This is a processed stack of 57*60sec frames, each like the rather featureless full frame displayed previously, but calibrated with flats, darks and bias; so that we may judge star shapes after aggressive stretching. Again, for the pixel peepers, just click "original" below right to see the inset crops at 1:1, at each absolute corner and in the center. I picked the Network Nebula to assess how the Hyperstar can help at my light-polluted home. This nebula is surrounded/immersed by and among bright stars in the Milky Way and even at a dark site it is quite challenging, requiring a few hours integration time with a DSLR to pull it out reasonably well from the starry backdrop. The skyfog at zenith was at Mag 17.8/sq arc-sec (roughly Visual Limiting Mag 4, with considerable dust haze) and the temperature was 30deg C. I consider 25deg C as a reasonable upper bound for using a DSLR satisfactorily, so I was not expecting much of an image, really just an assessment of star shapes/blobbiness. Anyway, I used the Idas LPS-P2 filter and clicked away at ISO 200. While one can continue on and make valiant efforts in processing out the gradients, this quickie attempt has convinced me that the Hyperstar is a winner, and it'll very likely trounce my 6" APO at this location. Yes, one night I will do a proper shootout, but for now I simply do not see how a mere 6" aperture can achieve similar Signal to Noise Ratio under similar circumstances. On the basis of bucket area alone, one expects the C14 Hyperstar (obstructed by a Canon 20D DSLR) to gather photons at 4.8x the rate that a 150mm unobstructed APO can. What if we insist that even the brightest stars do not show ringing that follows the asymmetric profile of the DSLR? Easy. Use a circular cardboard obstruction that covers the entire DSLR cross-section. Despite the asymmetry, I worked it out that the left-over bucket area is still 4.0x that offered by a 150mm APO. Or one can simply retouch the brightest stars. That's done routinely to get rid of blooming spikes when using astroCCDs so it's not exactly a No-no :-) Personally, I feel that after stacking and stretching I hardly notice the asymmetric ringing, unless one knows exactly what one is looking for. Moral of the story: Don't look for it :-)