More thoughts and results

It's galaxy time!  Which means it's going to be cloudy.  Figures.  Since the vast expanse of galaxies and clusters of galaxies become visible in the shoulder seasons of Spring and Autumn, the weather in these parts can turn mighty cloudy and cloudy for some time...If you suffer from SAD, you have my sympathies...the only thing I don't like about my scope or the Mallincam is that they still can't see through clouds. 

True Story!

But I have had some modest success this Autumn as I began my journey into video astronomy with the Mallincam DS2.3+, although before that I was having some success with the AGc as well earlier on.  In my previous two posts I alluded to the far reaching implications of the Mallincam to explore into some truly remote objects, something I refer to as the abyss, which is really my arbitrary "beyond the 12th magnitude wall".

Lets have a look at some early results.  Remember, when it comes to processing these images, I am a total noob.  My primary objective at this time is to search, find and explore.  Processing will come later as I sharpen my skills.

NGC 40 The Bow-Tie Nebula

NGC 40 was acquired using the old 102mm achromat/DS2.3+ and was a pleasant surprise as this was taken during Full Moon (you read that right).

M17 

M17 was acquired at Starfest 2017 using the TV76 and the AGc.  This image only drove home the point that the Mallincam was making the TV76 a truly awesome deep sky performer.

M33

M33 remains a difficult acquisition but the structure is there which is A WHOLE LOT MORE than what I saw in the eyepiece which in the city was basically nothing.  You get the point, right?  This has more to do with practice then anything else but you get the idea.  Taken with the 102mm achro and the DS2.3+.  

Abell 262

Acquired under Bortle Scale 7 skies, a waxing gibbous moon, questionable transparency and a novice understanding of such and object...and well...there it is anyway!  The Abell Challenge is on and this just the beginning.  This is the abyss I have been talking about.  The ability to explore, and I mean really explore the universe.  Acquired with the 102mm achro and the DS2.3+, gain at 20 and 45 sec. exposure. 

The best is yet to come

I'll be honest, I haven't felt this excited about astronomy since I was a teen.  Really.  So I cannot thank Van and Rock enough for providing an experience that has matched what it was like when it all began.  There have been highs and lows in this hobby, and this is one incredible ride.  Lets see where it goes.