Back to MetaGuide

MetaGuide: M8 Lagoon Nebula in i'r'g' colors, with Atik 383L+ and EdgeHD 11 with reducer on CGE-Pro

Click for full size

This is in semi-false Sloan colors, with i' -> red, r' -> green, g' -> blue. This gives a wider spectral range with no gaps. The colors were calibrated using custom code and UCAC4 field stars with AMASS Sloan photometry. The color calibration was deterministic and Photoshop CS6 was used only to apply levels. The bright blue stars stand out from the rest as young stars that have just been born in the nebula. The nebula itself is largely green from Ha emission.
Imaging OpticsCelestron EdgeHD 11 with reducer at f/7
MountCelestron CGE-Pro
Guiding SoftwareMetaGuide with dithering from SGP
Guiding ModeOff-axis guiding with Hutech OAG5
Imaging CameraAtik 383L+
Guiding CameraQHY5l-ii
CollimationMetaGuide
FocusSGP and RoboFocus on the primary focuser - no mirror locks used
Exposure Time3x11x1m Exposures kept short to avoid saturating
Image Scale0.57" per pixel
Raw FWHMDown to 2.0" in subs
Image ProcessingCalibration and stack in custom software, only levels in Photoshop CS6 - no other processing
Image Processing - OtherColors calibrated with Sloan magnitudes using UCAC4 field stars and custom code
Image AcquisitionSGP
Other SoftwarePECTool, TheSkyX Pro for best guidestar selection with field of view indicator (FOVI)
Other HardwarePyxis OAG Rotator for best guidestar, Telegizmos 365 cover, Long usb cable to outside setup
DateJuly 19-20, 2015
FilterAstrodon Sloan i', r', g'