M82 and M81 with Holmberg IX and PGC 28731

This was a frustrating image to acquire and process.   Learned a lot of things, but the most painful lesson that I learned is that the neighborhood produces enough light pollution that processing the IFN (flux nebulosity) is intensely challenging.   The light pollution is not really evident in shorter 5 minute subexposures.  But it quickly raises its head when processing faint detail in longer exposures.   I suspect I need to gather 40+ hours of data to get much flux nebulosity in the north.   That means probably 8-10 nights of data.    Which in turn probably means it has to be done over 2-3 months.    The alternative, which is more appealing is to find a dark site where I can spend 4-5 nights.

Exposure details:

Dates: Feb 12,13,14,15,16 and 17.  

Exposures: 65 x 10 min exposures, 80 x 2 min exposures, 10 x 20 min H-alpha exposures.

50 Bias frames, 50 Flats, 60 Dark flats, 90 dark frames (for 10 min exposures only). 

ISO:  1600

Scope:  Takahashi TSA102S w/Televue .8x focal reducer/flattener.  

Camera:  Modded T3i with Astrodon UV/IR filter.

Mount:  Used AP1200.  

Misc:   Guided w/Orion 50mm guidescope and QHY5II-L autoguider, BackyardEOS, PHD2, Photoshop CC

I had a lot more flux nebulosity, but in an effort to combat light pollution gradients, a lot of

that flux got destroyed.   >sigh<

On a more positive note, I'm glad that I got some granularity in Holmberg IX which is right below M81.   And I'm glad to see I've got some detail in PGC 28731 (lower right) -- mainly that it is oval in shape and has a brightening core.  It's actually pretty large as far as PGC galaxies go.

You may note that I have 10 x 20 minute H-Alpha subs which were taken with an Astronomik 12nm H-alpha filter clipped into the Canon.   The H-alpha information allowed me to get that exploding red in M82.   And it's also responsible for the "measles" in the arms of M81.

Finally, the composition is about a 50% crop of the original.

Probably have over 80 frustrating hours of processing time in this image.