Another M51 - Second Attempt

[Scorpius]

Got out the other night and actually managed to get some RGB subs. Took some advice from a recent post and used the 8" SCT with focal reducer which really does make it occupy more of the frame. No problem with guiding and got 6 x 600 sec luminance and 3 each RGB at 450 sec & 2x2 binning. Created darks for the luminance but no darks for RGB's (ran out of time). Anyway, probably be redoing it from scatch several more times - forcast to rain all week - but thought I'd post my first attempt at processing the data in hopes of getting some advice for the next go round...

8" SCT w/focal reducer - LRGB

First attempt - 80mm refractor and no RGB's

[kalasinman]

Aperture wins again.

[Scorpius]

My second go at processing the same data...

[Stub Mandrel]

Hi scorpius, I'm looking forward to tehd ay I can get a shot like that, but to me the first one looks much better colour and a bit sharper than the second attempt.

[Scorpius]

Hi scorpius, I'm looking forward to tehd ay I can get a shot like that, but to me the first one looks much better colour and a bit sharper than the second attempt.

I think you're correct about the color as it's a little "over done" in the second attempt although I think the first one looks "washed out" for lack of a better term. Detail-wise I actually thought the second one was better but it may be my less than 20/20 vision that's got me confused in that regard. Anyway - guess it's back to the drawing board in hopes of finding a happy medium between the two...

[Scorpius]

Think this is about the best I will get from this data but I do think it's improved a little each time but maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part...

[Stub Mandrel]

Looks goof here :-)