Caldwell 106 - NGC 104 - 47 Tucanae - Globular Cluster 31/10/2010 (Processed JPEG Stack)

Following on from the previous night, another 'stack' at differing exposures to gauge the impact on the outcome.

Second test 'stacked' and guided image of this impressive object. 2 images stacked using DeepSkyStacker 3.3.2 and cropped and colour adjusted by GIMP. Taken through the Apogee 80 on the SkyWatcher NEQ6 mount. 1st image guided for 240sec and 2nd for 300sec, both @ISO 400 in-camera JPEG with no in-camera dark, no field flattener but with a light pollution filter.

Things to note in this image compared to the previous nights sequence of 4 images at shorter exposures by stacks of 5 instead of 2 here is the appearance of several dark spots from DSS hot pixel removal with no 'dark' frames, the higher level of background noise and the central area is over exposed.

This image was one of my first uses of GIMP and I have processed this to be too blue. I have post a reprocessed image (early2012) using Adobe Photoshop CS5 as a comparison and a year's more experience.

Cropping has avoided the spherical aberration from the outer edges of the original image. Focused using a Bahtinov Mask.

Telescope - Apogee OrthoStar LOMO 80/480 without Field Flattener, Hutech LPS-P2 light polution filter, Canon 400D DSLR, Ambient xxC not noted. Mount - Skywatcher NEQ6 Pro. Guidescope - Orion ShortTube 80 with Star Shoot Auto Guider.

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From 2010 A New Beginning