My first deep sky image in what feels like a very long time (well since April 4th 2013). Image is the result of a guiding test on the EQ8 mount after a very accurate polar alignment. Image taken with an SX-VR H36 camera through a Pentax 75 SDHF (which gives a massive 249×166 arcminutes field of view. Guiding was achieved using an SX large format adaptive optics unit, guiding on a 5.6 magnitude star allowed 0.1 second intervals sing a 2x binned lodestar.

The AO unit has a 2″ filter holder between the OAG and camera, I installed an Astronomik 7nm Halpha filter in this position.

The image is 4 x 20 minute guided exposures stacked, with bias, darks and flats applied. Guiding showed an RMS value of 0.1 pixels over 80 minutes so I’m very happy with the setup now 👦.

Inverting the image often shows significantly more detail in the nebula structure, so that’s what I have done below. If you scan your mouse over the top, I have annotated the structure with known elements.

Thanks for looking

Steve