M45 “The Pleiades”

[Juno16]

I’ve imaged M45 twice before in 2018 and 2019. Both modest attempts that produced okay images (I was thrilled at the time!).
This attempt is modest, but I feel better. I do have 2.5 additional hours of data that I have not processed yet.

Got the opportunity to try out a couple of new things.

I downloaded and installed Green Swamp Server to control my HEQ5 mount with a direct connect cable bypassing the hand controller.
For those not familiar with GSS, it is a server application with its own ascom driver (similar to EQMOD). Simply connect all ascom applications (N.I.N.A, PHD2, Cartes du Ceil in my case) with the GSS ascom driver and GSS runs the show in the background. Pretty slick stuff, but I did have some growing pains as I usually do with new hardware or software, and lots to learn.
GSS has a pretty aggressive DEC backlash compensation utility that I am eventually going to try out. However, I have PHD2’s DEC backlash compensation pretty dialed in. PHD2 is handling DEC backlash from DEC reversals and dithers very nicely, so for now, I will let PHD handle the DEC backlash.

The other new try is my first time imaging with a uv/ir cut filter. With my ASI 533, I had only used an IDAS LPS D-1 light pollution filter (that I felt I must use in my Bortle 7 backyard with very strong Na vapor neighborhood lighting).
On Emission or planetary nebulae targets, the Optolong L-eNhance is magic and is very moonlight resistant.

Imaging Details:

Sharpstar 61 (with new objective), 0.8FR/FF (270mm)
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro mount
ASI 533 MC-Pro
309 light frames at 60 seconds. Gain 104/offset 50 @ -10C (a hair over 5 hours)
Sybony uv/ir cut filter
25 darks, dark flats, and flats
Sharpstar 61 EDPHII and 0.8 FR/FF.
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro mount.

Imaged on 11/30/21. Acquired with N.I.N.A. through Green Swamp Server (with help from PHD2) and processed with Pixinsight 1.8.8-11 and Topaz Denoise AI.

Thanks for looking and comments are very welcome!

[Jockinireland]

That's a great image Jim, lots of the fainter dust showing. Nicely processed.

[Juno16]

Thanks a bunch David. Actually, this was a very fast process using mostly the PI EZ suite. No curves, just a slight saturation bump.

Also used StarXterminator (thanks to your tip). I ran it on the linear image, then ran decon on the starless image (with the psf from the stretched image with stars). Worked very well.

I don't know if you have tried it, but Topaz Denoise AI is sweet!

[JayTee]

Jim,

That image is top notch.

Nicely done

[STEVE333]

That's a beauty Jim. Lots of the faint nebulosity showing up along with the wispy details inside the nebulosity. Top notch job on this one.

Steve

[Ylem]

Very nice Jim!!

[JohnP_1]

Beautiful. Well done.

[Harshil]

Excellent image !

[messier 111]

magnificent take , thx .

[Juno16]

Jim,

That image is top notch.

Nicely done

Much appreciated JT.

Wasn’t it you that said that you’re not a big fan of lp filters?
Well, if it was you, then I think that you are onto something!

That's a beauty Jim. Lots of the faint nebulosity showing up along with the wispy details inside the nebulosity. Top notch job on this one.

Steve

Very nice words Steve, thank you!

Very nice Jim!!

Thanks Jeff!

Beautiful. Well done.

Thank you John!

Excellent image !

Many thanks Harshil!

magnificent take , thx .

Thanks Jean Yves!

[bobharmony]

That is a keeper for sure, Jim. You have started getting into the extended dustiness that fills the area around M45.

I don't know if JT said anything about tossing the LP filters. I tried one when I first started out and moved it to the junk drawer pretty quickly. It made balancing colors much more challenging while not adding much benefit of any kind. The ir/uv cut filter is a nice one to have in the toolkit for a camera with a wide response range.

Bob

[Greenman]

Great image Jim, it benefits from the wide FOV, super nebulousity.

[MariusD69]

Wonderful image! Great work, Jim!!

[BABOafrica]

Nothing modest about your most recent attempt.

The framing is just perfect and the detail is rich and deep.

BABO

[Juno16]

That is a keeper for sure, Jim. You have started getting into the extended dustiness that fills the area around M45.

I don't know if JT said anything about tossing the LP filters. I tried one when I first started out and moved it to the junk drawer pretty quickly. It made balancing colors much more challenging while not adding much benefit of any kind. The ir/uv cut filter is a nice one to have in the toolkit for a camera with a wide response range.

Bob

Thanks Bob!

I do have 2.5 more hours of data to add (50%) when I get around to it. I will post a repro if the results are an improvement.

Yes, I asked JT in my response earlier if he was the one that had said not to use lp filters.
I had always thought that I needed something to suppress the huge sodium vapor light dome from my neighborhood street lights (there is one in my front yard and the glow goes up to about 60-70 degrees of my eastern sky). I have been using the IDAS LPS D-1 because it was designed to remove (mostly) Na lighting bandwidth.

I am looking forward to imaging more broadband targets with the uv/ir cut filter. Most processing software is so good at removing gradients so that is not an issue. I think that it will really help with the natural coloration.

Great image Jim, it benefits from the wide FOV, super nebulousity.

Thank you very much Tony!

Wonderful image! Great work, Jim!!

Thanks for the nice words Maruis!

Nothing modest about your most recent attempt.

The framing is just perfect and the detail is rich and deep.

BABO

Very much appreciated Babo! I am very much enjoying the ASI 533/Sharpstar 61 combo.

[ic_1101]

Excellent capture and processing on a really beautiful M45 Jim!

[Makuser]

Hello Jim. One of the very best images of my favorite target (M45) that I have ever seen, especially on the Astrobin site with clip up magnification. Just amazing reflection nebula color and details, even down to the smaller sizes. Thanks for sharing this great capture with us on here Jim as this is really excellent work.

[Juno16]

Excellent capture and processing on a really beautiful M45 Jim!

Thanks a bunch Alex!

Hello Jim. One of the very best images of my favorite target (M45) that I have ever seen, especially on the Astrobin site with clip up magnification. Just amazing reflection nebula color and details, even down to the smaller sizes. Thanks for sharing this great capture with us on here Jim as this is really excellent work.

You made me smile Marshall!

Your nice words are very kind! I am so glad that you enjoyed the image. Thank you sir!

[chris_g]

Beutiful image Sir, well done. I like the fact that you caught some of the dustier parts of the nebula surrounding the main blue ones. M45 is one of my favorites.

[Gmetric]

Late to the party on this one, but wow, what an absolutely cracking image! I love M45; it's my favourite object, and boy, you have absolutely knocked this one out of the park!