Request for Feedback: Beginner - M13 first attempt

3 replies62 views
Brian LeCuyer avatar

Absolute beginner seeking any and all feedback on this first deep-sky object attempt.

📷 M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08https://app.astrobin.com/i/a9jx1d/

M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08

by Brian LeCuyer

Published: May 13, 2026

Total integration: 3h

Integration per filter:

- No filter: 3h (90 × 120")

Equipment:

- Telescope: Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor (ES-ED127075-04)

- Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

- Mount: ZWO AM5

- Accessory: ZWO ASIAIR Plus

For more information, visit AstroBin:

https://app.astrobin.com/i/a9jx1d

Well written Respectful
Interactive Sky avatar

Brian LeCuyer · May 13, 2026, 09:47 PM

Absolute beginner seeking any and all feedback on this first deep-sky object attempt.

📷 M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08https://app.astrobin.com/i/a9jx1d/

M13_First Attempt_2026-05-08

by Brian LeCuyer

Published: May 13, 2026

Total integration: 3h

Integration per filter:

- No filter: 3h (90 × 120")

Equipment:

- Telescope: Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor (ES-ED127075-04)

- Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

- Mount: ZWO AM5

- Accessory: ZWO ASIAIR Plus

For more information, visit AstroBin:

https://app.astrobin.com/i/a9jx1d

Hello Brian,

I cannot say anything else except that it is a stunning image.

The stars' color is natural, and they are all round. The processing looks very careful, and you even revealed some neighboring galaxies.

I wish I could take images like this when I was beginning.

Your image is stunning. Clear Skies!

Well written Respectful Engaging Supportive
Tony Gondola avatar

Star color is good and everything looks normal. The only thing I see and it might not be there at all is a slightly green tinge to the background.

HR_Maurer avatar

I agree on the previous comments. This doesn’t look like a begimmer attempt to me! There are no clipped blacks, stars look round and not over saturated. I like your decent star colors, no need to tweak everything to the maximum. A bit more wouldnt do any harm.
A thing i often see are artifacts from sharpening and tools like BXT. In case of single stars, these tools work differently than in the case of globular clusters, where the stars become too dense to separate. So BXT starts doing some weird things. I dont see this in your image AT ALL, and here is no need to use it anyways. So to sum up, i dont see any flaws in this image.

Globular clusters are stars only. No vague dust, no faint line emission. Just stars. That’s why globular clusters are maybe a bit underestimated i think. But the thing is: There are many many faint stars, which partially can be resolved. To do that, you need a dark night for globulars, with good seeing, just like with galaxies. Perfect guiding and collimation are more important than with other subjects. And bringing up those faint stars to show the cluster in its whole extent, without ruining the things mentioned above, that’s the big challenge and where globular clusters become really tricky.

Helpful Engaging Supportive