Good old M42

Imaged last night in my yard with a high res high pixel astro camera. Although M42 is imaged more than any nebula and is very bright and visible, it is a challenge to do well so I gave it another shot last night.

Specific Feedback Requested

Any appreciated

Technical Details

aasi2600 astro camera with 71gt scope.
500mm effective focal length.
EQM-35 mount, Asiair plus controlled.
100-10 sec.
100-30 sec.
20-60 sec.
Stack in App, PP in Pixinsight, Capture one, Photoshop.

3 Likes

It may be photographed a lot, but it is just so beautiful that I never tire of seeing it. This is really beautiful Dan. I like being able to see the details in the bright core. But I especially like seeing the faint blue and rust color dust/gas clouds surrounding the main nebula. All a great benefit of the multiple exposure settings. Bravo!

Great image, @Dan_Kearl. Everything came out very well. I have not tried asiair but my friend likes it a lot. Did you also use a filter on this photo? Looking at NGC 1973 I wondered if you had. The filters these days really boost the emission nebula very well these days. You are right about being a hard object to capture because the core is so bright. What you did paid off.

Thanks Dean, yes I used a Radian quad band filter, expensive but worth every penny, I can shoot in the city in full moonlight like I am in Bortle 1.

Holy cow!! What an amazing look here! I see it as a tulip shape with the bright core down at the base – it’s never registered for me that way before!