Saturday, March 29, 2008
Sh2-240 with more photons.
The Sh2-240 (Simeis 147) is a very faint supernova remaint in Taurus.
The image is in false color to show hydrogen alpha emission.
Original BW H-alpha image at the bottom
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This is a huge object, it covers nearly 3 degrees (6 full moons) on the sky.
Estimated distance from my home town Oulu is about
3000 light-years. The width of the object is 160 light-years.
This supernova remnant has an apparent age of about 100.000 years.
(Light from massive explosion reached Earth 100.000 years ago)
In the center of the remaint, there is a fast spinning neutron star or pulsar.
I started this project with, Sh2-240 supernova remant, at march 6. 2008.
So far I have collected lights for this very dim object litle by litle.
I feel like there have been all possible troubles with this object.
Number one, weather... like to say word or two but I hold back.
Number two, mechanical problems with guiding and only with this object!
Number three, bad flats, there is something seriously wrong with my flat frame box.
(I'll make a new one by using EL-panel!)
And many more troubles, only about one of three light frames was usable
doe the thin upper clouds.
They are allmoust impossible to spot from my location. Normally so thin clouds does not do too much harm. In this case the target has so low surfage brightness, that even slight
variations in transparency distroy the image.
The effect of bad trancparency is possible to spot during processing, so lots of work for nothing has been done here.
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IMAGING DETAILS
Optics:
Canon FD 200mm f2.8 lens with full aperature
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Camera:
QHY8
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Platform and guiding:
LX200 GPS 12" with QHY5 guider and PHD-guiding
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Exposures:
10 x 3600s + 4 x 2700s + 3 x 900s H-alpha + Flats and Bias frames, no darks
exposure time so far 13h 45min.
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Filter:
Baader 7nm H-alp + IDAS LP for RGB
Hydroge alpha channel only
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Update:
I reprocessed images, and I was able to go litle deeper, I think.
The data is yet "thin" and more exposures are needed, maybe an other ten hours.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Sh2-129
Sh2-129 is a very dimm diffused H-alpha nebula in the constellation of Cepheus.
The nebula is situated about 4 degrees west from IC 1396.
I made a small mosaic to show the actual location compared to IC 1396.
IC 1396 image is from 24.03.2008 and can be seen alone in previous post.
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IMAGING DETAILS
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Optics:
Canon FD 200mm f2.8 lens with full aperature
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Camera:
QHY8
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Platform and guiding:
LX200 GPS 12" with QHY5 guider and PHD-guiding
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Exposures:
6 x 1800s H-alpha +4 x 600s RGB + Flats and Bias frames, no darks
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Filter:
Baader 7nm H-alp + IDAS LP for RGB
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
IC 1396 in Color
H-alpha channel is form 20.03.2008.
Last night I got some color for IC 1396, here is the result.
Only 3 x 900 s. (45min)
Smoke from local paper mill ruined over half of the exposures.
Thanks a lot.
IMAGING DETAILS
Optics:
Canon FD 200mm f2.8 lens with full aperature
Camera:
QHY8
Platform and guiding:
LX200 GPS 12" with QHY5 guider and PHD-guiding
Exposures:
6 x 1800s H-alpha +3 x 900s RGB + Flats and Bias frames, no darks
Filter:
Baader 7nm H-alp + IDAS LP RGB
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Here is a Hydrogen-alpha channel
Friday, March 21, 2008
IC 443 & NGC 2175
This image is from same night, than IC 1396.
The image scale of the lens is not perfect for this target, more
resolution is needed here.
What a waste of space, one can say...
The IC 443 is allso called to a "JellyFish Nebula"
for obvious reasons.
Lens:
Canon FD 200mm f2.8 @ f2.8
Platform:
LX00 GPS 12"
Guiding:
QHY5 + PHD-guiding
Camera:
QHY8
Filter:
Baader 7nm H-alpha
Exposures:
4 x 1800s = 2h
Focusing & imaging system for the camera lens
I promised to post images of the focusing system I build for the camera lens,
so here it goes.
Focusing system from top.
image about whole imaging system
The Business end of the lens
Accurate focusing is needed doe the very fast lens. At f2.8 the sharp focus zone is about 20/1000 mm! Focusing by hand is a pure Lottery. I have TCF-s focuser and its temperature compensated, so thereis no need to refocus every time when temperature drops.
The focusing system has been build from the scrap metal and some parts found from
the drawer.
Its very easy to move the focuser back and forth between main scope
and the lens.
There is a right size can lid bolted down to a L-shape body.
Focuser is then atattched to the lid.
In a focuser, there is a brass tube. This tube goes back and forth when focuser moves.
Its then rotate the focuser ring of the camera lens. There is peace of fine sandpaper glued
to the tube to prevent slipery, tube has allso a spring load for the same purpose.
I have used TCF-s focuser but it can be any focuser, even manual one!
It will make focusing easier and less random.
The whole project took about three hours of time and cost 50c (I had to buy
some bolts)
The whole assembly is then attached to the dowetail rail at top of the LX200 scope.
This is a second version.
The firs version was made by blywood, but I made it again with metal doe flexsure problems.
Shematic
Thursday, March 20, 2008
IC 1396 & Dark nebulas in Hydrogen Alpha light
After playing with 3D stuff I returned back to real astro imaging.
Last night was allmost full Moon and doe that I selected the target from opposite side of the sky.
IC 1396 was about 30-36 degrees above horizont during the capturing.
IC 1396 is a large emission nebula. Image scale fits well with field of view
of Canon FD 200mm f2.8 lens. There is lots of faint nebulosity around the field.
Dark nebulas, visible in image, are dark hydrogen clouds and
they are blocking light from background stars.
One part of the large nebula is a famous "Elephant's Trunk Nebula", seen in lower
part of the image.
IMAGING DETAILS
Optics: Canon FD 200mm f2.8 lens with full aperature
Camera: QHY8
Platform and guiding: LX200 GPS 12" with QHY5 guider and PHD-guiding
Exposures: 6 x 1800s = 3 hours + Flats and Bias frames, no darks
Filter: Baader 7nm H-alpha
Elephant's Trunk detail from 10.12.2007
Older image of the "Elephant's Trunk", with longer FL
This formation can be seen in upper image. (lower part of the picture).
LX200 GPS 12" f6.3 + SXV-AO (Active Optics system) H-a 4h Elephants trunk nebula in IC 1396
Parallel Vision Stereo Image
Cross Vision Stereo Image
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
3D Bubble Nebula
Parallel Vision
Cross vision
The Bubble nebula was a very firs target I shooted with the SXV-AO, active optics unit.
There is info about original image in the archives.
This time I added some three dimensional effect to it. (don this ealier, but with differen
tecnique) The Bubble is odd looking object. It has diameter about six miljon light years!
It's really a hollow space inside Red hydrogen, emptyed by a massive star
by pressure of a solar wind.
There is some viewing instructions in ealier posts.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
M81, 3D transformation
This is example image of three dimensional transformation.Original 2D image of M81 is now turned to freely rotatable object.
Pretty far from actual astro photography, umh...
Interesting tough.
M81, Odd Stereo Pair
Parallel vision
Cross Vision
As you can see, this stereo image looks litlebit odd, since you can not see this galaxy from this
angle anywhere from Earth! Explanation in previous post.
M81 experiment
This image pair is not a stereo one.On the Left image, M81 galaxy is as we see it from our home planet.
On the Right image, M81 is seen from directly above!
I was doing stereo pair from Glaxy M81 and I needed to correct the galaxy to "flat"
(perspective correction)
The shape of the galaxy is more visible by that way, I think. Anyhow funny looking
transform.
I can now make a grayscale hight map out of this corrected image.
When corrected bitmap is projected back to the 3D surface, I have a model of galaxy.
Now it's possible to freely rotate the object and selext any vantage point to observe.
Veil Nebula, NGC 6995, stereo
Parallel Vision version
Cross Vision version
The fine filaments really stands out in three dimensional image.
Viewing instructions, please, see previous posts
Monday, March 17, 2008
IC 1805, Stereo Pair
Parallel Vision version
Cross Vision version
This beautiful object in the core of IC1805 nebula and star cluster,
really shines out in stereo.
It feels like more details are visible when both eyes recives visual information
with some angular difference?!?
Viewing istructions, see previous posts.
Cross Vision version
This beautiful object in the core of IC1805 nebula and star cluster,
really shines out in stereo.
It feels like more details are visible when both eyes recives visual information
with some angular difference?!?
Viewing istructions, see previous posts. Rosette Nebula, Stereo pair
Stereo pair for Parallel vision
This is a second test with the new method.
Pay attention to shapes of the nebula.
New Stereo Pair technique
Sample image for Parallel vision method.
I had an idea, how to create stareo pair images from
2D data by using real 3D software.
First the grayscale image, with suppressed stars, is turned to hight map
by using shades of gray as an indicator.
Based on this model I created 3D mesh. Original image with color information is then
projected to this surface.
After that I'm able to take images from this object with small angular difference.
Now I have two images and needed spatial information.
An other new innovation was to use several iterations of "minimum" command under PhotoShop to select stars with different brightnes.
now it's easy to manipulate star distance accuratetly.
Sample image for Cross Vision method
PARALLEL VISION ISTRUCTIONS:
In parallel freeviewing the image for the left eye is on the left and the image for the right eye is on the right. You stare into the screen so that your eyes are aimed (more or less) parallel. As you stare into the screen you will get double vision as each eye sees the L & R images separately. When you are staring in at the right distance the middle two images will overlap and become 3d. The outer two images will remain and will still be 2d. CROSS VISION INSTRUCTIONS: In cross eye freeviewing the image for the left eye is on the right and the image for the right eye is on the left. You stare at a point about 1/2 way to the screen so that your eye's gaze is crossing at the half way point. Thus the left eye sees the correct image which is on the right. As you cross your eyes the image will go double. When your eyes are crossed the correct amount the middle images will overlap and be in 3d. The two outer images will remain and will be in 2d.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
NGC 4216 & friends
This image is from same night than M51.
In this area, there is so many dim edge on galaxys for some reason.
At the time I shoot this group, the elevation was low, between 24-30 degrees.
That has some effect to the sharpness, but there is still some details visible in central galaxy.
Just above NGC 4216, there is a Bluish object. I was not able to recodnice it. It could
be a comet? At the time span of 2h 45min. it does not appear to move, or it moves very
small amount. (I think there is some minor trailing visible in the closeup image)
Exposures:
11 x 900s = 2h 45min. + Flat and Bias farmes
Telescope:
LX200 GPS 12" + FR f6.4
Guiding:
SXV-AO and LodeStar guider
Object I ment in previous text is marked here with lines
UPDATE:
This is fast!
I just uploaded the image to the Cloudy Nights forum and right a way
FrankZ posted information about this object!
"TheSky 6 tells me that this is IC 771 (PGC 39176)!
Type is spiral galaxy. Found in the Catalog of principal galaxies (PGC)."
Thanks a lot Frank!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
M51, Whirlpool Galaxy
M51 is a bright (as a deepsky object) galaxy located in Canes Venatici.
Distance from my home town Oulu is about 23 miljon light-years.
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I had hard time with dimmer parts doe the light pollution,
IDAS LP filter helpped some, tough.
Image is scaled down 50%.
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Exposures: 12 x 900s =3h
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Telescope: Meade LX200 GPS 12"
Friday, March 14, 2008
M13, Stereo pair
As a SH2-240, Globular Cluster M13 is too a three dimensional object floating in space.
This image pair shows the "true" nature of this object.
Read viewing instructions from previous post.
Parallel vision Stereo Pair
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sh2-240, Stereo pairs
Objects in the space are three dimensionals, but doe the huge distance we see them
flat, without 3D appearance.
To reveal "true" nature of this object I made 3D-stereo image pair from it.
This supernova remant now looks like an expanding sphere in the deep space.
Parrallel vision image pair
Cross vision image pair
PARALLEL VISION ISTRUCTIONS:
In parallel freeviewing the image for the left eye is on the left and the image for the right eye is on the right. You stare into the screen so that your eyes are aimed (more or less) parallel. As you stare into the screen you will get double vision as each eye sees the L & R images separately. When you are staring in at the right distance the middle two images will overlap and become 3d. The outer two images will remain and will still be 2d.
CROSS VISION INSTRUCTIONS:
In cross eye freeviewing the image for the left eye is on the right and the image for the right eye is on the left. You stare at a point about 1/2 way to the screen so that your eye's gaze is crossing at the half way point. Thus the left eye sees the correct image which is on the right. As you cross your eyes the image will go double. When your eyes are crossed the correct amount the middle images will overlap and be in 3d. The two outer images will remain and will be in 2d.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
M13, second tryout
Gropped area from M13. The extended exposuretime reveals more and more dim stars around
the core.
After I was shooting Sh2-240, I moved to M13.
This is a second tryout at this season.
Weather was ok to shoot with 200mm lens, but with2000mm situation was different.
Very bad seeing and since I shoot from very center of the city, there was lots of heat current from buildings.
M13 altitude was between 30 and 45degrees. Moust of the frames are shooted trough not so thin clouds.
This time I composed image so, that I was able to placea litle galaxy, NGC 6207, at the same field of view.
There is 5 x 10min and 11 x 5min, unfiltered subs used in the image.I allso add lights from previous tryout, 7 x 15min, IDA filter. Total exp. time is three and half hours.Camera: QHY8, telescope: LX200 GPS 12", Guiding: SXV-AO+LodeStar.
Image is scaled down
Ps.
The "Shadows and Highlights" tool under Photoshop is great for targets like this!
I can pull out dimmer stars as much as I like without blowing up the core.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Sh2-240, four more hours.
This is a false color image of the Sh2-240.
Image of the object with no stars was added as lighten mode to the Red channel,
under PS.
h-alpha image.
Inverted version
This is a version with no stars (image processing trick)
to bring out the structure better. This image was used to make a false color image.
This is really difficult target!
I can see effects of light pollution here, even with 7nm H-a
filter. Bad gradients etc...
This time I shooted 4 X 3600s = One hour subs!
My record so far. Longer subs are needed to bring out very
faint structure of this object.
So far there is about 7h exposures, I thin an other 10 hous is needed here.
I'll shoot more when weather allows.
Inverted version Thursday, March 6, 2008
Sh2-240 (Simeis 147)
this is a start of the long project.
my goal is to capture enough photons from this dim object to
be able to reveal its beauty.
This is a supernova remant in Taurus & Auriga.
The angular diameter of the object is huge, about 200'x180'!
Thats about 8 full Moon diameters. Doe the large size
the surfage brightness is very low, I think, I'll need least
20 hours of exposures to capture this well.
Last night I had problems with frost and I was not able to see
it before image processing. All the frames are practically useless.
You can see big bloated stars, even in small image.
How ever, I put small image here just for example.
There is both normal H-alpha image and inverted one.
exposures ( with frost in optics)
4 x 2700 s
3 x 900 s
FD 200mm f2.8 lens, QHY8, guiding QHY5 and LX200 GPS 12"
(This large object and the 200mm lens are very good match.)
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