M61, 13 Apr 2015 (David Dearden)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Virgo (Vir) · Contains: M 61 · NGC 4292 · NGC 4301 · NGC 4303

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M61, 13 Apr 2015

Synched from β Leo and easily found the target, but gusty wind problems are rather severe tonight. Seeing is much poorer than usual, as measured by my inability to get a low half-flux radius when focusing. Initially started with 600 s subs, but after 1 decided to go to 300 s in the hope of having a lower percentage of my observing time ruined by wind gusts. Some are enough that they cause star mass errors on the guider. I wasn’t impressed with the 300 s subs, so I went back to 600 s. Guiding performance after the meridian flip was FAR better, so maybe some of my problems were due to mount misbalance, but there were definitely wind gusts too.

Date: 13 Apr 2015

Subject: M61, the “Swelling Spiral” Galaxy

Scope: Astrotech AT8IN+High Point Scientific coma corrector

Filter: Baader Fringe Killer

Mount: CG-5 (Synta motors, PicGoto Simplificado)

Guiding: 9x50 Finder/Guider + DSI Ic + PHD 2.4.1 (Win 7 ASCOM)

Camera: DSI IIc no cooling (about 15 °C)

Acquisition: Nebulosity 3.3.3, no dither

Exposure: 25x600 s

Stacking: Neb 3.3.3, bad pixel map, bias included, 33 flats, histogram match, deBayer & square. 40-60% stack.

Processing: StarTools 1.3.5.289 Crop; Wipe: 83%; Develop: 80.91%; HDR:Reveal core; Color:Scientific 260%, cap green yellow; Deconvolute 3.0 pix; Life:moderate; Track 4.5 pix, smoothness 94%; Repair:warp; Magic:Shrink 1 pix. Photoshop CC 2014 + Carboni Astronomy Tools Deep space nr (3x); Increase star color; Levels; Astroframe.

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	602481
PixInsight job	6LUB3039FH1WCEUVU8GRZZ246VAJHU6G
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	n/a

RA (center)	12h21m54s.12
RA (top/left)	12h22m47s.27
RA (top/right)	12h21m02s.60
RA (bottom/right)	12h21m00s.92
RA (bottom/left)	12h22m46s.70

Dec (center)	+04°27′41″.5
Dec (top/left)	+04°38′48″.5
Dec (top/right)	+04°39′10″.1
Dec (bottom/right)	+04°16′35″.4
Dec (bottom/left)	+04°16′09″.6

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M61, 13 Apr 2015

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