JR's website on Deep Sky Astronomy

Meade Deep Sky Imager - Gallery 2

Second imaging session: finer images but still some problems

I spend two weeks planning the next session and processing the images from the former one. Raw images hid unexpected low-contrast surprises; I dare to say that this facet is more engaging that the capturing process. Even in the worst conditions, the DSI can go deeper than the human eye, and features beyond the visual perceptibility become tangible. Until now all sessions took place from the roof of my secondary house in Algar del Palancia, a village located 40 Km north of Valencia. The goal for future sessions is taking images from a truly dark place (e.g., Barracas), which implies powering both the computer and the telescope during a full night, which exceeds the capabilities of the car battery. I need to find a functional solution about the source of power, and the best alternative is not clear yet. On these two weeks I also bought the before mentioned focal reducer to turn the LX 200 in an F/D 3.3 system, and a Belkin USB2-to-RS232C adapter to connect the scope and the computer. Unfortunately, both accessories failed. On the one hand, I could not reach focus at F/D 3.3 with the current adapters, so I had to proceed at F/D 6.3 once more. On the other, although the Belkin adapter worked initially well, I get twice a severe windows error. The computer rebooted unexpectedly, when everything seemed working nicely, and this happened with latest release of windows XP drivers. In spite of it, the serial adapter is something essential. I have discovered pleasantly that the deep sky imager tracking system run very well with the LX 200 Classic (I though it couldn't because it was designed for LX200 GPS). Also, that a control panel utility, which I never used before, can easily send orders to the telescope. This remote control panel is more convenient than the keypad. In conclusion, I have to find a USB-to-serial wire, without the problems of the expensive and unreliable Belkin adapter.

The Ring Nebula, M 57 (NGC 6720)

18 53.6 +33 02 LYR PLNNB:4(3)/9.4m/86''X62''

Stacking 20 images of 10 seconds each. This is the first time I see clearly the central star, whose colour is intensely blue. Also, a second red star towards the western edge of the central hollow. The image requires a longer exposition but it is quite fine, anyway. The star resolution is also nice.

The Ring Nebula (enlarged)

This picture shows the former image at its original size, overlaying the magnitude of the accompanying stars. At least the 16.6 magnitude was reached (star lying in the same lower border of the picture, at the left of the 15.6m star).

The Moon northern terminator (5:00 U.T. 6 Feb 2005)

This time the image was taken at F/D 10, stacking very short exposures to face seeing effects. The unsharping mask in Photoshop reveals small features in the lunar terminator. The maximal height of the moon was modest, which obliged to take the picture in twilight conditions.

The barred spiral galaxy M 66

11 20.2 +12 60 LEO SBM/9.7m/9.1'x4.1'173ºAP

Stacking 20 images of 21 seconds each and a very heavy image processing allowed rising the spiral structure of this galaxy. Compare the image with the picture on the right, taken in the 21/01/2005 session. This time was no Moon, but the parasite lights were also very annoying, and the the slight mist covering the valley intensified their detrimental effects.

NGC 5194 (main in M 51 system)

13 29.9 +47 12 CVN SM/8.9m/10.8'X6.6'163ºAP

Stacking 25 images of 21 seconds each. The details in the spiral arms (dark lanes, nebulae and star clouds) are easier to see without the need of drastic processing techniques, applied in the previous session (image on the right). The parasite lights also prevented a darker background. I took another series stacking shorter exposures, but the results with 21 seconds were far better.

Jupiter and Io

Although the DSI is not particularly designed to take shots of planets, it can get interesting results. This is my first attempt to image Jupiter. 13 short exposures were added. The telescope was at F/D 10 to get a larger image.