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Messier Catalog - M27 - Dumbell Nebula


Constellation: Vulpecula

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August 30, 2006.

LRGB image using the Ha image from July 28 as luminance.
Added 2x2 binning Art285 RGB exposures
R: 7x120s, G: 7x120s, B: 9x120s

Calibration with bias/darks/flats using ImageTOOLSca, stacked with K3CCDTools
LRGB processing with IRIS and Photoshop CS 2
Conversion to JPG with ImageTOOLSca

July 28, 2006.

C8 @ F6, 5x300s 2x2 binning, Astronomik Ha Calibration with bias/darks/flats using ImageTOOLSca, stacked with K3CCDTools

Autoguiding with SC3 and FS60c

August 08, 2005.

July 28, 2005.

SC3 camera, H-alpha, F3

August 14, 2004.

SC3 camera, H-alpha, F10

August 14, 2004.

SC3 camera H-alpha, ~F6

October 02, 2003.
Scope/mount: C8/Vixen Super Polaris Cameras: Vesta 675K SC3 BW and Vesta 690 SC3 Colour, using Mogg 0.6x focal reducer. Captured with K3CCDTools: 75x40sec colour + 40x40sec b/w No guiding, but using PEC (trained with webcam)

Image processing is simplified LRGB. Each capture was processed separately in Registax2 and the end results combined in Photoshop, using the B/W imageĻ as luminosity component.

September 29, 2003.
The M27 image was shot using the b/w camera and a Mogg 0.6 reducer resulting in approximately an f/6 system. I shot 23 frames at 15.8 seconds, and stacked 20 of them, plus subtracted a stacked dark frame (processing in K3CCDTools). Finally, some noise reduction in Neat Image and histogram stretching and Photoshop. No artificial cooling was employed, as the cooling power wasn't available and the ambient temperature was -3C at night (frost on the ground).

All images below were shot with my old Vesta 675K SC1 camera (uncooled). Also, at this time, I had no PEC to correct the tracking. The controller was a Vixen SD-1 and a single MT-1 RA motor.

M27, The Dumbell Nebula in Vulpecula, August 15, 2002. The first really successful image of this planetary nebula. 110 x 25 seconds, C8, F/3.3. Processing in Registax. Better focus this time!
M27, The Dumbell Nebula in Vulpecula, August 13, 2002. This was my first attempt at this planetary nebula. 90 x 20 seconds, C8, F/3.3. Processing in Registax and IRIS. The image is plagued by mediocre focus and "cold pixel" problems. See the August 15 image for a much better result.