I'm spending two months with Orion as suggested by Carl Smith using EAA short exposure shorts using SharpCap on my xx14g Orion Dobsonian telescope with ZWO ASI294mc Pro.

Here is what I look for in a good shot of the Orion Nebula and what I am aiming for in the next two months (some goals I have not achieved yet):

1. Keep the light balance perfect in such a way that the four Orionis A,B,C,D stars are still distinguished after processing;

2. Keep the histogram peaks and light as even as possible. I'm no expert here and am open to suggestions if any nebuli are best viewed that way. My assumption is that my color will be as natural to the nebula as possible if the peaks are aligned.

3. I try to contrast the cloud in the nebula as clean as possible.

4. I am trying for ever better detail upon zoom in the nebula and reduce noice from heat, or any other source.

5. I try to get as much detail in the corresponding running man nebula as possible to see the characteristic markings of that feature.

6. I try to get my stars to pop (not realized)

7. I try to stack 5, 15, 30 and 1 hour exposures (have only achieved 5 & 15 minute stacks)

8. I am trying to discover the optimum exposure and gain for my rig.

9. I am taking images with my 2 inch filters (Optolong L-Pro; UHC, OIII; have not gotten my H-Beta yet) (I have purchased a backordered 2 inch ZWO filter wheel).

10. I hope to stack the frames from different filters together (not realized)

11. I am cooling my camera to get the best shots and trying to understand that feature.

12. I am trying to get as little disturbance from my AZ-MT as possible.

13. I am using plastic guides to set up the ZWO camera as quickly as possible to maximize photography time.

14. I purchased a 60mm guide scope and am working on efficiency between the finders scope eyepiece and telescope) (I will probably buy a 90 degree diagonal for the guide scope)

15. I am evaluating three planetarium software packages to see which works best with my mount and processing features.