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Posts Made By: Larry Durst

January 31, 2005 04:09 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Another Horsehead

Posted By Larry Durst
After enjoying all of your excellent images, thought I'd finally share some of my own. Here's a Horsehead shot on Friday. Starlight Xpress MX716 on a Meade LX90 with Meade 3.3 Focal Reducer, Schuler Ha filter, 70 minutes of 30 and 40 second subs. Acquisition and processing in AstroArt3. It was my first Ha shot, and it's truly an amazing filter. I hope you enjoy it,
Larry Durst

January 31, 2005 04:15 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

And another M42

Posted By Larry Durst
Here's a Great Orion Nebula from a couple of weeks ago. Again, the MX716 on an LX90 at around 3.3, with True Technology filters. It's my second LRGB attempt, time of about 20:12:12:12 total. Processing in AstroArt3 with some tweaking of the luminance (histrogram shaping)in AIP. Thanks again for letting me share,
Larry Durst

March 3, 2005 02:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

My first M1

Posted By Larry Durst
Hi All,
I was quite excited to finally capture this one--was a little afraid my image scale at f/3 on an LX90 would be too small. But it showed up fine. This has been cropped quite a bit to avoid all the coma from my 3.3 focal reducer. This shot actually involved the least processing I've ever used--trying to sharpen the Luminance even a bit just made it too harsh. HaRGB 80:12:12:13 (then I lost my race with the trees!) all :30 subs, colors binned 2X2. MX716, acquired and processed in AstroArt 3.
As always, any hints to improve are more than welcome. Frankly, they're necessary! (Still aiming to imitate the amazing work consistently posted on this group.)
Thanks for looking,
Larry Durst

March 24, 2005 09:58 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Mini Borg Opinions Anyone?

Posted By Larry Durst
I'm looking to piggyback the lightest possible refractor on my LX90 for wide field imaging using a Starlight Xpress MX716. The Mini Borgs seem to fit this bill. Any opinions on the Mini Borg 50 and Mini 45 ED would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Larry

April 18, 2005 07:03 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

New NGC4565

Posted By Larry Durst
Hi All,
Thought I'd brave the amazing images posted here recently and share my most recent. Starlight Xpress MX716 through an unguided LX90 at f/6.3, 30 second subexposures. I had trouble with flats, so couldn't get rid of some gradients. Comments and suggestions are welcome and, indeed, necessary.
Larry

April 18, 2005 07:05 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

And an M3

Posted By Larry Durst
This M3 was my first LRGB attempt at a globular cluster. Can't quite figure out the colors! MX716 on an unguided LX90, 15 second subs. True Technology filters. Thanks for looking,
Larry

April 29, 2005 01:50 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC4565

Posted By Larry Durst
Hi All,
Amazingly the galaxy just fit into the frame (LX90 at f/6.3) at this angle (didn't even have to reorient the camera--just got lucky). It's 104x:30 with a Starlight Xpress MX716. Acquired and processed in AstroArt3. Some gradient and dust issues which I couldn't flatten out due to bad flats, thus I couldn't really push the contrast as much as I'd like.
Thanks for looking,
Larry Durst

May 2, 2005 03:51 PM Forum: Refractors

Which William Optics Zenithstar 66?

Posted By Larry Durst
Hi All,
I'm an SCT owner about to get my first refractor. Will piggyback on an LX90 and use for some visual and lots of widefield imaging. My requirements have been cost, weight and quality. I'd been thinking about a Mini Borg, but after seeing the William Optics Zenithstar 66 at NEAF I really like the look and feel of them, and the specs seem right. My current dilemma: they have two models: an f6.2 semi-APO "pezval" design for $299 and an f7 APO ED triplet design for $485. Any thoughts on the relative merits? Willam at WO says both are fine for imaging but I was wondering if I would be sorry in the long run if I went with the cheaper model, although for imaging I do like the faster f ratio and wider field it would produce.
Thanks for any input to this rather long and rambling request!
Larry

May 13, 2005 07:04 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Combining Two Night's Data?

Posted By Larry Durst
Hi All,
I plan to add more data tonight for an M100 I shot the other day--just feel I need more on my lum. Question: how should I add the data? (I use AstroArt3.) In other words, if I align the two different nights separately to create two different masters, then combine those two masters together, is it the same as if I did one big stack of the individual frames? The former would be my choice since it makes aligning much easier (I'm shooting 30 second unguided, so it's a lot of subimages!) Also, if I were to make two masters, would adding be preferable to averaging the two together? Or is averaging okay, too?
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Larry

January 3, 2006 06:18 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

First Light with Zenithstar 66

Posted By Larry Durst
I have been not had much time for imaging--let alone posting--in some time. But I just received a new William Optics Zenithstar 66 SD and actually had a few hours of clear skies merely three days after taking delivery. Here is my first light image of M42. LRGB or 9.5/5/5/5 minutes, 30 second subs, MX716 camera piggbacked on an LX90. Acquired and processed in AstroArt with final curves in Gimp. I'll post portion of the Rosette from the same night separately.
Thanks for looking,
Larry

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