4 thoughts on “The Heart Nebula | IC 1805”

1. Pingback: Review: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro - Urban Astrophotography
2. 

   Michael Brennan says: 3 years ago

   I have a question for you, I have been considering getting on the narrowband “band-wagon” and have been doing some researching.

   This is my current setup (I have 2 sites Class 6 and Class 4 Bortle):
   Celestron Edge 11HD + 0.7 Reducer/flatner on CGX mount + off-axis guder
   ZWO ASI2600MC PRO (I only have the IDAS LPS-D2-48 light polution filter)

   I have been thinking about getting either the “Optolong L-eXtreme 7nm” or the “Optolong L-Ultimate 3nm” and wieghing the pros vs cost.
   Another thing that I was thinking of is a filter wheel with SHO set (cost would be higher for filters of course and I was thinking of getting a filter wheel anyways)

   I am just wondering if the extra cost of the SHO set vs “Optolong L-Ultimate 3nm” would net me better images?

   What’s your option … Thanks

   Reply
   1. 

      Lee says: 3 years ago

      Hi Michael, thanks for your message. I’ve written an article on OSC vs Mono that you might find interesting. It’s geared towards astroimagers from a city, but is still relevant for you even with your darker skies.

      To directly answer your question though, mono plus SHO filters will give you higher image quality than OSC and a dualband filter, but by how much and how noticeable it will be is harder to answer. My personal opinion is that an image’s total integration time and an astroimager’s processing skills are more important factors. Also note that with a mono camera you’d likely want a set of LRGB filters as well, for imaging broadband targets.

      You mentioned the L-eXtreme and L-Ultimate. I compare these in this review. The L-Ultimate is the best, so I recommend it over the L-eXtreme. (Previously I used an L-eXtreme but have now upgraded to an L-Ultimate).

      Another option to throw into the mix is the Askar D2 filter (review here). That collects SII & OIII, and during processing you can combine that with Optolong L-Ultimate data (Ha & OIII) to create SHO images. See my Heart Nebula and Soul Nebula photos for examples of end products using this method. Would the final images have been better if I’d used a mono camera and SHO filters? Possibly yes, but I’m certainly happy with the images I produced, and the data acquisition was more straightforward than with mono.

      So, I think you have three options: mono and filters; OSC and Optolong L-Ultimate; or OSC and Optolong L-Ultimate plus Askar D2. (The latter option is what I’m currently using). There’s no straightforward answer, and they all have different costs associated with them.

      Instead of thinking about what would net you the best images, think about what you’d find most fun to use. If you want to go really deep into the hobby, and you’ve got the time and budget to accommodate a complex set-up, then mono is likely the answer. If you want a straightforward rig that’s still capable of producing good images (and is also much cheaper than mono), then it’s OSC plus Optolong L-Ultimate. Add an Askar D2 filter and then you’ve got a middle-ground between those two options.

      Good luck with whatever you choose, and feel free to ask more questions if you think I can help further.

      Reply
      1. 

         Michael brennan says: 3 years ago

         Thanks Lee …. all great info

         Reply