IR data - what to do with it?

[Jannis]

So, i did a very quick test with the QHY5L-II Mono and the Astronomik ProPlanet IR 742 filter.

I didn't actually expect to see anything as i've read several places that IR-capturing of deep sky isn't really possible from the earth, and even if it was, a normal cheap camera wouldn't be sensitive enough to capture anything.

Well, 20x 30 sec exposures gave me this data of M57. It's blurry and noisy, but on a windy night, and only 10 min data.....

Focus should have been spot on though, but the wind made a sharp pic impossible i guess.

Uncompressed pics:

Single exposure: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1w4pk6vtzsy0lgn/1-38-3-932.TIFF

Stacked in DSS with cappa-sigma klipping: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ht0a1lqu0cdp7bg/M57%20IR.TIF

Now, what do i do with this data? I mean, not this data specifically as it's too blurry and noisy, but when i capture lots more sharp IR data later?

Can it be merged into an RGB pic from my 550D as red maybe? If so, any guide for doing this?

[Sandancer10]

Hi Jannis, just checked your IR picture and it is a bit blurry, but seems to give detail. I use Photoshop CS6 and I would bring this into a RGB picture using copy command on a new layer. If you then use overlay or screen or any of the other blending modes that let both layers be seen. If the image is too strong you can drop the percentage of the IR layer until you get the effect you want. This method is also good for bringing out the contrast for any photo. Hope this helps.

Incidentally, I have just come back from my local Astronomical meeting and we were discussing deep sky IR photography and it seems a couple of people are interested in this.

Brenda

[Jannis]

Thanks.

It's blurry indeed, wich i think it's simply due to the wind combined with the high resolution of 0.77 "/pixel.

I'm glad it does make some sort of details though. That means it's working, so it's a success!

What i'm planning on is to use the finderscope instead, wich i use for guiding anyway, to capture the IR data.

200mm F/4 with the 5L-II gives a little larger FOV then the 550D on the 200PDS. Of course it won't be high resolution - only about 3.87 "/pixel, but i'll only use it for color data so i'm hoping it will be enough.

I'm hoping that the lower resolution and wider FOV at 200mm will allow me to still do longer exposures without guiding.

This way i can also easily change between IR capturing and 550D RGB capturing with the 5L for guiding - without having to touch either of the cameras.

I tried the 5L-II with the IR-pass filter on the finder during daytime once in the summer, and a house about 4-500 meters away sure looked sharp - only blurred by the heat. I could clearly see what the kids over there was doing. So it seems using the finderscope for imaging is fully possible. Just don't know what targets to go for yet, but i'm guessing larger targets like M42 to begin with?