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Galaxy Mosaic

Roland Christen
 

Hello AstroFolk,

I had another clear night last night with good seeing, a bit hazy. Was able to image another wide galaxy field in Coma Berenices. I added this to the M100 image from last week to make a 2 panel mosaic. 

https://www.astrobin.com/h8xhw8/

For each faint PGC galaxy there are half a dozen fainter and smaller galaxies surrounding it. Some are incredibly tiny, yet still show structure. There are also several really weird shaped ones, in particular PGC39318, which looks like it was twisted by some gigantic force (see image below).

PGC39318:



Even though the seeing was not 100%, the resolution of the tiny galaxies is quite nice. I like this little pair (NGC 4306, 4305):


--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
Andrew Burwell
 

Wow, everyone needs to view this image full size. That's an extremely respectable image of M100 with a ton of detail for a 110 refractor. And the whole image notated is comical at how many galaxies are captured in the single view.

-Andrew
Andrea Lucchetti
 

Very nice detail😊
Is this guided or just the result of a model?
Also one question about focusing: what are you using as controller/motor?
Thanks!

Il giorno dom 26 mar 2023 alle 04:59 Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> ha scritto:
Hello AstroFolk,

I had another clear night last night with good seeing, a bit hazy. Was able to image another wide galaxy field in Coma Berenices. I added this to the M100 image from last week to make a 2 panel mosaic. 


For each faint PGC galaxy there are half a dozen fainter and smaller galaxies surrounding it. Some are incredibly tiny, yet still show structure. There are also several really weird shaped ones, in particular PGC39318, which looks like it was twisted by some gigantic force (see image below).

PGC39318:



Even though the seeing was not 100%, the resolution of the tiny galaxies is quite nice. I like this little pair (NGC 4306, 4305):


--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

dvjbaja
 

I am very impressed by the fine detail within the galaxies.  NGC 4305 is quite interesting, and seldom imaged with longer focal lengths.  
Roland Christen
 

I focus by hand.

Rolando


-----Original Message-----
From: Andrea Lucchetti <andlucchett@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sun, Mar 26, 2023 4:37 am
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Very nice detail😊
Is this guided or just the result of a model?
Also one question about focusing: what are you using as controller/motor?
Thanks!

Il giorno dom 26 mar 2023 alle 04:59 Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> ha scritto:
Hello AstroFolk,

I had another clear night last night with good seeing, a bit hazy. Was able to image another wide galaxy field in Coma Berenices. I added this to the M100 image from last week to make a 2 panel mosaic. 


For each faint PGC galaxy there are half a dozen fainter and smaller galaxies surrounding it. Some are incredibly tiny, yet still show structure. There are also several really weird shaped ones, in particular PGC39318, which looks like it was twisted by some gigantic force (see image below).

PGC39318:



Even though the seeing was not 100%, the resolution of the tiny galaxies is quite nice. I like this little pair (NGC 4306, 4305):


--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
Greg Vaughn
 

Roland,

 

This is quite spectacular!   With the plate-solving solution overlay turned on, the annotation nearly obscures the entire field, even when you magnify it by clicking on the image.  With the overlay turned off and the image magnified to full resolution, I am struck by the number of easily identifiable galaxies and also by the beautiful star shapes all the way out to the edges of the frame!

 

A fabulous result from an instrument you (and those lucky lottery entrants) can be very proud of!

 

Nicely done and thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers,

Greg

 

Greg Vaughn

Alexandria, VA


Virus-free.www.avast.com
Roland Christen
 

Thanks. The star shapes aren't all that great due to sensor tilt. I don't have a way to fix that here, but have been thinking about a way to do it. Will look at it when I get back to the company next week.

Rolando


-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Vaughn <gregvaughn@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sun, Mar 26, 2023 11:14 am
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Roland,
 
This is quite spectacular!   With the plate-solving solution overlay turned on, the annotation nearly obscures the entire field, even when you magnify it by clicking on the image.  With the overlay turned off and the image magnified to full resolution, I am struck by the number of easily identifiable galaxies and also by the beautiful star shapes all the way out to the edges of the frame!
 
A fabulous result from an instrument you (and those lucky lottery entrants) can be very proud of!
 
Nicely done and thanks for sharing.
 
Cheers,
Greg
 
Greg Vaughn
Alexandria, VA

Virus-free.www.avast.com

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
midmoastro
 

I think my favorite is in the top right hand corner, zoom in to 100%.  NGC 4216. The core just seems to bubble up out of the center with a dome of light over the top. Incredible.  Nice work on this Roland.
Todd
Emilio J. Robau, P.E.
 

Wow,

Just catching up to this.   I am throwing all of my automated focusers away and going to focus by hand.  That is funny.  You mean there is something that AI or automation can't do better?  Sometimes I think myself that I can focus better than NINA for sure.  Bill would say not as good as Voyager.  Either one lacks from time to time, but the eye and the hand can do quite well.   It seems like I have to stay up most of the night anyways.   

Just a beautiful outstanding field of view and image.  A lot of us are out in this part of the sky these nights but few have access to your skies and your beautiful new creation.   

Very cool
Tom Blahovici
 

Roland,
It would be great if Astro-Physics could design a decent tilt adapter.  One that is no more than 1 CM thick and one that does not leak light.
The current offerings are less than ideal.
Tom
Tom Blahovici
 

oops.. not to mention that it could be adjusted from the side and not requiring tear down of everything.
Roland Christen
 

Yes, I hear you. I want one also that is intuitive.

Roland

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Blahovici <tom.va2fsq@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Mon, Mar 27, 2023 2:07 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Roland,
It would be great if Astro-Physics could design a decent tilt adapter.  One that is no more than 1 CM thick and one that does not leak light.
The current offerings are less than ideal.
Tom

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
M Hambrick
 

Mega dittos on the Astro-Physics tilt adapter ! Where's the sign-up sheet ?

Mike
Konstantin von Poschinger
 

Hi Roland,

did you see the Tilter M68 from Baader?

Grüsse

Konstantin


Konstantin v. Poschinger


Hammerichstr. 5
22605 Hamburg
040/8805747
0171/1983476

Am 28.03.2023 um 03:06 schrieb Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>:


Yes, I hear you. I want one also that is intuitive.

Roland

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Blahovici <tom.va2fsq@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Mon, Mar 27, 2023 2:07 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Roland,
It would be great if Astro-Physics could design a decent tilt adapter.  One that is no more than 1 CM thick and one that does not leak light.
The current offerings are less than ideal.
Tom

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

M Hambrick
 

Hi Roland

A few of questions on your focusing technique:

  1. Do you use only the FWHM of a star in your image to determine when you have reached the best focus, or do you apply some other criteria (e.g. visual) ?
  2. Do you use a sub-frame at high magnification when you are focusing ?
  3. When you make adjustments to the focuser how far do you move it ? I am assuming that you have some kind of mark on the fine focus knob, and then move it relative to the "teeth" on the coarse adjustment knob.
Mike
Roland Christen
 

I use both FWHM and max reading on a sub-frame. Maxim DL allows you to save that subframe automatically so you can go back to it periodically. 
I also have placed blue tape arrows on my focusing knob with temperature written on each knob position so I have a starting point. Then I just move the knob 1/2 of a tooth on the fine knob for each reading. When the seeing is perfect I can nail it exactly. When not perfect the minimum spot position is vague, so I usually set it inward a bit which helps compensate for temp drops. Under real good seeing I get 1.0 - 1.2 pixel star sizes in a 2 second focus exposure. Then for a 5 - 10 minute deep exposure it usually comes out around 1.5 pixel star sizes.

Roland


-----Original Message-----
From: M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Tue, Mar 28, 2023 4:33 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Hi Roland

A few of questions on your focusing technique:

  1. Do you use only the FWHM of a star in your image to determine when you have reached the best focus, or do you apply some other criteria (e.g. visual) ?
  2. Do you use a sub-frame at high magnification when you are focusing ?
  3. When you make adjustments to the focuser how far do you move it ? I am assuming that you have some kind of mark on the fine focus knob, and then move it relative to the "teeth" on the coarse adjustment knob.
Mike

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
M Hambrick
 

Thanks Roland

And yes, I forgot to mention the Max Value.

For a given imaging train (scope - flattener - filter - camera), and assuming the object is at infinity, is the optimum focus primarily a function temperature ? 

Mike
Roland Christen
 

Yes.

Roland


-----Original Message-----
From: M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Wed, Mar 29, 2023 4:37 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Galaxy Mosaic

Thanks Roland

And yes, I forgot to mention the Max Value.

For a given imaging train (scope - flattener - filter - camera), and assuming the object is at infinity, is the optimum focus primarily a function temperature ? 

Mike

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

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