M33 Triangulum Spiral Galaxy in Triangulum

Date: 11/2/2007

Location: Tierra Del Sol, California

Conditions: 40% moon, seeing 7/10, transparency 6/10, temperature 55-65 F, very dry night, wind 5-20 mpg.

Telescope: C8, .63 focal reduce, 2000mm, F10, prime focus, no diagonal

Guiding: TV85, 600mm, F7, prime focus, no diagonal, camera The Images Source 24AF04.AS, PHD software

Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used to polar align.

Camera: Canon Rebel 40d prime focus.

Focusing: Manual on star using LIVE FOCUS viewing done on laptop using Canon Utility software.

Exposures: (12) lights 5 min raw 1600 ISO, (6) darks raw, (6) bias raw, (6) flats raw.

Processing: IP 2.82 - converted raw to FITS, dark bias frame calibrated, centroid 2 pt align-rotate, combine median, digital development, convert to 16 bit TIFF, PS CS , white balance, neutralize sky, black balance, color enhance, , SMI routine, highlights enhance, Neat image noise reduction, converted to JPEG for web.

Comments: Definitely an improvement over my last M33. Wind was the main problem. The Celestron focal reducer is not flat on the edges.

M33 Triangulum Spiral Galaxy in Triangulum

Date: 10/22/2006

Location: Vallecito County Park, California

Conditions: 0% moon, seeing 8/10, transparency 7/10, temperature 75-55 F, very dry night.

Telescope: TV85, 600mm, F7, prime focus, no diagonal

Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used, then drift aligned using a C8 with a 10mm reticule ep at 200 magnification, taking about 1 hour to do.

Camera: Canon Rebel 300d prime focus.

Focusing: Manual on star using right angle Canon 2.5 magnifying view finder.

Exposures: (3) 2 min raw 800 ISO, (4) 4 min raw, 800 ISO

Processing: IP 2.75 - converted raw to FITS, dark frame calibrated, centroid 2 pt align-rotate, combine median, digital development, convert to 16 bit TIFF, PS CS , auto levels, auto color, auto contrast, color hue- saturation, cropped, sharpen edges, mild unsharp mask, converted to JPEG.

Comments: Very poor photo. My alignment and focus needs improvement. More data would also help.