M16 With An Stock DSLR? - Forums

Topic starter

Aug 27, 2022

I currently have a NIkon D850 and a Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 lens. I can consistently get 300 second sharp shots with my HEQ5 and auto guiding. Would I be wasting my time going for M16, I see it is an H-II region which I believe is different from h-alpha which obviously is blocked to my camera sensor. Going out tonight and don't want to waste 3 hours on something I have no shot at. Thanks!

Benjamin

kuechlew

Aug 27, 2022

A selection of images of M16 with a Nikon camera: Search - AstroBin

So it should work. Bright HII regions usually work well even with nonmodified cameras. You can also check the Unmodified DSLR Deep Sky - AstroBin group which contains quite a number of such objects.

Clear skies
Wolfgang

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andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Aug 27, 2022 · Edited: Aug 27, 2022

It depends. Even with a stock Nikon you should be able to capture some (but not all) the H-alpha emission of this H-II region and all the OIII one. So, yes, it is worth a shot.

The "depends" is relate to the other question: how dark is your sky? If it is pretty dark (Bortle 1-3) it is doable, 4-5 marginal and 6+ not worth the time.

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Arun H

Frequent contributor

Aug 27, 2022

A stock DSLR will let in about 25% of the H-alpha light versus an Astro cam. Here is an M16 taken some years ago from a Bortle 4 site with a stock Canon 7D Mark II which should be similar to your camera:

https://astrob.in/413329/0

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