David Joyce
Community Member
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David Joyce · published a post
almost 2 years ago
David Joyce · commented on 4 posts
almost 3 years ago
Yes, it’s a reference to the designation of this object in the Messier astronomical catalog. The catalog was compiled by Charles Messier in the 1700s.
This particular setup I’m using now, if I were to buy everything new would cost around $7500. I bought a lot of used products and did it modularly as to not incur the financial burden all at once. I began with much simpler gear which was a lot more inexpensive. Depending on your goals, you could get a decent setup for around $2500-3000. For nightscapes with the Milky Way as a background, a good DSLR and a star tracker is about all that is needed.
David Joyce · upvoted 14 items
almost 3 years ago
How powerful and expensive is your telescope? I might be able to buy one for myself someday
David Joyce · upvoted 15 items
almost 3 years ago
Think for a moment. Galaxies have billions of stars. Those stars have Goldilocks zones, and some have planets in said zone. Those planets may host intelligent life. Anyone who thinks Earth is unique in the fact that it has life is selfish. We have proof that small bacteria used to live on Mars even!
I wish they would turn them down at night but nope, they are too busy with vanity projects.
David Joyce · commented on 6 posts
almost 3 years ago
Thank you! Not as much total time as I’d really wanted but here are all the image details: - H: 54 x 120” (1h 48m) - O: 86 x 120” (2h 52m) - S: 62 x 120” (2h 4m) - 6h 44m total exposure time - Celestron 8” SCT - Celestron CGEM II - ZWO asi1600mm Pro - Svbony 60mm guide scope - ZWO asi224mc (guide camera) - ZWO AsiAir Plus - Celestron 0.63x Reducer/Field Flattener - Antlia 3nm narrowband filters
Thank you! I use software called Pixinsight to do all of my post-processing. I use a mono camera so I start with 3 different images, one each for hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur on narrowband targets. I remove the stars from each and colorize each channel typically mapping the colors in a SHO palette which is sulfur to red, hydrogen to green and oxygen to blue. From there it’s minor curves adjustments and color masks and light stretching and then add the stars back in. I need to do a YT video on my process!