cooling
Guider: SBIG ST4
Exposure:  RGB = 10:10:10 
RGB Combine Ratio:  1: 1.05: 1.11
Filters:  AstroDon RGB Tricolor
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 6 arcsec (Maxim DL - 10min subframe), Transparency 8/10
Outside Temperature:  55 F
CCD Temperature:  -20 C
Processing Tools:  Maxim DL, Gralaks Sigma, Photoshop, PixInsight, CCDOps Debloomer.
HOME   GALAXIES     EMISSION NEBS     REFLECTION NEBS   COMETS  
   GLOBULARS     OPEN CLUST     PLANETARIES     LINKS