ASTRO: A whale of a galaxy NGC 4631

When I took this last year a port cap had fallen off a port on my system
letting in light. This put nasty gradients on the image. It also
allowed in moisture which froze on the front of the optical window
causing even more problems. I managed to salvage something but it was
way too blue as it was red light from LED's on the focuser that was
giving me the gradients. Getting rid of that got rid of too much red.

So I was going to redo it this year. But the only clear nights had
moonlight. Fortunately it wasn't high and was only 5 days old when I
took this so the gradients weren't too bad. I'm starting to learn how
to deal with them. What with being snowed in here -- nothing in or out
now for over a week as the roads are impassible --- I've had time to
work on some of these images and the results are better than I expected.
This is another galaxy that needs H-alpha. Maybe next year.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10', RGB=2x10' binned 3x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Rick, nice shot.
Here the nights are beautifull... like never before (since i sold my
telescope...and waiting for the RCX400 to arrive).

reg,
Dirk
\


"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
...
When I took this last year a port cap had fallen off a port on my system
letting in light. This put nasty gradients on the image. It also
allowed in moisture which froze on the front of the optical window
causing even more problems. I managed to salvage something but it was
way too blue as it was red light from LED's on the focuser that was
giving me the gradients. Getting rid of that got rid of too much red.

So I was going to redo it this year. But the only clear nights had
moonlight. Fortunately it wasn't high and was only 5 days old when I
took this so the gradients weren't too bad. I'm starting to learn how
to deal with them. What with being snowed in here -- nothing in or out
now for over a week as the roads are impassible --- I've had time to
work on some of these images and the results are better than I expected.
This is another galaxy that needs H-alpha. Maybe next year.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10', RGB=2x10' binned 3x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount
ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

DvandenH wrote:
Rick, nice shot.
Here the nights are beautifull... like never before (since i sold my
telescope...and waiting for the RCX400 to arrive).

reg,
Dirk

You're scope's computer crash certainly was poorly timed. (Is there a
good time for it?) When it arrives it will not hardly be dark enough to
image for very long. Jupiter will be too low for you and Saturn gone.
My skies are vanishing rapidly and I'm not as far north as you are.

At least your tulips are probably blooming. Our snow is about gone,
still half meter deep in sheltered spots. But turning everything to mud
as all that moisture is added to the frost leaving the ground. Of
course it is clear with a super bright moon shining off the ice/snow
covered lake. But the clouds are to return tonight for a while. Snow
melting makes rolling the roof impossible as it would melt into the
observatory with ice clogged gutters. Think this miserable weather has
been nearly world wide from the lack of images here and in other forums
this winter.

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Great detail and colour Rick. Can't see why you would need Halpha frames,
the HII regions stand out well.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
When I took this last year a port cap had fallen off a port on my system
letting in light. This put nasty gradients on the image. It also
allowed in moisture which froze on the front of the optical window
causing even more problems. I managed to salvage something but it was
way too blue as it was red light from LED's on the focuser that was
giving me the gradients. Getting rid of that got rid of too much red.

So I was going to redo it this year. But the only clear nights had
moonlight. Fortunately it wasn't high and was only 5 days old when I
took this so the gradients weren't too bad. I'm starting to learn how
to deal with them. What with being snowed in here -- nothing in or out
now for over a week as the roads are impassible --- I've had time to
work on some of these images and the results are better than I expected.
This is another galaxy that needs H-alpha. Maybe next year.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10', RGB=2x10' binned 3x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount
ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

looks great Rick

Rick Johnson wrote:
When I took this last year a port cap had fallen off a port on my system
letting in light. This put nasty gradients on the image. It also
allowed in moisture which froze on the front of the optical window
causing even more problems. I managed to salvage something but it was
way too blue as it was red light from LED's on the focuser that was
giving me the gradients. Getting rid of that got rid of too much red.

So I was going to redo it this year. But the only clear nights had
moonlight. Fortunately it wasn't high and was only 5 days old when I
took this so the gradients weren't too bad. I'm starting to learn how
to deal with them. What with being snowed in here -- nothing in or out
now for over a week as the roads are impassible --- I've had time to
work on some of these images and the results are better than I expected.
This is another galaxy that needs H-alpha. Maybe next year.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10', RGB=2x10' binned 3x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


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--
John N. Gretchen III
N5JNG NCS304
http://www.tisd.net/~jng3