Observation by Grant Privett: Gyulbudaghian
Uploaded by
Grant Privett
Observer
Grant Privett
Observed
2026 Apr 25 - 02:00
Uploaded
2026 Apr 25 - 12:42
Objects
Gyulbudaghian's variable nebula
Equipment
- C14 + f/6.3 reducer
- SX Trius 694
Exposure
12x 600s
Location
Near Salisbury
Title
Gyulbudaghian
About this image
I managed to get outside about 23:30 and spent over an hour trying to get TheSkyX to do PEC. That was a fight - their documentation seems shoddy to me and the interface not well thought out. I think I managed it, but for all I know it went away when I closed down the software. Anyway, trained it on 2 cycles and its RA residuals are <1 arc sec.
Thought I would try something I knew well and chose Gyulbudaghian's nebula as a test. It was starting to rise above the murk in the east by the time I was ready. Took 14 shots but the last two were damaged quite badly by satellite trails. Stacked what I had and am reasonably happy with how it came out - espcially with the left side of the main arc extending up toward the image top and curving to the right.
I platesolved the image and after calculating a Zp, I reckon there are stars in the secene down to mag20.8. So if I had done the same when it was overhead I would be looking at mag 21. Quite happy with that. Really had not expected to get 10 minute exposures without an OAG. I think the 80 star T-Point model is helping.
Forgot to take short images to measure PV Cepheis brightness though!
Files associated with this observation
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Comments
Lovely image. Impressed by the use of 10 minute subs, my light pollution limits me to a lot less time!
Its taken from a village with no street lights and the nearest town 8 miles away. Sky brightness can be 21 mags/arc sec. Unfortunately, the nebula wasn't that high initially and the Moon still up. As the exposures passed, the sky background dropped from 14,000 counts down to 7,000 with the biggest bend in the curve as the Moon sank. A 900 sec eposure might be possible but I might just stick with 600sec and take lots.
Certainly, saves on disc space.
All that said, we have similar kit and yiur pics are generally better than mine, so I need to refine my technique still. Perhaps, checking the collimation...
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