First Attempt at M42

[gnomus]

We got some clear skies last night and so I got to try out my new refractor and DSLR.  I decided to try M42.  I've had a go at M31, M33 and M82 before with my SCT - with limited success.  This first go with a refractor consists of 14 x 5 minutes @ 800 ISO (the 15th exposure was wrecked by a meridian flip) and 15 x 30 secs @ 800 ISO. 

I dithered and did not use Darks.  I used a master bias of 200 exposures.  A limited number of flats (10).  I found doing flats with an iPad a bit of a chore, since the iPad seemed to have  mind of its own as regards what it wanted to show on-screen.  

All put together in PixInsight.

I'd be grateful for comments/advice on what can be done to improve it.  Would some exposures longer than 5 minutes be advisable?  Also, I found that anything more than 30 seconds seemed to burn out the core (I tried a couple at 2 minutes and 1 minute - not included in the final assemblage) - is this what others find?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Pankaj]

We got some clear skies last night and so I got to try out my new refractor and DSLR.  I decided to try M42.  I've had a go at M31, M33 and M82 before with my SCT - with limited success.  This first go with a refractor consists of 14 x 5 minutes @ 800 ISO (the 15th exposure was wrecked by a meridian flip) and 15 x 30 secs @ 800 ISO. 

I dithered and did not use Darks.  I used a master bias of 200 exposures.  A limited number of flats (10).  I found doing flats with an iPad a bit of a chore, since the iPad seemed to have  mind of its own as regards what it wanted to show on-screen.  

All put together in PixInsight.

I'd be grateful for comments/advice on what can be done to improve it.  Would some exposures longer than 5 minutes be advisable?  Also, I found that anything more than 30 seconds seemed to burn out the core (I tried a couple at 2 minutes and 1 minute - not included in the final assemblage) - is this what others find?

Thanks in anticipation.

BEAUTIFUL..How did it feel when you saw the processed picture for the first time ?

[Atreta]

Stunning picture, is your camera modified?

congratulations

[gnomus]

Thanks for the comments.  I processed the picture and uploaded it using my (uncalibrated monitor) laptop.  When I looked at it again on my iPad,it seemed much too red for my liking.  I re-did the picture using a PC with a calibrated monitor.  This version seems a bit better balanced colour-wise.  Yes my camera is modded.

[Clockwork_Orange]

Both excellent images

John

[SnakeyJ]

Great M42 and running man Gnomus. Only looking on my phone, but prefer the first as the second looks a little clipped.

Very nice dslr image!

[Astrosurf]

Brilliant image! I can't see clearly because I can't enlarge the image, but did you get the trapezium of stars in the core? If not, take subs of a few seconds for that area. I'm not familar with PixInsight, but use PS using layer masks for the three separate levels of subs. And I would do longer ones to get more nebulosity, but you've done amazingly for a first image! MUCH better than any I've done.

Alexxx

[julio]

nice work. what set up did you use?

[gnomus]

Brilliant image! I can't see clearly because I can't enlarge the image, but did you get the trapezium of stars in the core? If not, take subs of a few seconds for that area. I'm not familar with PixInsight, but use PS using layer masks for the three separate levels of subs. And I would do longer ones to get more nebulosity, but you've done amazingly for a first image! MUCH better than any I've done.

Alexxx

I think I got the trapezium - but it is very close to being burned out.  Excuse my ignorance, but is this it (100% crop)?

I may well try a few shorter exposures to help with this.  It is clear that there is more nebulosity there, but as I stretch and stretch it starts becoming more noisy.  

[gnomus]

nice work. what set up did you use?

A Skywatcher ED80 on a CGEM mount with the focal reducer.  I am using a ZWO ASI120 attached to the 9x50 finderscope for guiding.  The camera is a modded Canon 600D.  I am also using a Hutech IDAS LP filter.

[Astrosurf]

I think I got the trapezium - but it is very close to being burned out.  Excuse my ignorance, but is this it (100% crop)?

I may well try a few shorter exposures to help with this.  It is clear that there is more nebulosity there, but as I stretch and stretch it starts becoming more noisy.  

Yep, that looks like it.

[glowingturnip]

that's really very nice, well done !

(I prefer the first one too)

[gnomus]

that's really very nice, well done !

(I prefer the first one too)

Thanks. The consensus seems to be more on version one! Doesn't this look a little too red? I think I probably did clip out some of the shadow detail in image 2. It's probably a hangover from my regular photography where I like things to be 'punchy' or 'contrasty'. I applied an 'S' curve in Photoshop that darkened the sky, but may have lost some of the fine detail in the nebula. Is the preference for 2 based on colour or level of detail/brightness? I'm happy to have another go, so long as it is not considered 'bad form' to post the same image 3 times in various different versions.

[glowingturnip]

i'd say version 1 because there's lots of the faint nebulosity around the main target that you've managed to bring out there, but clipped in the second version.

Doesn't look too red on here.  You could try pasting version 2 as a new layer over version 1 in photoshop and change layer 2 blending mode to colour, so using the luminance of 1) and the colour of 2) ?

[gnomus]

i'd say version 1 because there's lots of the faint nebulosity around the main target that you've managed to bring out there, but clipped in the second version.

Doesn't look too red on here.  You could try pasting version 2 as a new layer over version 1 in photoshop and change layer 2 blending mode to colour, so using the luminance of 1) and the colour of 2) ?

Thanks again.  I appreciate the feedback, because this is all very new to me.  I've reworked the image with less red, but less clipping.  

Any better?

[frugal]

I'd be grateful for comments/advice on what can be done to improve it. Would some exposures longer than 5 minutes be advisable? Also, I found that anything more than 30 seconds seemed to burn out the core (I tried a couple at 2 minutes and 1 minute - not included in the final assemblage) - is this what others find?

I also have an ED80 with a Canon DSLR. I too tend to find that 30 sec at ISO400 without an LG filter is about all I can manage before the core starts to be saturated. I have gone up to 600 seconds so far, but I want to try to push it up to 900 seconds in order to capture some of the faint dust at the edges.

[glowingturnip]

Any better?

gorgeous, mate !

[gnomus]

gorgeous, mate !

Yes.  But what about the photograph?

[Ruud]

Hi Gnomus! Well done!

[RichM63]

By heck, well done!!!! Can't see it being 'bad form', you are asking for and receiving advice, hence the reason for the existence of a forum.

Oh, 1 and 3 rather than 2 IMHO.

[glowingturnip]

that's one to get framed, I reckon

[skysculptor]

3 for me nice balance of colour n detail

[Astrosurf]

That's brilliant. I must re-do mine. It's hopelessly red!

[gnomus]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

[alexjj67]

That third one is superb