First Light: Capturing the Dumbbell Nebula (M27)
It's an exciting moment when you finally get your gear dialed in and capture your very own deep sky object. After some practice and overcoming initial challenges with polar alignment and focusing, I'm thrilled to share my first light image: the beautiful Dumbbell Nebula, M27!
This has been a journey of lurking and learning from the incredible community here, and it felt fantastic to finally gather my own data.
The Setup:
- Mount: Am5n
- Scope: Fra400
- Guide Scope: ZWO 30mm
- Guide Camera: ASI 120
- Main Camera: ASI 585
- Smart Controller: ASIAIR Plus
Acquisition Details:
- Integration Time: 21 x 60s exposures
Processing:
- Software: Siril
A Challenging but Rewarding Beginning:
Getting to this point wasn't without its hurdles. Polar alignment is always a bit of a dance, and achieving perfect focus can be elusive in the dark. However, with each session, the understanding grows, and the results start to speak for themselves. This 'first light' is a testament to that learning process.
I'm incredibly proud of how M27 turned out, and I'm eager to continue exploring the cosmos with this setup. Any feedback or constructive criticism is always welcome – it's how we all improve!
Thanks for looking!
