Category Archives: Deep-Sky Imaging

MiniWASP array Statrep

For some totally unknown reason I don’t think I’ve published the latest (stable?) incarnation of the MiniWASP array. So here it is!

The lower section of the MiniWASP (the black Aluminium box housing) contains 3 x Sky90s and top right is an 80mm guide scope with Lodestar camera. All 3 Sky90s have the f#4.5 reducer-corrector and the cameras are SX Trius26C OSC CCDs.

On the top of the frame there are 2 x Canon 200mm prime lenses with ASI 2600MC Pro CMOS cameras on the back. There is a USB controlled auto-focuser on each lens which makes imaging with this part of the system a complete doddle. Between the 200mm lenses is a 60mm Altair finder-scope with a webcam fitted on the back.

Stunning Sirius!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A beautiful clear evening (but with a bright Moon overhead) so that meant star imaging only. There, low on the southern horizon was beautiful Sirius blazing away – so that was the target! Managed to get 22 x 2-minute subs using the Canon 200mm prime lenses and the ASI 2600MC Pro OSC CMOS cameras. EXTREMELY pleased with the result.

The Full Extent of the California Nebula

There is a LOT more to the California nebula than you usually see in the posted images. This is 24 x 20-minute subs taken with the Canon 200mm prime lenses, ASI 2600MC Pro OSC CMOS cameras, and the Optolong L-Enhance filters. Notice the long “nose” which is usually absent on images of this one. I wonder how much more I can get out of this one by getting more subs?

 

Russ Croman’s StarXTerminator Program and the JWST Images

I recently downloaded the free evaluation copy of Russ Croman’s StarXTerminator program – which basically does what it says on the tin. I also saw a recent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on APOD and was once again flabbergasted at the absolutely dreadful EIGHT diffraction spikes around bright stars. So I thought I would try an experiment and see what StarXTerminator would do on a JWST image. I was expecting StarXTerminator to do a good job on removing stars but I was expecting it to leave a lot of the diffraction spikes behind. In the images above you can actually see what happened. StarXTerminator did an absolutely superb job on removing both stars AND diffraction spikes. A quick run of “Despeckle” in Photoshop really cleaned up the background and the “Spot Healing Brush” tool cleared up a couple of stragglers. I really think Russ should be in serious discussion with NASA on how to clean up their JWST images.