Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Lots of galaxies in this image of galaxy cluster Abell 2199 in Hercules.
Click for a larger version with galaxies annotated. The image is based on 20.5 hours of 5-6 minute subs taken over 8 nights in May-June.
Click for a larger version with galaxies annotated. The image is based on 20.5 hours of 5-6 minute subs taken over 8 nights in May-June.
Andy
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
You posted at 4:25 AM, must be a nighthawk! How the heck do you image all night and work all day?
This image looks like one of the deep Hubble images, very nice!
This image looks like one of the deep Hubble images, very nice!
Frank N
Stellarvue 80mm APO, Skyguider Pro, Celestron AVX
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be"
Taylor in "Planet of the Apes" 1968
Stellarvue 80mm APO, Skyguider Pro, Celestron AVX
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be"
Taylor in "Planet of the Apes" 1968
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
I was going to say, who needs a Hubble telescope? An amazing image and clearly a lot of work went into it, congrats on such a stunner Andy - Rebekah
RebekahB
ASSNE Meetup Page (all public events): http://www.meetup.com/ASSNE-MA-RI
Explore Scientific AR102 refractor/Garrett Optical 30x100 binos/Oberwerk P-Mount
"Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into her ken..."
ASSNE Meetup Page (all public events): http://www.meetup.com/ASSNE-MA-RI
Explore Scientific AR102 refractor/Garrett Optical 30x100 binos/Oberwerk P-Mount
"Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into her ken..."
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Wow! Very nice! Really lends perspective to our existence too.
Mike M.
Mike M.
"The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens." - Anaxagoras
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Can't fool me Andy. Impossible to have that many galaxies. That's just an unfocused star field
Actually, I am intrigued by how you align and combine star fields from different nights. Going long = going deep. And exposure time trumps aperture as you're doing better than Mt Palomar before the introduction of digital cameras in 1983 .
Pete
Actually, I am intrigued by how you align and combine star fields from different nights. Going long = going deep. And exposure time trumps aperture as you're doing better than Mt Palomar before the introduction of digital cameras in 1983 .
Pete
Pete P.
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Amazing Andy, beautiful image on many levels.
What scope etc. or did I miss that?
What scope etc. or did I miss that?
Bruce D
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Thanks Frank, Rebekah, Mike, Pete, Bruce!
I agree, it's mind boggling to think how that region of the sky in the image can easily fit within the fingernail of your little finger held at arm's length, representing just 1/380000th of the sky with all those galaxies contained in that tiny window ...Apollo XX wrote:Really lends perspective to our existence too.
Andy
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
I forgot to add that. I updated the image page with the info. It was my 10" RC scope at l=2000mm, guided using an AO, mounted on my G11 mount. The camera is my QSI683. Full details now on the image page below the image.ASSNE Prime wrote:What scope etc. or did I miss that?
The star alignment tool in PixInsight makes the alignment easy (automated). It seems to work well even when there is field rotation over the course of a month, or even when I rotate the camera or inconsistently align the target. The batch processing of all 228 subs -- calibration with darks, flats, and bias frames, alignment, and stacking -- ran for several hours but did not require any intervention. I botched the process a bit since some of the older subs should have used a different set of flats because the camera was rotated. I think this is what caused the circular artifacts in the background. I just can't bring myself to go back and redo all the calibration and processingPete wrote:I am intrigued by how you align and combine star fields from different nights.
Andy
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Andy, I am contemplating a new processing software and Pixinsight seems to be a good one. Do I understand that, you capture with SG and process with PI? Thanks again for sharing what you do
Frank N
Stellarvue 80mm APO, Skyguider Pro, Celestron AVX
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be"
Taylor in "Planet of the Apes" 1968
Stellarvue 80mm APO, Skyguider Pro, Celestron AVX
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be"
Taylor in "Planet of the Apes" 1968
Re: Abell 2199 Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
That's right, I use SGP (Sequence Generator Pro) for controlling the camera, framing targets (plate solving), focusing, etc., and PixInsight for processing. Both programs have free trial licenses so you can try them out first.bluemax wrote:Do I understand that, you capture with SG and process with PI?
Andy