M51 using 152 mm f/7

[ghartke]

This is M51 in Canes Venatici, taken with the Beast: 152 mm f/7 SuperAPO, Borg 1.04x MultiFlattener, and the mighty SXV-M25C camera. Guiding was done with a 50 mm Borg mini-achromat and SBIG STV-D on a Mountain Instruments MI-250 mount. This image consists of sixteen 15 minute subframes for a total of 240 minutes:

http://www.pbase.com/ghartke/image/51417473

Calibration and color conversion was done in Maxim as was DDP without sharpening. Further processing was done in PhotoShop CS2.

I find it really hard to get this target right. It just kicks my butt. I've imaged this before but always struggled with the processing. I actually acquired the data for this version on 16 June 2006 but fought with the processing. I finally developed a version that wasn't embarrassing and decided to throw it out to the folks here. I actually have several hours of Ha data to go with this and will work with blending it in the near future.

Regards,

Greg Hartke
Sykesville, MD USA

[mdine1us]

Whoa Greg! This is simply a stunning image. Congratulations, as usual I am most awed. Looks to me like you have the processing down pretty well now!

Regards,
Marty

[budguinn]

Geez Greg, I must have missed this....very nice...you got all of the little faint nebula stuff and nice detail in the lanes.

[ghartke]

Originally Posted by mdine1us

Whoa Greg! This is simply a stunning image. Congratulations, as usual I am most awed. Looks to me like you have the processing down pretty well now!

Regards,
Marty

Thanks, Marty! I'd get better a lot more quickly if I had more time. The eternal problem...

BTW, how are you doing with your new scope? Any pix of the setup?

Regards,

Greg

[Zathris]

Beautiful image! Super sharp, and great color.

Zathris....

[ghartke]

Originally Posted by budguinn

Geez Greg, I must have missed this....very nice...you got all of the little faint nebula stuff and nice detail in the lanes.

Why, Bud! I'm shocked to see you here! Yeah, I snuck this one in under the radar screen. I still have to add the Ha, as I mentioned, but it's coming along.

Hey, I saw that your Cone/Xmas Tree Nebula shot was the banner image today. Very cool! I'm impressed! As usual, I thought you sold yourself short and it could use a little sharpening. For others here: I always say that about Bud's great images when he posts them on the Starlight Xpress list. (We both have M25C cameras.) He'd probably feel lost if I didn't say it. Bud has been creating great images with his Epsilon 180! Check out his web site if you get the chance. You won't regret it. Bud, maybe you should step up in aperture and think about an Astreya refractor.

Regards,

Greg