M45 - The Pleiades

19:00 27/11/2006 UTC

Finally clear sky. Very humid night, everything was soaking wet. Dew heaters fortunately keeps the lenses clear, so imaging is possible in these conditions also. Pleiades must be one of the most difficult targets in the sky. It is easy to pick it up on camera, but getting the nebulosity out from the backround is different story. Feels like some dim targets like Elephants Trunk is way much easier to image. Anyway, this is what it turned out this time. To get better, dark site would be essential. Light pollution really has its effect on targets like this.

Camera: Modified Canon EOS 350D | Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 Pro 80mm f7.5 refractor, William Optics 0.8x focal reducer | Mount: Orion Skyview Pro, Boxdoerfer PowerFlex MTS-3SLP drive controller | Filters: Baader IR/UV block | Guiding: , Orion ShortTube 80mm f5 refractor, QCGuider, Teleskop-Service 1.5x Barlow, Phillips ToUCam Pro II webcam | Exposure: 19x180s (57m) ISO400 f6, 6 darks, 12 flats, bias | Software: IRIS, GIMP | Location: 60°31'N 26°52'E (Koivula/Kotka,FI)