Stellar Simplicity

[Nighthound]

This is a single 3 minute exposure @ ISO 800 of open star cluster M7. TAK Sky 90 II / Losmandy G-11 / Canon 20D

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/PS%20Gallery/m7techx-1.jpg

[bowtie`]

Nothing like the beauty of an open cluster. This single image taker is glad that you showed just how much color and detail is possible with just a single image. Thanks for sharing!

[Celestron]

Thats a fantastic star cluster shot Steve ! Only one thing i notice is the image needs to be flipped 180-degs . I saw that georgous open star cluster in the upper right corner with the tiny blue stars ..., well i wanted to know what it was thinking it was M6 so i opened CDC and compared it and seems from my location that when you flip it 180-degs the stars line up perfect match and the cluster will be in the bottom left corner making that TR30 (Harvard 18) which is in the field of M7 . Also B283 Drk is in the upper right corner and NGC6453 GC is just to the far right side of your frame which puts everything in perspective with CDC from my location . I love looking at those tiny GCs' :D , really neat ! This is a great image Steve , lots' of detailed stars !

[Nighthound]

Thanks for the info and correction Ron. How's this?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/PS%20Gallery/m7techxflp.jpg

[Celestron]

I'm at work Steve but i know it looks just fine . I played with it in PS just to flip it and look at it , and when i seen the Drk neb i did "Selective Colors" and raised the black point +5 to see how good the Drk looked and it looked really good but i didn't save it . You have alot of Drk in this image . BTW have you tried for the Drk Snake Neb yet ? I really like the Pipe Neb in your MW shot you posted ! Thanks for posting this image , i really like it ! NExt time i get a chance i need to see if i can catch that small GC next to M7 , i've seen several small ones and i wish i could image them but they require longer than 30-secs to come out really good like the NGC you have in this image .

[Celestron]

Yeah ! Thats it Steve !

[Nighthound]

Thanks bowtie and Ron.

Ron, I haven't tried the Dark Snake yet but I'm hoping this weekend to get out for the first time in 3 months and hope that the thin clouds don't ruin the night. I'm planning to go after The Elephant Trunk (IC 1396), never tried before. Our north sky is plenty dark at the farm. Then finish with a widefield of the Horse Head/M78 and maybe a portion of Barnard's Loop with the FS-60. I don't know if it'll be wide enough to catch a piece of the Loop though, that would be icing. Anyway that's the rough plan, subject to change of course.

[Celestron]

Good luck Steve ! Hope the weather is fine for you ! Hope to see some new images real soon ! Clear Skies !