The Leo Triplet

[crimbfighter]

It's been a while, but..

With the rare clear nights the last month I added both broadband and Ha data to my existing image of the Leo Triplet I started in 2023. The extra imaging time, and particularly the Ha narrowband data, really brought out the red nebulocity within the M66 galaxy. I didn't expect the red Ha to be so prominent. I even caught a whisp if the tail coming off the Hamburger Galaxy, NGC 3628. The added imaging time brought the total integration up from 2.5hrs to 10hrs 5min.

Nerdy equipment details:
-Astro-Tech AT130EDT 130mm f/7 telescope with a 0.8x reducer, making it a 728mm focal length, f/5.6 scope.
-ZWO ASI2600MC Pro cooled camera
-ZWO EAF focuser
-iOptron HAE43 Strain Wave Gear mount
-Optolong L-Extreme dual narrowband filter
-Optolong L-Pro light pollution filter
-Pegasus Astro Mini Powerbox
-Orion 60mm guide scope
-Orion Starshoot autoguider
-Controlled with a MeLE QuieterC mini PC running Windows

Software
-Sequence Generator Pro for acquisition
-PixInsight and Photoshop for image processing
-PHD2 guiding software

-135 x 180sec broadband subexposures
-66 x 180sec dual narrowband subexposures
-each set calibrated with 20 each darks, flats, and bias frames
-Total integration time of 10hrs 5min

And for those unfamiliar, here's a snapshot of my astro imaging rig.

 

[Digger...]

I wonder if they have koalas in there galaxy, somewhere?.

 

[Jeff15]

All very good stuff, as usual ...

 

[Hardus Nameous]

Awesome!

 

[NerdyTimelapser]

Amazing capture!

 

[denum]

Very interesting. I have a hard time catching good bird shots and here you are catching galaxies! Well done.