# Bode's Galaxy and Cigar Galaxy



## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

This is an image I took last night of the Bode's Galaxy (M81), upper left, and the Cigar Galaxy (M82), lower right. 

-Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500 lens at 500mm, f/6.3
-iOptron Skyguider Pro tracking mount
-66 x 52 sec exposures, stacked in Deep Sky Stacker for a total 57 minutes integrated exposure time
-Image calibrated with dark frames, flat frames, and bias frames
-Finish processing in Photoshop






Here is a snapshot of the imaging setup. I wish I could set my telescope up, but time constraints these days make this setup the best option. I can get it out, up, and running in 15 minutes, collect some photons, and be in bed by midnight.


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## D7K (May 12, 2020)

That’s a sweet piece of art right there, nicely done and damn! That’s a setup!


Sent from my mobile device because I’m either outside or too lazy to get my MacBook..


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## Jeff G (May 12, 2020)

Love it!


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## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

D7K said:


> That’s a sweet piece of art right there, nicely done and damn! That’s a setup!
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> Sent from my mobile device because I’m either outside or too lazy to get my MacBook..


Thanks! I'm still very much a novice in the world of astrophotography, but every time I improve and learn more and more. It's addictive and fun!



Jeff G said:


> Love it!


Thank you!


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## K9Kirk (May 12, 2020)

Nice shot.


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## mountainjunkie (May 12, 2020)

Very nice! I’ve also recently stepped in to the DSO Astrophotography waters. So far I’ve only made a couple attempts with my 70-200 lens (also using a skyguider) but have a WO Z61 arriving tomorrow!

Here’s my (heavily cropped) attempt at Bode’s and Cigar @200mm (also pretty short on exposure time as the clouds didn’t cooperate):


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## Jeff15 (May 12, 2020)

Impressive photography......


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## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

K9Kirk said:


> Nice shot.





Jeff15 said:


> Impressive photography......



Thank you, both!


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## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

mountainjunkie said:


> Very nice! I’ve also recently stepped in to the DSO Astrophotography waters. So far I’ve only made a couple attempts with my 70-200 lens (also using a skyguider) but have a WO Z61 arriving tomorrow!
> 
> Here’s my (heavily cropped) attempt at Bode’s and Cigar @200mm (also pretty short on exposure time as the clouds didn’t cooperate):
> 
> View attachment 191349



Nice! That'll be a nice scope! I am thinking of getting a small guide scope and camera to add to this rig when more funds become available... I have a Celestron 8" SCT that I would love to set up again soon and get a better image of both galaxies.


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## tirediron (May 12, 2020)

Really impressive for only 500mm!  Nice rig.


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## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

tirediron said:


> Really impressive for only 500mm!  Nice rig.


Thanks! I was quite honestly surprised how much detail I was able to tease out of the image.


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## tirediron (May 12, 2020)

Using the D850?


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## crimbfighter (May 12, 2020)

tirediron said:


> Using the D850?


I used my D500. Which actually is only marginally higher pixel density than my D800. My D800 has a broken 10 pin connector, though, so I was only able to use my D500 with my intervalometer. 

I'm going to send my D800 to a repair facility in Michigan because the Nikon repair centers are closed... Hopefully they do as well.


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## mountainjunkie (May 12, 2020)

crimbfighter said:


> mountainjunkie said:
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> > Very nice! I’ve also recently stepped in to the DSO Astrophotography waters. So far I’ve only made a couple attempts with my 70-200 lens (also using a skyguider) but have a WO Z61 arriving tomorrow!
> ...



How much does your 200-500 weigh? You’ll be able to balance that and a guide scope on the SGP or do you plan to use something different? I’m assuming the (relatively) short subs are due to a 500mm focal length with no guiding? How far have you pushed lens with no guiding? Inquiring minds want to know. Lol


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## crimbfighter (May 13, 2020)

mountainjunkie said:


> crimbfighter said:
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I'm not sure on the weight, but it's a few pounds. The weight capacity of the Skyguider Pro is 11lbs, so as long as it is balanced, the weight shouldn't be an issue. I had to purchase a counterweight bar extension to be able to balance it, though. I chose to extend the counterweight bar instead of adding a second counterweight. The only issue I run into is that when the lens is extended, it does unbalance it, meaning I have to try to rebalance it. However, since the imbalance is in the DEC axis, and the lens is mounted at a fixed point (tripod foot), it's not really possible to balance it in the Dec axis. I need to use a mounting bar of some kind to slide the camera forward and backward to fix that issue. I think once I do that, I will be able to add the guide scope and camera no problem. ASI makes a really nice, very small guide scope/camera combo I am looking at. I also plan to buy the ASI Air control unit to run the guiding.

When balanced well, I have seen 1.5 to 2 min exposures at 500mm come out with no star trails, but I think that's about the limit. At 52 seconds, I still lost about 25% of my subs upon close inspection because even the tiniest bobble from wind, the ground moving from stepping too close to the tripod leg, etc. will cause the frame to be unusable. If I used a more robust tripod, it would help, but I like the light portability of a standard photographic tripod.

Hope that answers your questions!


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## Peeb (May 13, 2020)

crimbfighter said:


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Have you tried a stone bag to stabilize?  They only cost 10.00 and they help a lot.
Link to an example (tho they have on adorama, ebay, amazon, and other sites as well):
Vanguard SB-100 Stone Bag


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## crimbfighter (May 13, 2020)

Peeb said:


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That's a good suggestion, thanks. I kinda forgot about weighing the tripod down.


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## RVT1K (May 13, 2020)

That was freakin amazing!! 

I would have thought those images came from a very good and expensive telescope. I had no idea you could get an image like that with a conventional camera and tele lens. 

Well done.


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## crimbfighter (May 13, 2020)

mountainjunkie said:


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After typing my last reply, I remembered I have a dovetail bar for camera mounting on a telescope mount. I dug through the misc thingamajig box and found it! Now I can balance it in the RA and DEC! That will probably increase my keeper rate a bit.


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## mountainjunkie (May 13, 2020)

crimbfighter said:


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Got mine set up! And of course the clouds roll in right as night approaches[emoji849]


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## crimbfighter (May 14, 2020)

mountainjunkie said:


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Nice setup! Isn't that always how it goes?!
.. this coming week is supposed to he pretty nice by me, so I'm hoping to get a couple nights of imaging.

And I'm seriously jealous of your mountainous home!


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## mountainjunkie (May 14, 2020)

crimbfighter said:


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Thanks! Hoping to get a couple clear nights here soon too. Lucky enough to live in a bortle 4 so no excuses for crappy images now. Haha


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## crimbfighter (May 15, 2020)

mountainjunkie said:


> crimbfighter said:
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Bortle 4, I'm jealous! I'm in a 5/6... still can manage some good imaging, though. Even without filters so long as the target isn't lower in the east or west sky.


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## photoflyer (May 15, 2020)

What region are you in?  I'm in DC but even at the cabin in central VA I would struggle getting a sky that dark and dry.

Also, that seals it. I have a Celestron Evolution but I've been on the fence getting the iOptron.  I'll get it now but I think I need the bigger one.  My Canon 100-400 L with the 2X teleconverter on a crop sensor is 1280 mm albeit at f 11. It is very heavy. 

But, the optics are superb and you've demonstrated what is possible.  Of course, the iOptron travels well and I might have to do that to get to skies that clear.


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## pyanez (May 19, 2020)

You have totally motivated me to do and shot some astro.  I have an older iOpteron... which unfortunately has not done great with my longer 150-600mm lens. I think I will try and build some sort of counter weighted arm to play with. Hopefully this would not only help with the weight but also because with the old design the tracking housing and camera interfere with each other horribly... it very hard to aim the camera at particular areas of the sky with out bumping the tracker out of alignment, and nearly impossible to re-align with the camera attached. A counter weighted arm might not be possible with the older (white) iOpteron tracker... but the newer one you are using is just not in my budget. No if I could only get some good dar skies 

Stay well and keep shooting.


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