M20 Trifid Nebula

Post by **weixing** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:03 am

Hi,
After the observation session with DotDotDotZ & cousin and swimaniac & family, the weather improve a lot... from party cloudy & humid to clear & not so wet. So I decided to retake the M51 Whirlpool Galaxy. But after taking a series frames, I realized that M51 was too low and the frames will not be good due to light pollution. It's was already around 3am, so I decided to pack up.

As I was packing up, I realized the zenith was very clear... It was the first time that I saw the constellation Sagitta and Vulpecula with nake eye in Singapore... I estimate the zenith limiting magnitude was around 5 - 5.5. More stars should be visible if the site was a dark site...

Then I remember one of the objects that spark my interests in Astronomy during my schools day... M20 Trifid Nebula, so I decided to image it.

As I do a series of 2 minute exposure test frames, some of it contain star trails... I realized that it was caused by the random slight breeze. The 1000mm focal length and a long scope on a GPD mount operate at it's maximum loading capacity will start to sway even under the smallest breeze... it's sway a bit, but my DSLR capture it.

So in order to capture as many usable frames as I can in the shortest time (it was already 3am and I still need to capture flats frames and dark frames later), I decided to shorten the exposure to 1.5 minute and took 30 frames. The result: 15 good frames and 15 frames with star trails (cause by the slight breeze).

I didn't do much processing other than image calibration, aligned and stacking... will do more processing to enhance colour when got time. Also, the star trails on the 15 frames disappear after the stacking. This is my second time image on M20 (the first was using my previous Sky-Watcher 6" F5 Newtonian) and the result was better than my first attempt.

Capture Info
Telescope: Celestron 8" F5 Newtonian
Camera: Canon 300D Prime Focus with Coma Corrector
Location: Tampines, Singapore
Image: 30 x 1.5 minute Images @ ISO800

Have a nice day.

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:02 am

Wow

You on holiday today? Last week despite the quarter moon I could see mag 4 stars near Zenith.

Post by **weixing** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:18 am

Hi,

You on holiday today?

No.

Anyway, replace the uncrop version... look better now.

Have a nice day.

kochu · Post by **kochu** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:19 am

Hi weixing,

Good image captured in Spore.

Image of Singapre is improving in all respects.

Kochu/28-5-07
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kingkong · Post by **kingkong** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:27 am

nice image weixing.

you've inspired me to start imaging again. but it'll be some time before i get the kind of result you got.

aquillae · Post by **aquillae** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:34 am

Beautiful shot, Weixing.

I saw the cropped version earlier, and I like it too.

Post by **weixing** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:45 am

Hi,
Thanks for the encouragement.

The image actually contain a lots of colourful stars, but almost all become white because a low quality JPEG is needed to keep the file size small enough for upload it in the album.

Have a nice day.

Tachyon · Post by **Tachyon** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:12 am

Nice! You managed to capture the colors beautifully!

Bergkamp_ · Post by **Bergkamp_** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:10 pm

nice..

yanyewkay · Post by **yanyewkay** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:19 pm

beautiful!
only coma corrector and no other filters?