M 20 - The Triffid Nebula Date/time: 26.07.2009 22:10 to 26.07.2009 22:52 27.07.2009 23:25 to 28.07.2009 00:59
Az./Alt. positions: 166° / 21° to 177° / 23° 186° / 22° to 208° / 17°
Ambient conditions: 22°C to 25°C, transparency 5/5, seeing 5/5 Location: Monte Amiata, Agriturismo Poggiobello, Italy Equipment: Optics: TMB 130 SS f/7 with TSFlat 2 Mount: CGE Guiding: selfguiding with ST-4000XCM Camera: SBIG ST-4000XCM Filter: No Acquisition: Software: CCDSoft V5 FOV, Image scale: 57.2 x 57.2 arcmin, 1.68 arcs/pixel Sub-exposures: 2h 50min (4 x 10min at –15°C + 8 x 10min at –10°C), 50 x 10min dark frames at –10°C and –15°C, 30 x 0.05s EL flats at –5°C 50 bias at –5°C for flats calibration Processing: Calibration, Exc Avg stacking of each imaging section and Add combine of both sessions in Images Plus 3.75. Processing in CS3: white balance, curves and level adjustments, noise reduction with Carbonis Actions, color enhancement using Gabany’s method, star halo reduction with Ken Crawford’s method, elimination of residual gradient with GradientXterminator, subtle final unsharp mask on nebula area. Comments: Excellent dark site near Monte Amiata (South Tuscany, Italy) at 900m height. No LPS filters were necessary and imaging was possible up to very low altitutes. In the second day focus was not spot on, with consequent loss of quality. A longer total exposure with the TMB130SS is necessay for this object.
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