Re: [APML] March results

["Robert Gendler" <robgendler@worldnet.att.net>]

Jeff,
Very cool images. Although all are fine I really enjoyed the widefield
M51 with all the background galaxies and of course the h-alpha
Rosette with that incredible dynamic range. Great stuff.
Rob Gendler
Email: robgendler@att.net
Web site: http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Ball" <jeffball@zoominternet.net>
To: "Astro-Photo" <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2003 7:26 PM
Subject: [APML] March results


> Hello all,
> Hope all is well.  Finally getting finished on March.  We have had a very
> nice break after a rough winter.
>
> The first image is mainly a test of a new Pentax 300mm lens for the 6x7.
I
> shot this wide open at f4.  The image I am linking to is a crop of the
most
> interesting part of the image.  The winter Milky Way with a nearly quarter
> moon is not the best time for this lens.  I am intending to use it this
> summer on the Milky Way.  There is definitely some coma in the corners,
but
> not too bad.  I focused with my usual loop on the screen and found a spot
> just barely shy of the infinity mark to be about right.  These images were
> from 10-30 minutes in duration.  I am hoping to expose a little longer at
> New Mexico skies.
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/rosette_cone.htm
>
>
> I shot some Halpha of the swiftly moving winter Milky Way objects and was
> left with my TV101 on the mount as the galaxies came rolling across the
sky.
> So, I shot some wide field galaxy shots.
>
> This is an RGB from PPF with ST10 CCD of M81/82.  Be easy, it is only
540mm
> focal length.  I found the analog gain adjustment with the Nikon scanner
to
> be of use again.  I scanned the negatives with two different settings
which
> gave me two different core exposures to work with.  It was like layering
CCD
> image data from the same exposure.  That is one big advantage I have found
> with CCD data.  The ability to stretch the 16 bit data and save at various
> intervals and then layer the darker stretches on top of the brighter
> stretches of the same image is very easy.  The analog gain feature is
useful
> for film in the same manner.
> http://www.astro-photography.com/m81_lrgb.htm
>
> Here is a black and white M51.  There seems to be a large concentration of
> small galaxies to the right of the bright star.  The 100% enlargement
shows
> this better.
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/m51_small_wide.htm
>
> 100% enlargement
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/m51_large_wide.htm
>
> I enjoyed some actual viewing thru the AP 130f8 the other night.  It was
> awesome to look thru an eyepiece again.  But, I just had to put a camera
on.
> I went with the digital camera.  Now, I am waiting for some slides and
print
> film to be processed of the Moon I shot the same night.  I am hoping to
> catch the subtle lunar colorations.  I will post next week with a digital
> vs. print/slide film comparison on the moon.  I wanted to get a large
print
> from the film/slide, but may be forced to rez up the digital camera file
if
> it wins in overall sharpness.
>
> This is a fully automatic shot with the Nikon 995.  I only applied unsharp
> mask.  I think the coloration in Aristarchus is quite detectable.  I felt
> that this processing captured the Moon as I saw it visually.
>
> Full Moon
> http://www.astro-photography.com/natural_fullmoon.htm
>
> Aristarchus close-up
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/aristarchus.htm
>
> Jupiter processed to capture the view through the eyepiece that I had this
> night.  I had a chance to use ImagesPlus on the stacking of these images
and
> it is extremely easy to do.  Thanks to Mike Unsold for a great program.  I
> look forward to learning more about it.
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/jupiter_march.htm
>
>
> I did not think I was going to get this object, but windows opened for
> Rosette in Halpha.  I tried putting color from film with this and it just
is
> not working out.
>
> http://www.astro-photography.com/rosette_halpha.htm
>
> I shot the Cone region in Halpha and only got about 2 hours which does not
> seem to be enough to process the way I would like.
>
> Hope you like them.  Any comments welcome.
>
> Jeff Ball
> www.astro-photography.com
>
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