ST8-XE CCD Images taken at Grove Creek Observatory, Australia

SBIG ST-8XME CCD Images from the Grove Creek Observatory

IMAGE OF THE MONTH!
(Reduced by 50% - click to view full res 1485x996 pixels)
The above image of NGC2070 "Tarantula Nebula", was taken using a 1 hour
exposure on the C14 @ Bin1x1, through a 13nm Hydrogen Alpha, combined with
Red, Green and Blue filters, with a 10 minute exposure through each filter - dark subtracted.
Considered one of the best images we have ever taken through the C14 with the ST8!

"Skylive Telescope 6"
Celestron C-14 Schmidt Cassegrain
Astro-Physics 1200GTO Mount
SBIG ST-8XME and CFW-10a Filter Wheel
Focal Length = 2,457mm Aperture = 356mm Focal Ratio = f/6.92
Field of View = 12.8 x 19.2^mins. Image Scale = 0.75^secs/pixel
R G B Ha SII OIII and BVR filters Installed

Click on the icons to bring the images to full size - just a very small part of our library:


NGC2070 HaRGB	NGC104	M27 RGB	M20 Ha	M20 RGB

M104	NGC253 RGB	M83	NGC5128	NGC4945

M8 RGB	M8 Ha	M16 Ha	M16 RGB	NGC6872

Can you help this non-profit project? Currently, we have a SBIG ST8-XME installed on the C14.
The results from this camera show just what could be possible with a larger field of view and a
better pixel-matched CCD camera chip, like the STL-1001E. We could then put the ST8-XME
back on Telescope 5 - as the current ST-10 on that telescope is not optimal. With a KAF-1001E,
RGBLHa 2" filters, we would gain a 300% increase in FOV to 34^min square and 250% more sensitivity!
If you think you might be able to help, please email Ivan Bellia at skylive@skylive.it


Current ST-8 Field of View on C14	Proposed STL-1001E Field of View on C14

"Skylive Telescope 5"
12" Meade Classic LX-200 Schmidt Cassegrain
SBIG ST-8XME and CFW-8a Filter Wheel
Focal Length = 1,722mm Aperture = 300mm Focal Ratio = f/5.74
Field of View = 18.3 x 27.5^mins Image Scale = 1.08^secs/pixel
R G B Ha filters Installed

Click on the icons to bring the images to full size:


M42 RGB	M57 RGB	M83 RGB	NGC 253 RGB	NGC2070 RGB

M99 RGB	M104 RGB	NGC4945 RGB	M8 - Ha	NGC5139 RGB

NGC1365 RGB	NGC1851 RGB	NGC2442 RGB	NGC3372 RGB	NGC5128 RGB

The following ST-8 images were taken on the 12" Meade LX-200
when in use for the "Wheaton Project":
Click on the icons to bring the images to full size:

M42 by Alex Shvonski
This image is a combination of many different exposures. I took 30 one second exposures of M42, which were combined to make one clear image that was very crisp. I then took one 30 second coloured image with each of the 3 different filters. In maxim dl, these images were first combined, then screen stretched to attain the correct contrast. A feature in maxim dl, which is called "digital development", then allowed me to bring out the background light. Similarly, I used a feature called "unsharp mask" to adjust the foreground light so that it was not too bright. Finally, I used "colour adjust" to bring out the red of the ionization band, while keeping the green colour of the nebula.

Eta Carina by Dylan O'Donnell
Dylan is the System Administrator from our ISP, Dragnet. This lovely image taken through the BVR filter set, was the first ever attempt of using an astronomical CCD camera by Dylan. 3 x 30 second exposures with Red, Green and Blue filters combined in Photoshop using channels. Levels adjusted slightly to balance histogram.

NGC1097 by Alex Shvonski
This image is a combination of 1 thirty second exposure using an h- alpha filter and 3 thirty second exposures with each of the coloured filters. Before the initial images were combined, they were deconvolved to create a sharper final image. Deconvolving is more effective in images that do not include nebulae because it seems as though the deconvolving process distorts the space around stars in the image (when these stars are in front of nebulae, nebulae appear distorted.) After the images were combined the final image was screen stretched to bring out the outer spiral arms of the galaxy. Because an h-alpha filter was used, some HII regions within the galaxy are visibly red.

NGC3372 by Andrew Mattingly
LRGB (5x60s:3x30s:3x30s:3x50s) 5 x 3 mosaic of the Eta Carinae nebula.
Camera binned 2x2. BATC-9 filter (48nm bandpass, including H-alpha line) used for luminance layer.

The following ST-8 images were taken on the 12" Meade LX-200
when in use for the "Wheaton Project" over the LAN at Grove Creek:
Click on the icons to bring the images to full size:

M83 5min exposure full resolution	M8 2 x 30sec BATC-9 Filter	The Moon 0.001 sec exp. Batc-9 filter	The Keyhole Nebula in Eta Carinae, NGC3372 (RGB) Jan 04.
Tarantula Nebula NGC 2070 Jan 04.	Tarantula Nebula RGB NGC 2070 Jan 04.	Horsehead Nebula IC434 Jan04	Eta Carina NGC3372 March 2004
Swan Nebula NGC6618 March 2004	NGC4945 2 min Exposure March 2004	Mosaic of Eta Carina taken through a H/A filter April 25th, 2004	Lagoon Nebula 3min exposure taken through a H/A filter May 4th, 2004
Lagoon Nebula NGC6523/ M8	Eta Carina RGB (Pentax 10cm f/4)	Omega Centauri RGB (Pentax 10cm f/4)	M83 April 18th, 2004
Comet Neat March 25th, 2004	NGC6744 Galaxy in Pavo	Eagle - M17 HA Filter 2X2	NGC7293 Helix Nebula
M42 Mosaic	NGC104	NGC5139 (Omega Centauri) Jan 04.	Centaurus A NGC 3372. Jan 04.

BACK TO CCD IMAGES

	M42 by Alex Shvonski This image is a combination of many different exposures. I took 30 one second exposures of M42, which were combined to make one clear image that was very crisp. I then took one 30 second coloured image with each of the 3 different filters. In maxim dl, these images were first combined, then screen stretched to attain the correct contrast. A feature in maxim dl, which is called "digital development", then allowed me to bring out the background light. Similarly, I used a feature called "unsharp mask" to adjust the foreground light so that it was not too bright. Finally, I used "colour adjust" to bring out the red of the ionization band, while keeping the green colour of the nebula.
	Eta Carina by Dylan O'Donnell Dylan is the System Administrator from our ISP, Dragnet. This lovely image taken through the BVR filter set, was the first ever attempt of using an astronomical CCD camera by Dylan. 3 x 30 second exposures with Red, Green and Blue filters combined in Photoshop using channels. Levels adjusted slightly to balance histogram.
	NGC1097 by Alex Shvonski This image is a combination of 1 thirty second exposure using an h- alpha filter and 3 thirty second exposures with each of the coloured filters. Before the initial images were combined, they were deconvolved to create a sharper final image. Deconvolving is more effective in images that do not include nebulae because it seems as though the deconvolving process distorts the space around stars in the image (when these stars are in front of nebulae, nebulae appear distorted.) After the images were combined the final image was screen stretched to bring out the outer spiral arms of the galaxy. Because an h-alpha filter was used, some HII regions within the galaxy are visibly red.
	NGC3372 by Andrew Mattingly LRGB (5x60s:3x30s:3x30s:3x50s) 5 x 3 mosaic of the Eta Carinae nebula. Camera binned 2x2. BATC-9 filter (48nm bandpass, including H-alpha line) used for luminance layer.