SharpCap Forums

The hyperstar is so fantastic to display a wide field of view. I sometimes use it for "small" objects like the Crab N (M1) to just show the vastness of space vs. a large DSO like the California nebula which extends beyond the field of view using the hyperstar a C11". Both captured using a ZWO ASI 294MC Pro cooled cam with the Optolong L-eNhance filter with images stacked in SC and then some post-processing done in PixInsight.

Cracking images as usual at least it gives me something to look at other than the gale force winds and driving rain. October was pretty much a write off November is starting well

What were the stack times?

Cheers
Nick

Nice images Bruce. Good features on M1. California Nebula is huge - definitely a candidate for a mosaic.

Dave

Thanks for the compliments. Both of these are 60s unguided stacks for 2 hrs. I am always fighting high humidity, resulting in below average transparency. Also, after moving to Florida 18 months ago, I think I have had maybe 6 weeks of great skies. Not good after spending a fortune on building an observatory. But, it is what it is which is why I am learning more AP and moving away from just live viewing as the views alone are not very clear.

I appreciate any constructive feedback.

Nick- hope you get better skies soon. It is very frustrating.

Dave- a mosaic? Not yet- I need to get the fundamentals figured out first but great idea! She is a big DSO extending over 100 light years across- just amazing. I'll take M1 again close in at f/7 because she has great features like you said and color.

Thanks again for your kind words- it gives me encouragement to keep getting better!!

Reprocessed as I added a few more hours of the California Nebula (NGC 1499) for a total of 6 hrs vs the 2 hrs I posted above. I think this looks a little better but have steered at it so long that I am not sure anymore. It would be nice to capture nebulae like this on nights with above average transparency and seeing but I rarely get those.