Observation Log - November 21, 2001

Observation Log - November 21, 2001 - Tinton Falls, NJ

Another night using the Nikon wide-field setup: Nikon 50mm/2X teleconverter/MX516 rightside-up with no filters. This outfit was mounted piggyback on the Meade LX200 for pointing and guiding. Finally got flats and darks through this setup, so these photos may be a little nicer. Might want to apply the flats back to previous session to improve those images. Very cold tonight, temperature at 32F before dawn. A few scattered clouds throughout the session as well.

Also had another experiment tonight. I've been getting a pattern showing through on my images, and Terry Platt at Starlight Xpress told me there is an adjustment on my interface that might eliminate the problem. I opened up th eparallel interface box and found the tiny pot. I have to adjust it while it is on the computer, so I carefully drilled out a hole in the case above the pot so I can easily adjust it in the field. Tried it for the first time tonight. Small changes made a huge difference in the quality of the captured images. We'll see if this helps.

This combination isn't exactly made in heaven... the LX200 provided great tracking, but the pixel size (11 micron) and focal length (100mm)aren't a good match. Also, the 2X teleconverter doesn't match the quality of the Nikon lens. Plus there was plenty of light pollution, which is very evident in the wide-angle shots. But, hey, how else am I going to get a picture of M45???? In any case, I spent the evening at the Swimming River School star party, and popped down to my house every so often to change objects. Star party and imaging all in one night! It helps to live four blocks from the school. In any case, here's the one-night, wide-angle gallery:

M39 2X Open cluster in Cygnus, magnitude 4.6, 32', 22 minute exp.
M31 2X Galaxy in Andromeda, magnitude 3.4, 189' x 62', 50 minute exp.
M33 2X Galaxy in Triangulum, magnitude 5.7, 69' x 42', 52 minute exp.
NGC 752 2X Open cluster in Andromeda, magnitude 5.7, 50', 22 minute exp.
NGC 884/869 2X Double cluster in Perseus, mags 6.1/5.3, each 30', 40 minute exp.
M34 2X Open cluster in Perseus, mag 5.2, 35', 20 minute exp.
M45 2X The Pleiades in Taurus, mag 1.2, 100', 38 minute exp.
M38 2X Open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 6.4, 21', 28 minute exp.
M37 2X Open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 5.6, 24', 26 minute exp.
M36 2X Open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 6.0, 12', 26 minute exp.
M35 2X Open cluster in Gemini, magnitude 5.1, 28', 26 minute exp.
M42 2X Bright nebula in Orion, magnitude 4.0, 90' x 60', 6 minute exp.
M81/M82/NGC3077, 2X Galaxies in Ursa Major, mags 6.9/8.4/9.9, dimensions 25' x 12', 11' x 5',5' x 5', 96 minute exp.

All images above were made from individual 2-minute exposures, combined in MaxIm, and processed with a Digital Development filter (FFT, low-pass, hard) then finished with a contrast stretch. I probably ought to get a Nikon 100/300 zoom if I'm going to do this, as some of these objects need a little longer focal length to see well. So much for the experiment... thirteen lucky objects in one session.