The Flux is Strong with this One

Here is a recent image of M81 and M82 that I took using a side by side configuration consisting of one Monochrome debayered Canon 60d and a full spectrum 550d. Both modifications were performed by Brent Oliver of Hypercams and Mods. Both cameras are using the Samyang 135mm F2 lens wide open at F2. The dust that you can see in this image is known as the IFN, integrated fulx nebula. It is a spanse of dust that separates our milkyway galaxy and othere neighboring glaaxies. It does not actually emit light and is made up of a molecular dust structures containing hydrogen, carbon, helium, and nitrogen. The reason that we are able to see it is because the milkyway emits light whihc is reflecting off of the surface of the IFN. It is a difficult structure to capture because the IFN is so faint that it just barely sits above the cameras read noise level. With dark skies, fast optics, a correct amount of integration, and good processing you can pull out the ifn. Hope you enjoy this one.

104x40s mono 60d iso1600 -69.3 minutes -CLS CCD filter

104x50s RGB 550d iso 1600 -86.66 minutes uv/ir cut filter

SQM 21.5

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Szaq​Hp

Really nice Wes, interesting to see the challenge structures.

Very best,

Very nice!!!

Say, how do you like those Astronomik filters? I've got the Lumicon Deep-Sky & Lumicon UHC filters but I find they give a rather strong blue color cast and it takes me a bit of work to correct in post. So recently I stumbled onto (as in, someone donated a some gear to the club, it happened to be in the kit, and I tested it) the Orion Skyglow light pollution filter and really liked it's ability to cut down on the light pollution without giving me totally wonky color (moderate color cast but easily corrected).

I haven't tried the Astronomik filters, but I'm wondering if I should replace my Lumicon filters.

Nice work! Certainly a difficult scene to capture.

Kudos!

Thanks, I use the uv/ir cut filter primarily. It is really good for eliminating bloat on a fullspectrum sensor and it prevents halos from forming really well at fast apertures. I like the cls-ccd on the monochrome body for emission nebula but for targets like this I really need a second uvir cut. Astronomik makes an excellent filter, I highly reccomend their products.

Many thanks!

Well done bringing out the IFN!