M45, IC1396, Daytime Moon, The Sun in white light

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The Pleiades (M45):

During my two week astrophotography trip to Portugal, I would often use M45 for focusing etc. during periods of semi clear skies and over the course of the fortnight I collated around 70 minutes of reasonable RGB data in various batches, which I later integrated and processed using Pixinsight. The data were collected using NINA via an ASI 533MM Pro camera and EFW attached to an Altair 60EDF doublet refractor fitted with a 0.8 x FR. The scope was driven by an iOptron IEQ 30 Pro mount, guided by an ASI 462MC camera and an SVBONY SV 165 guide scope.

The Elephant Trunk nebula (IC1396)

Whilst on an SAS field trip to Alentejo Portugal, I had the opportunity to use a fellow SAS member's Sky-Watcher HAC 125DX scope and another member's ASI 533 MC camera to carry out some live stacking of the Elephant's Trunk nebula using SharpCap. The scope were drive by an EQ6 mount with focusing done manually by eye and during several experimental runs of live stacking I also captured 23 minutes worth of FITS data which I later integrated in Pixinsight. Due to the fast (F2) optics and dark sky location, an astonishing amount of detail was able to be captured for such a short exposure. The data were integrated and processed in Pixinsight.

 

Daytime Moon:

On the 27th October a Sky-Watcher HAC 125DX scope and an ASI 533MC camera were used to capture a 1,000 frame SER of the Moon using SharpCap. Some 20% of the frames were stacked in Autostakkert!4 and sharpened using IMPG, with final processing done in Adobe Lightroom.

The Sun in White Light:

On the 26th October I used a Sony ZV-E10 vlogging camera and a 350mm lens covered with OD5 Baader film to image the Sun in white light from Alentejo Portugal. Some 19 x ARW's were taken at 1/500s, F6.3 & ISO 50. The data were pre processed in Imaging Edge to convert to Tiffs, 100% of the frames were then stacked in Autostakkert!4, wavelet processed in Registax with false colour applied in Pixinsight Solar Toolbox and final processing done in Adobe Photoshop.

Chris Bowden