M106, a Target for Next Year (4-27-2011)

I tried twice to capture this galaxy this year.  On my first outing in January I had guiding problems.  I had better success in April.  The galaxy's outer arms are very faint, and I'll need a lot more time to get through the light pollution.  This is just 13x10' from The Woodlands.

Telescope: Orion 10" f/4.7 Newtonian
Camera & Exposure: SXVF-H9C, 13x10'
Coma Corrector: Baader RCC I
Filter: IDAS-LPS2
Guiding: Orion Deluxe OAG, Meade DSI Pro, PHD
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: The Woodlands, TX

M51 (3-11-2011)

M51 is such a beauty, and so interesting. It's a favorite target for imagers. This is 105x150" with the 10" f/4.7 newt, Baader MPCC, IDAS-LPS-P2 filter, and SXVF-H9C camera. The subs were short both because they did not need to be any longer (the histogram was moved well off of the left side) and because I have not sorted out all the flex in this system and that's as long as they could be without using the off-axis guider. I still have not figured out how to make the OAG hold the weight of the camera, so I was using a guidescope. I threw out only three subs. This image is probably about what I can do from the burbs, at least in one night. I've taken a couple of images of this galaxy before, when I knew less of what I am doing.