Although I’ve taken out the new #RASA8 before, last night’s imaging session was the first “all systems go” with a completed rig. And even though the wait was long, the payoff was huge!
With a full moon blazing across the night sky over the lake, I brought out my #Optolong l-eXtreme filter to remove most of the background moonlight and focus on the hydrogen and oxygen in the North America Nebula. I’ve photographed both the nebula and the “Cygus Wall” using multiple telescopes and cameras, but was super excited to see what the new scope and lens would bring.
With more than 4 and a half hours of data… WOW! The clean, crisp details of the surrounding nebula stand out. Even without darks (I’m still trying to figure out how to take them on the RASA), the noise is low and everything just “popped.” Very impressed!
Capture Details
- Imaging telescopes or lenses: Celestron RASA 8
- Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI 294MC PRO
- Mounts: Celestron AVX
- Guiding telescopes or lenses: Orion 50mm Guidescope
- Guiding cameras: Orion Starshoot Autoguider
- Software: NINA – Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy
- Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
- Accessory: QHY Polemaster
- Dates:May 24, 2021
- Frames: 74×240″
- Integration: 4h 56′
- Avg. Moon age: 12.46 days
- Avg. Moon phase: 94.10%
Basic astrometry details
- Astrometry.net job: 4547479
- RA center: 20h 58′ 13″
- DEC center: +44° 4′ 40″
- Pixel scale: 2.355 arcsec/pixel
- Orientation: 47.491 degrees
- Field radius: 1.580 degrees