Hi,
I wanted to share my last pic. Taken with a DSI2 pro on a WO ZenithStar 66SD mounted on an LXD75. Guided with PHD guiding.
L=50 frames@4min. RGB=15 frames@4min each channel. Stacked with DeepSkyStacker, processed in PS CS3.
I'm never convinced with the colors I get
Clear skies,
Pablo

Fantastic picture.........Thanks

Mike,

I hate to sound like a rookie-amateur but I am not familiar with all the model numbers you are using. Would it be possible to put what the device is in () after each model number? You are putting out some great work and inspiring me (economy willing) to get off my rear end and outside behind my scope to attempt some pictures. If you make the next meeting, I would like to talk about basic starter equipment. I already have a DSLR and my scope so I guess I need direction from there. With the economic turmoil, I will have to start low dollar and look at better equipment when things look a little more stable.

Is the star color cause (purpleish pink on my monitor) by the scopes optics? I think it's a great image any way and the color does not take away anything IMO.

I'd be happy just to get round stars... Keep them comin' Pablo!

Thanks for all comments guys.
Larry, I think the purplish color is just bad calibration of my color frames (my bad). I might be pushing a little bit to much on the blue one, who knows? I'll keep playing with this image. I think I got enough info worth time spending with so many subs.

Kenny, here comes the info:
The mount is a Meade LXD75 (essentially the cheapest equatiorial GOTO mount you can find)
The imaging scope is a Willam Optics ZenithStar 66mm (diameter) SD. (This one is a VERY short focal length 388mm refractor) on which I put my Meade DSI II Pro (monochrome CCD) camera with a an Orion 5 filter wheel.
On top of it is a cheap meade reflector with a Philips SPC900NC webcam that is used for guiding. I will post a photo of the setup as soon as the weather allows it.
Now with respect to the picture: L means luminance (all detail of the image goes there) I use a Lumicon Deep Sky Filter which helps a lot with the light pollution of Fayetteville in particular looking North you get all the light from Springdale
In any case, 50@4min subs means that I took 50 frames at 4 minutes each and then stack them to reduce the noise of the final image.
Similarly since I wanted so bad to have a color picture I took 15 frames using a red a green and a blue filter; then stack them (you get three different b/w pictures) and finally combining them in Photoshop to get an RGB color image.
Finally you play a while with Photoshop until the colors are "pleasing" and then put the Luminance on top to get the detail.

I hope these is not to verbose but I have no electric power, phone or internet at home due to the ice storm and feel kind of eager to talk. Comunication might be slow during the end of the week, but hopefully everything will be restablished by next week.

Careful with the ice
Pablo

Mike,

Don't worry about too much detail with me. I admire your discipline to documenting the details. I tend to just go out and start snapping pictures and making adjustments which results in not knowing what effect each configuration craetes. I will consider this my first training class. I don't know about anybody else, but as far as I am concerned, feel free to put as much detail as you can here. I enjoy reading it and I also like the progression of the pictures displayed from the adjustments. Thanks for the lessonand I am looking forward to more of your images and post.