Horsehead M106 Horsehead

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(Click here for my widefield image from 03/23/2002)


Date: March 10, 2004
Exposure: LRGB 120:30:30:30 : 12 x 300s + 6 x 600 L, 3 x 600s R, G, B
Processing: CCDSoftV5 for image acquisition, MaxIm DL/CCD for calibration and combining. Lum layer average combine + 2 iterations with CCDSharp. RGB and Lum converted to TIFF and combined in Photoshop CS. Levels and curves adjustment with a saturation boost of 6% to bring up the color.
Conditions: Clear, fair transparency, poor seeing
Scope: C14 @ f/6.6
Camera: SBIG ST-8XE/CFW-8A, -25°
Comments: Humidity was low and no wind. This is my first light on the C14 since installing the Software Bisque mirror locking collar. Collimation is tough around here as the seeing is rarely steady enough to see any diffraction rings, but it seems to be pretty close. Guiding with the internal guide chip still produces the roundest stars. The guide scope will keep round stars for about 5 min. then something flexes and I haven't found it yet, but I am getting closer.