Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn)  ·  Contains:  M 63  ·  NGC 5055  ·  Sunflower Galaxy
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M63 Sunflower HRGB (SV130 2024), Carl
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M63 Sunflower HRGB (SV130 2024)

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M63 Sunflower HRGB (SV130 2024), Carl
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M63 Sunflower HRGB (SV130 2024)

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Description

My third time imaging M63, but my first time imaging it with the SV130 setup.  I struggled with flats: even though I appeared to have textbook exposure, and I could see the dust motes and vignetting in the master flats, I still wound up with very pronounced vignetting on the integrated masters.  I had an issue at first with the filter wheel not reaching the same position for flats, and creating embossed donuts, but luckily I imaged over four consecutive nights, and I could correct for those on subsequent mornings by retaking flats and fixing the rotation direction.

We had a wonderful streak of 4-5 clear or mostly clear nights, so I was able to setup my two rigs and leave them out all week.  A rare treat, indeed!  This was only my second broadband image on the SV130, and I am pleased with the result.  Still imaging from Bortle 8, so any broadband result is better than nothing!  The observatory plans are coming together hopefully soon, and then maybe we can start construction in the summer or fall.  Until then, it'll be Bortle 8 for a while.

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