dannybgoode

Looking at my image of IC434 it looks a fair bit darker on SGL than it does on Astrobin or Facebook - here is the link to the Astrobin copy IC 434 Horsehead Nebula ( dannybgoode ) - AstroBin

Is it just me, have I missed a setting, am I imagining it or does SGL darken images a shade on upload?!

Right I am calling this one done - I've got other targets to work on now I've found my mojo.  I will of course revisit with more data however that may be next year now..  I've spent a bit of time learning a few processes in PixInsight so this is may first image that is 100% done in PI which I am pleased about.  Not a necessity of course by any means however it is nice to be able to work in a variety of packages to get the result I want.

Image is 2+ hours of Ha and then only 25 mins or so R G and B.  After stacking each channel I then used EZDenoise first to clean up the subs and then merged the Ha G & B.  Next I created a master luminance stack from the Ha R G & B and merged this is.   Various masks and then subsequent tweaks of levels, curves etc and then Wavelet - MultiScaleLinear Scale Transform to create a soft mask and a bit of light sharpening.  Finally HDRMulticaleTransform and then back for a final tweak of the curve to get this finished image...

EDIT with the png file so the colours show correctly...

Yes, agree - the second version looks much much better.  Very nice image.

7 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

You have rather small sensor - only 11mm diagonal

Hence my desire for a bigger sensor.  Trouble is I am a sucker for Starlight Xpress gear - simply because their aftersales service is so remarkably good - and I have my eye on an SX814 which has a 16mm diagonal also which , using Stellarium to see what the FoV would be looks an acceptable size, particularly if I later get a .75 or .8 reducer

Perfect - thanks again for the detailed explanation.  

6 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

, or maybe you'll lack software support for it

Now I have NINA working consistently and reliably (the first time I have had confidence the software itself will deliver night after night) I am more than happy to play around with things like mosaics.  NINA's panel creation tool is so easy to use so I don't have any worries there and as you say it is for a £nil outlay and it's fun to experiment.

Looking at some of my recent images I am not sure the TMB *needs* a field flattener either as it seems pretty good even into the corners however if I do decide I need one then I'll probably get a reducing one to give me options.

@vlaiv - many thanks for your reply.  Apologies - can I just clarify - do I need to bin 2x with my current camera/scope combo or I would bin 2x with say a 325mm to achieve the same exposure time?

I guess as well then a 4th option would be a nice .75 focal reducer for the TMB - best of both worlds?

I am currently using my TMB 105/650 and Starlight Xpreas SX674 which is a nice combo however the FOV is quite limited - I cannot even fit M42 in its entirety.

I am not wanting a huge wide field set up but would like to be able to fit M42 in, M45, M81 & M82 etc.

Setting up a mosaic is an option however given the limited clear nights not the best choice I don’t think so do I get a new camera with a larger sensor or a wide field scope (something in the 450mm-ish range)?

Cost would be about the same, the camera being possibly a little more.

So the big question - was it worth it?! Well, I’ve used my mount for a good 10 hours now and at first it was a bit lumpy but now the grease gas had chance to work in and bed down I am getting sub-arc second guiding most of the time.

There are a couple of positions where it hovers around a second but mainly in the Dec axis and that, I think, simple I cannot balance the Dec properly at the moment as the saddle is too short for my rather back heavy scope in imaging guise.

Backlash needed a little fettle also - I had everything a shade tight but now everything looks really good.

I have the ADM replacement saddle on order though and that will solve this little issue.

Overall well worth doing and I’ll replace the bearings in a year it two but see no pressing need given how well it’s working now.

This is high on my list now I’ve pretty much done with the Horsehead for now. There’s a few star clusters I want and am just waiting for the next clear night to finish M36.

Nice capture…

6 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

Oh of course...

So we're they hot pixels? Mine get removed by the stacking software,  I think...

Actually I don’t think they were hot pixels as such rather artefacts from a sharpening process I ran in Affinity Photo. For the re-work I did more work in PI getting the stars right etc to reduce the need for sharpening later.

My subs and stacks are fully calibrated so yes, that does remove true hot pixels 

Very nice - this inspires me to have a go at M45 as my scope / camera combo means I will be close into it.  Love the nebulosity you've teased out..

@AKB - taking your version as inspiration I have had one last tweak and now I am going to leave it alone until I have a) more data and b) had a bit more hammer on the various PixInsight functions I can use to clean up the subs and stacks .  It shouldn't suffer from the hot pixels...

@AKB - yes I like that. One of the thing I find fascinating about AP is how there are almost infinite ways to process the same data and everyone seems to have a slightly different take.

I will still try to capture some more RGB data though and give it another go

This is much better - much happier with this version.  Still need more data though but as a cheat I used the Ha data for the red and then a super luminance stack for the lum...

@newbie alert - think this has got rid of the hot pixels.  WIP - work in progress, ie unfinished business

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Did you use the Ha as a luminance or add it to the red or do something fancy in Pixelmath to do a bit of both ?

I am not entirely sure!!  My ability to work with Lum data is somewhat sketchy.  For this one though I actually generated a super lum layer by combining the R G & B integrated subs with the Ha.  Then I combined the RGB data and then used the LRGB combiner, unticked the RGB channels and just dragged the blue arrow onto the merged RGB file.

There is another method that I am playing with and then does involve some light pixel maths to generate a 15% grey layer which you then apply to the Lum, invert and then use the L*a*c option to merge in the Lum.  This seems to give more contrast and is what I will use I think when I go for the final image.  I also need to get smarter with things like histogram equalisation and stuff.  Overall though I am pleased with it so far.  It isn't going to win any awards but I feel I have taken a step forward with it all...

Needs more RGB data and I need to really get into the more advanced parts of the image processing software as well but here is the colour version of my attempt at IC 434 - Horsehead Nebula.  Still a fair bit wrong with it - the R G B is well under an hour each for a start - but my best image to date I think 🙂.

I will spend more time properly cleaning up the subs in PI and do a better job of integrating once I have more data.

Aye - now I have NINA nailed do I am enjoying imaging so so much.  The last couple of years have been very frustrating but I have learned a lot and now feel I can get on and actually work some targets and stuff.  And yes, I am controlling my mount from a nice warm room as well .  Feel like I am at mission control

7 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

I could swap your LZOS for my WO GT81.... Think nothing of it, my pleasure 🙂

I briefly considered your kind offer but will have to decline on this occasion  

I am sorely tempted by an SX-814 mono CCD to compliment the 674 - would give me a significantly wider FOV.   The other option is an 8" RASA for AP work and then enjoy the TMB for visual and perhaps a bit of AP as and when.  The other advantage of the RASA of course is that it is f2 so under my light polluted skies it may help gather the photons quicker.  A second scope is a more costly route though unless a second hand bargain shows up.

Stunning amount of detail regardless of the halos but yes, they would annoy me also.  My scope / camera combo does not allow for widefield work at the moment and I I looking to rectify that.  Sure I could set up some panels but that requires a lot of clear nights or would have to be a project over a couple of years to gather a nice wide view like this so I am looking at camera and scope options accordingly.

Oh lordy - I have just run it through ABE on PI.  Even more detail coming through.  Tonight looks clear so I hope to get the RGB data...

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

Great image of the HH! Not sure what camera you are using with the LZOS!?

Starlight Xpress SX-H674 Mono with Baader filters. No field flattened yet - now the scope has been cleaned and collimated I am not sure it needs one

Yep - the PPBA has made setting everything up so much easier.  Even powers my mini PC so in the process of knocking up a battery box with 12v panel and then I can finally get mobile and to better skies.  Do you have an autofocus?  That has revolutionised things for me.  The FocusCube v2 is very very good.

Work in progress - just about happy with the Ha data for my first attempt at IC 434 - the iconic Horsehead Nebula.  23 300s frames all calibrated, aligned and stacked in PixInsight and captured with the new love of my life, NINA.

Overall very pleased with how this is turning out.  Having really struggled to get images I am happy with, the combination of NINA, the Pegasus FocusCube v2 and PPBA and of course the mighty TMB 105/650 LZOS is really starting to come together for me.

And wow - the flat wizard!.  So so quick.  Makes flats very easy indeed.  Not had a flip yet - I can only see the Eastern half of the sky anyway so rarely happens for me until I get somewhere open...

Well so far, so very impressed.  Was set up and PA'd  using the 3 star routine within minutes and got straight down to some Andromeda action whilst I wait for the HH to pop up above the roofline.  Slewed, plate solved, focused and guided without a fuss (big shout out for ASTAP as well - fastest plate solving software I've used and speeds up the whole process considerably) and off it went without a fuss.  Just not experienced this ease of use before.  OK that is partly down to the fact that I've actually got off my behind and put a few hours in making sure I had nailed down all the steps however the fact that everything worked when asked gave me the motivation.

Hopefully this run will continue