SH2-54 Scary Face nebula and NGC6604 Open Cluster (Michael Feigenbaum)

SH2-54 Scary Face nebula and NGC6604 Open Cluster

So here we have a First-Light from a new Apertura FPL-53 60mm APO refractor. I purchased this to serve two purposes, 1) for a better guide scope for when I am imaging at f/7 or f/10 as opposed to the HyperStar configuration and 2), to perhaps serve as a nice wide-field instrument for big nebulae and a nice travel scope.

So to cut to the chase, this is not a very good image. I struggled for several evenings trying to get the spacing right for the WO reducer/flattener and could simply not find the sweet spot. The work consisted of making 1mm adjustments and trying again. And again, and again. But to no avail.

I was going to trash this data and just forget about imaging with this telescope/reducer-flattener combination and maybe just use it as a guide scope. But the next day, I received an email from OPT, the vendor from whom I purchased the flattener/reducer. The email said that WO had notified them that this particular model of reducer/flattener was defective and that they had sent replacements to be delivered to purchasers of the defective units.

I then decided to bring this image to some level of finality and publish it. Mostly as a thank you to both WO and to OPT who care about their customers and to share that positive experience with the good people of AstroBin. Bravo to the folks at WO and OPT...

As far as the image is concerned, I have been somewhat intrigued by adding HA data to RGB for objects located within dust and gas regions of the galaxy. This certainly qualifies in that sense and I really like the "Scary Face" patch of nebulosity. I am now pretty excited about the prospect of using this combination of imaging stuff to do some work at 288mm wide-field but with a nicely corrected refractor.

As always, comment/criticism encouraged, and Clear Skies!

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	3620223
PixInsight job	ND2MBS4YQ4FXZ8CKD1IPI2AMG6INKS20
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	n/a

RA (center)	18h18m27s.11
RA (top/left)	18h19m06s.16
RA (top/right)	18h13m15s.40
RA (bottom/right)	18h17m47s.56
RA (bottom/left)	18h23m38s.49

Dec (center)	-12°19′14″.10
Dec (top/left)	-11°02′00″.6
Dec (top/right)	-12°34′38″.6
Dec (bottom/right)	-13°36′20″.3
Dec (bottom/left)	-12°03′20″.10

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