M 20 - The Triffid Nebula

Date/time:
12.08.2010 21:50 to 12.08.2010 22:05
Az./Alt. positions: 180° / 24° to 182° / 24°
Ambient conditions: 20°C, transparency 3/5, seeing 3/5, cloudy

Location: Villa Tatti, Tuscany, Italy

Equipment:
Telescope: Deltagraph 300mm f/3.3
Mount: CGE
Camera: SXVF-M25C
Guiding scope: Orion short tube 80mm f/5
Guiding camera: ATIK 16IC
Filters: IDAS LPS

Acquisition:
Software: Maxim DL 5
FOV, Image scale: 62.5 x 54.8 arcmin, 1.62 arcs/pixel
Sub-exposures: 15 min (5 x 3min) light frames
No darks, 100 bias, 50x0.2s flats 

Processing:
Images Plus 3.75: Calibration of light frames with bias and flats, DDP
Maxim DL: Stacking of calibrated frames with SDMask, Color balance R85:G100:B120 
CS3: Levels, GradientXterminator, noise reduction with Carbonis Actions

Comments:
This object was very low on horizon and was highly effected by sky glow and light polllution.
Nevertheless the S/N surprised me and the quality for only 15 min total exposure is acceptable.
The flat and light frames have been calibrated with the same masterbias taken at about 18°C.