My First Light with the Seestar S50: Capturing the Trifid Nebula
It's a momentous occasion! I'm thrilled to share my very first astrophotography captures using the Seestar S50, and what better target than the iconic Trifid Nebula? After a period of anticipation, clear skies finally graced Depok, Indonesia (Bortle 6), allowing me to test out this exciting new piece of equipment.
The Trifid Nebula: A Celestial Tapestry
The Trifid Nebula, also known as Messier 20, is a fascinating region of star formation located about 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. It's characterized by its three distinct lobes, giving it its name, and showcases a dramatic interplay of emission, reflection, and dark nebulae. The vibrant reds of ionized hydrogen mix with the blues of reflected starlight, creating a truly breathtaking spectacle.
Acquisition and Processing Details:
As this was my initial outing with the Seestar S50, I kept the acquisition process straightforward while ensuring I captured enough data for a decent result. Here's a breakdown of how this image came to be:
- Acquisition:
- Device: Seestar S50
- Mode: Alt-Z Mode
- Total Integration Time: 2 hours
- Editing:
- Auto-stacking was performed using the Seestar S50's integrated software.
- Further processing and enhancements were done in Siril.
- The star field was separated and processed using Starnet++.
- The final recomposition was finalized in Siril.
This process allowed me to leverage the Seestar's ease of use for initial stacking while still having the flexibility for more refined editing to bring out the subtle details of the Trifid Nebula.
First Light Impressions:
I'm incredibly pleased with the results from my first light with the Seestar S50. The clarity and detail captured for a 2-hour integration are very promising, especially considering the Bortle 6 skies. This experience has only fueled my excitement to get out under more clear skies and push the integration time further with new targets. The Seestar S50 is proving to be an excellent tool for accessible deep-sky astrophotography!
Stay tuned for more adventures in the night sky!
