IC 1296 and more

[RickJ]

This galaxy is 200 million light years away so needs a night of good seeing to get much. Unfortunately, normally I have lousy seeing. In three years of trying seeing just hasn't allow it. One night for an hour seeing was far better than normal. Unfortunately after an hour it went bad rapidly. When imaging with 1x1 binning I need 4 times the exposure I use at 2x2 for similar noise levels. So this is noisier than I'd like but after waiting two months for seeing to improve I gave up and went with what I had.

Most shots of this galaxy show only the spiral arms with a hint of the disk they are embedded in. I was happy to see that even with my limited exposure time I was able to pick up some detail in this disk including star clouds near the rim of the disk. This must be a spectacular sight for any viewer located only 10 or 20 million light years from it rather than the 200 million light years we view it from.

Oh yes, M57 seems to have crept into the image as well. The lack of exposure time really hurt it's outer shells.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=3x20' binned 1x1, RGB=3x10' binned 2x2, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Original image was 4008x2672 pixels. I only processed the center 2004x1336. That can be seen at:
http://www.spacebanter.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2165&stc=1
Many more background galaxies are in it than this cropped version. Both are at 0.5" per pixel.

Rick

[kvwood]

Great shot Rick. For the exposure you we're able to end up with, you got some great resolution in ic1296.

You have really been prolific with your images lately. Thanks for sharing so many interesting objects

Kent

[bunker9603]

Another great shot Rick. Your targets always seem to be well planned out ahead of time. I was wondering how far in advance do you schedule what you are going to shoot?

Rick

[RickJ]

I have a "to-do" list arranged in RA order (it has over 200 objects on it at present with far more to add as space permits). I don't plan the night ahead of time at all. I check the seeing, check the time and then check the list for what is well positioned for the seeing at that time. Only transient events like a near earth asteroid pass are down for any particular night and time. Weather and seeing usually dictate what I take. That and filling in partial images cut short by weather previous nights. But again, if seeing and location are against that object I go to something else. So no plan, just lots of ideas to check.

Rick

[chrissy]

WOW! Rick that is a beauty, thank you for sharing it.

clear skies

chrissy

[andyschlei]

Rick,

That's a great shot. You are right, that would be an amazing sight if we were closer.

--Andy

[JAICOA]

A super fine image it is Rick, never noticed another distant galaxy top left of the photo. The galaxy on your image shows lots of details. Very impressive like always, Clear Skies my friend.

[winensky]

At that distance, a superb effort picking up that detail. And I thought my "to do" list was ambitious!