Helping Hand... sorta

[hasty bronze]

Not been imaging for a few months, so re-processed Helping Hand. It's a bit more natural now... but still lacks a bit of "zip"... same image set of 109 hrs lrgb @ 550mm

Oh, using NoiseX + 3AI for first time... so maybe some weird stuff / artifacts

@solemn linden - left the green in just for you! mwaa haaaa! 😉

[solemn linden]

Awesome! What camera was this again?

[solemn linden]

https://tenor.com/view/elmo-fire-elmo-green-elmo-mscelmo-gif-24557102

Ahhaaha

[stiff jewel]

Neat combination of dark nebulae and reflection nebulae

[hasty bronze]

This was ASI533M through Sharpstar Z4. The 533 is now sold to a v happy new owner and the Z4 was replaced with a new one due to diffraction problem that couldn't be fixed... (haven't had a chance to use it yet though)

[hasty bronze]

Slightly improved version

[quasi pier]

I have to try this one😲

[hasty bronze]

It was a great circumpolar project for the winter months... sadly though we identified a flaw with my Z4 (you can see the diffraction on the brighter stars)... was investigated both by Flo and some mega engineers but in the end it went back to Sharpstar and I have been sent replacement. Alas, not been able to use yet

[quasi pier]

Oof now I see it. Those diffraction spikes don't look healthy at all. 😬

[hasty bronze]

I didn't get too cut up about it... I like dusty dark stuff, so one gets the chance to process that in a load of different ways .... well, the 109 hrs helps haha

[quasi pier]

I've experienced weird diffraction spikes to be honest😅 . Explain this... (Alnitak doesn't have relativistic jets) unless I discovered one

[hasty bronze]

Pretty sure they had one of those hanging from the cieling of Studio54 back in the 70's 😉

[quasi pier]

After how much integration you started to resolve some details in this image?

[hasty bronze]

I always start with lum … and generally work on it from night 1…. Of course it takes a good few nights before things start to resolve better

Colour the same

My backyard is fairly decent (somewhere between b3-4)

[quasi pier]

I live in b7 . Definitely this is not a target that I can shoot in a weekend

[hasty bronze]

Haha no sadly… even with my sky, it took the best part of 16 nights or so

[solemn linden]

Looks like something in the optical path, also needs collimation.

[hasty bronze]

Are you just tormenting me... or is this a reference to Mr Pickles and his Jesus Christ Superstar motif? 🤣

... again, I am showing my age !

[quasi pier]

That would be a message dedicated to me😂 . I deserve it

[hasty bronze]

Haha... not at all... and I love Jesus Christ Superstar!

The astro community is very weird... they seem to be obsessed with galaxy pics (yawn!) and Adam Block... who gets his data from remote sites... my helping hand is better than his (and why is his shit so brown ffs???)

[quasi pier]

One thing that annoys me about the astro comunity is that nobody tries new stuff. Like all the pictures look almost the same because everyone sticks to a standard. Someone tries a different palette and pfoaaaah he's the black sheep. Personally i love when people do unique uncommon stuff.

Everyone is shooting HaRGB or HaGB or SHO or LRGB. How about someone tries NirHaSII.

[hasty bronze]

I am not a rebel kinda guy... I just cannot be assed with the blue and red stuff

@solemn linden knows this... I f##ing hate galaxies lol

I like LRGB (oh, and I have the crazy R+ filter from Antlia too)... I do not have any narrowband filters

[hasty bronze]

But I do like collecting a lot of hours... as Corporal Hicks affirmed, "it's the only way to be sure"!

[quasi pier]

i shot 3 galaxies since i started astrophotography. Andromeda, and M81 and M82 both in one session XD nebulae, a litle bit more. i can't wait for the summer to go back to Cygnus

[solemn linden]

LOL, yeah, that one was all Mr Pickles! 🙂

[solemn linden]

https://tenor.com/view/angry-mad-waving-brush-little-girl-baby-gif-17492145

Gotto love them galaxies!

[hasty bronze]

purple and red again!!!

[quasi pier]

He said he left green visible. 🤫

[hasty bronze]

My "slightly improved" version may have reduced the green a little... just don't tell @solemn linden !!!!

dammit

[quasi pier]

Pinky swear i wont tell him🤫

[hasty bronze]

anyhoo... next target is Sharky... it'll be wide field at 200mm... but I am optimistic

[quasi pier]

Can't wait to see that one. Clear skies

[hasty bronze]

... give it 3 months mwaa haaaa ha!

[quasi pier]

it was colimated. for some reason, that's how it looks colimated. if i make them concentric than it's out of colimation for some odd reason

[solemn linden]

Naah, that aint right somehow. I had some wierd collimation errors. I would guess your secondary is in the wrong in/out position. When so, you have to tilt your mirror a lot more then you should to make sure the laser (if you have one) hits centre spot.

Also, make sure your secondary holder is pointed straight down your tube (using your laser if you have one). If it is not, then you will have to compensate the secondary mirror so it is no longer centered in the focuser tupbe

A third option is that you have rotational error on your secondary - if you you will also have to compensate with the thumbscrews and that wil tilt your mirror wrongly also.

[quasi pier]

@solemn linden can I DM you so I don't spam this thread?😅