Large Datasets - How to Group Them

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On the Telescope Live site there are plenty of One Click Observations of the same subject, or of subjects with some overlap. If you dig in it is very possible to pick up some sets that have over 50 hours of data in them! Can you imagine spending that many credits on one object via Advanced Request?

I have went through and found that sometimes you will need to know what the object is, and any alternate names for the object. For instance, the Heart and Soul. Two very well known objects right next to each other, and many of the One Clicks have quite a bit of overlap. You know what that means, mosaic time!

https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?target=Westerhout
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=1805
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=heart

Just using the three above searches puts that at an over 90 hour object!

Now for the North American and Pelican sets: totalling 73 hours
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=heart
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=pelican

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The Elephant Trunk Nebula with over 64 hours:
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=Sh2-131
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=pelican
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=Elephant

The Bat and Squid, over 65 hours worth:
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=Sh2-129
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=squid

The Sadr Nebula and Crescent Nebula area, almost about 95 hours worth:
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=Sadr
https://app.telescope.live/click-grab/all?telescope=38,48&target=crescent

So as you can see, if you know alternate names or what is close by you can get some huge numbers to add to a stack. You will be amazed at what you can get and how well it combines in an image that is nearly free of noise!

Here is an example of just one of these objects, the Elephant Trunk Nebula.

Go ahead and spend the credits on those sets, because it is well worth it. See what you can come up with too. I'll give you a hint, look around the M8 area using the FSQ 106 scopes, and make sure you look at alternate names for stuff there.

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This blog post was originally published in our Telescope Live Community.

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