M74 Spiral Galaxy in Picese

Date: 10/20/2007

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

Guiding: C8, .63 focal reduce, 2000mm, F10, 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 300d prime focus.

Focusing: Manual on star.

Exposures: (5) lights 4 min raw 1600 ISO, (5) darks raw, (5) bias raw, (0) 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, Neat image noise reduction, converted to JPEG for web.

Comments: Wind was the main problem. The Celestron focal reducer is not flat on the edges.