ASTRO: wide-field centered on Scutum star cloud

Image with Canon Rebel DSLR and Tamaron 28-200mm lens on an Orion EQ-1
mount. A five minute exposure taken at Indian Lake NY on Aug 13, 2006. West
is at the top and the area starts at the left with northern Sagittarius and
runs right (north) thru Scutum, and Serpens Cauda into southern Aquila.

If anyone is considering getting one of these cameras for similar imaging,
note that the original full resolution images are notabley better than this
compressed version. The 'advantage' of this set-up over a 'normal' astro CCD
camera is no need for PC (while imaging) and both the camera and mount work
on small batteries and you can carry the whole rig in one hand. The other
advantage is cost. Of course a CCD camera and small APO on a high quality
mount will give better results, but at more cost and more difficulty in
taking to a remote wilderness location. For example taking this image
required that I walk a short but steep and rugged trail to get to the
observing area. (When the bears show up in involves *running* on the
trail!!)

George N

For some reason that one is very green. Don't think you have any light
pollution there from what you say so don't understand where it came
from. I'm not very good at adjusting color but tried to tone it down
and make the background dark gray rather than green. Not sure what that
does to G2 stars however. Since you have mentioned you are red green
color blind I could see how you miss it -- and V Aquila as well.

A lot of M objects there too.

Rick


George Normandin wrote:
Image with Canon Rebel DSLR and Tamaron 28-200mm lens on an Orion EQ-1
mount. A five minute exposure taken at Indian Lake NY on Aug 13, 2006. West
is at the top and the area starts at the left with northern Sagittarius and
runs right (north) thru Scutum, and Serpens Cauda into southern Aquila.

If anyone is considering getting one of these cameras for similar imaging,
note that the original full resolution images are notabley better than this
compressed version. The 'advantage' of this set-up over a 'normal' astro CCD
camera is no need for PC (while imaging) and both the camera and mount work
on small batteries and you can carry the whole rig in one hand. The other
advantage is cost. Of course a CCD camera and small APO on a high quality
mount will give better results, but at more cost and more difficulty in
taking to a remote wilderness location. For example taking this image
required that I walk a short but steep and rugged trail to get to the
observing area. (When the bears show up in involves *running* on the
trail!!)

George N

"Rick Johnson" wrote
...
For some reason that one is very green. Don't think you have any light
pollution there from what you say so don't understand where it came
from..........

Rick,

How's this? Less green, but is it too red?

There's no light pollution other than natural sky glow. The moon was just
below the horizon. I ran the color thru a "color stretching" routine in IRIS
and that might have added too much green. Otherwise I just took what came
out of the camera since this was the first time I've used it. I believe some
folks have done some testing and have recommended color adjustments for the
Canon Rebel, and I could have adjusted for the altitude, but this camera
cuts off red so much I'm not sure what I'd get. If I use this camera in
future I'll probably save the files in RAW to have better data to work with.

George N

Not too red on my monitor. Much better than before, still seems a bit
green to me. See what others say. RAW eats memory cards but has no
loss. I don't have a good digital camera that goes into the dark so
never played with sky images. Guess I should get one as up here we have
some nice aurora and with the sun about to start up the next cycle I
should be ready. Still have the old film cameras but no darkroom any
more. I don't feel right letting someone else develop my film after 40
years of doing it myself. But no developer rash on the fingers any
more! I never could use tongs.

Rick


George Normandin wrote:
"Rick Johnson" wrote
...

For some reason that one is very green. Don't think you have any light
pollution there from what you say so don't understand where it came
from..........


Rick,

How's this? Less green, but is it too red?

There's no light pollution other than natural sky glow. The moon was just
below the horizon. I ran the color thru a "color stretching" routine in IRIS
and that might have added too much green. Otherwise I just took what came
out of the camera since this was the first time I've used it. I believe some
folks have done some testing and have recommended color adjustments for the
Canon Rebel, and I could have adjusted for the altitude, but this camera
cuts off red so much I'm not sure what I'd get. If I use this camera in
future I'll probably save the files in RAW to have better data to work with.

George N