Telescope: Meade LXD75 SN6
Camera: Meade DSI Pro III
Filters: IDAS LPS-2, Meade LRGB
Luminance: 40x20sec, saved as FITS
RGB: 15x30sec, saved as FITS
Guide scope: Meade DSX-90, PHD
Software: Envisage, Autostar Image Processing, Nebulosity, Photoshop

It always surprises me how challenging it is to get a good image of M42/42; it spans such a large dynamic range in both brightness and color. I wasn’t planning on imaging this object with my Pro III as I can frame the area so much better with my DSLR, but this particular evening was just so beautiful, the weather forecast for the next week isn’t very good, and after that we’ll have the moon to content with, so I just couldn’t resist. This was a tricky combination of the L and RGB data as even with 20 second exposures the core was saturating in the luminance data, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

-John