mackiedlm

Thats come out really nice. I love this area and it gives great opportunity for mosaics.

Hmmmm! Ever wish youd not bothered to ask a question?

Within Pixinsight (I explain this as you've said regularly you dont use it) to do Drizzle integration you first do a normal integration. So thats done already. And the comparison of the stars in the original and the drizzled version shows a huge improvement in the star shapes. That was the first thing I did and it was on the basis of that comparison that I decided to continue with the drizzled version. Because I could see the benefit. But the file size is huge. Which is why I am asking if there is a way to reduce the file size without losing the actual (perceived?) benefit I have gained from the drizzle. Is there?

Less blocky shaped stars mainly, and possibly some improvement in fine detail. But I am far from smart enough to get into a discussion with @vlaiv about the theoretical and mathematical intricacies of drizzle and or Integer resampling. I'm doing drizzle integration on the basis of what I've read in the likes of Keller that if your image meets certain criteria in terms of sampling etc, Drizzle can be beneficial in those area. My image meets those requirements so I'm giving it a whirl to see what comes out. I await re-education.

Thanks for this. I really need it now - I've just done HDRComposition on the image and PI wants to make it 64bit with a file size of 2.5Gb. My computer is about to have a stroke 😂

I have made a drizzle integration from a stack of ASI 2600mc images. it looks great but the drizzle integration file is 1.2 Gb in size. Two questions; 1. Is this correct it seems ridiculosly large - have I screwed up somewhere? 2. Assuming it is correct, when and how do you downsample in pixinsight, to make the file a more manageable size but without losing the benefits of the drizzle? Thanks for any input.

Stunning image, The detail is incredible but retaining an ethereal quality.

Thats really nice. beautiful colours and detail and perfect framing.

I really like that. Great structure in the nebulosity surrounding the bubble and in the lobster claw too. M52 nicely resolved too. Well done.

Thats a cracking image. Nicely framed

Thats a fantastic image - you have done really well with the outer shell.

Thanks Martin. You have probably seen it as part of "The Cosmic Question Mark". But at my FOV I would have needed two panels of virtually empty space to bring in the lower dot (the little rosette SH2-170) of the ?. And I could not be bothered with that. Maybe one day when I have 14 days back to back clear moonless skies. 😂

Thanks so much Martin and Peter. Yes I completely agree completely. Like i said in the OP, green has always been a part of the HST images - think of the original pillars of creation. i think in some instances it does need to be "toned down" a bit but the fashion seems to be to remove green entirely - which i think is a pity.

This is a two panel mosaic although the overlap was about 80% as I wanted to get as much integration as possible on the "busy" area at centre of the lower part. Its a total of around 7 hours with the SW 80Ed, ASI2600mc and the l-enhance.

very nice - I dont often see such close-up of this object.

I had decided to not go mono until I could afford (and justify) the cost of a ASI2600mm But then I got a "too good to turn down" offer of a used QHY 163m (the QHY version of the ASI1600mm) complete with filter wheel and an equally good offer on a set of ZWO NB filters. So this is my first light with that camera and my first ever mono/NB/SHO image with my own gear and data. It is 2 hours of Ha and 1.5 hrs each Sii and Oiii. Of course more time will help but nights are still short here. The Oiii was really poor because of the full moon and a high haze. The little Sharpstar 61 EDPHii does not like moon anywhere close and I had some nasty gradients and reflections in the oiii. Ha and Sii were fine. I have done 2 vesions the first with some green still in, which I feel is part of the "hubble pallete" And the second with the green removed as that seems to be "de-rigueur" these days! I would really appreciate constructive critique and suggestions for improvement from those of you more experienced with mono and NB. Thanks in advance.

Great image - personally i prefer with stars.

Excellent image, especially considering your location.

Now that is "up close and personal". nicely done.

Do you know if the omegon 571 cameras, c and m, have a heated window like the ZWO AN Altair ones. I've been looking at the specs for the omegon and see no reference to heated window. Out here in West of ireland its a must.

You mentioned the ASI 071 in your first post. Thats currently showing at FLO for£1489. Perhaps you should consider the Altair astro 26C which is is the Altair version with the 571 sensor (same sensor as ASI2600) Currently priced at £1450 The IMX571 sensor really is a leap forward from other sensors.

Thanks Padraic, yes I think I'm coming down on the side of the normal colours myself too.

My first session out since beginning of June - summer really is not conducive to AP in the West of Ireland. Made extra exciting by being first session with my new ZWO EAF driven by APT which worked perfectly. So this is NGC 6823 withthe SW 80 ED, ASI 2600mc, L-enhance. Its around 4 hours of 180s subs. processed two ways - normal and HOO, I'm not sure which I prefer. I will try to get some RGB stars for it when the moon is gone. C&C very welcome.

I just recently tried to install the EAF on my Evostar 80ED stock focuser. I had seen people use the focus stopping screw and the counter screw for fixing. I was not keen to do that as I felt removing the counter screw could be a bad idea possibly leading to difficulty tensioning the focuser (based on the document budgie linked above which I had already followed to stop my focuser slipping - because it not a great focuser anyway.). So I decided to use the 4 "fixing screws". That meant buying some longer screws because, as you say, the supplied ones are too large. ( M3 x 14mm is what I think fitted) However, because the screws were too big to come out through the EAF bracket I had to remove all 4 to start with - separating the two parts as shown. But when I was fitting it back together I hit significant problems. During first re-attach the teflon bearing slipped out and I needed to loosen the tension to get it back in. On second try I found that it was very difficult to get a proper tension on the focuser. After much trial and error I got a tension that seemed about right. But after the first few maneuvers with the EAF there was a cracking noise and everything went loose. One of the bearings within the focuser which the tube runs on had broken. I suspect that I'd done a bad job of tightening things back up putting stress on the bearing, I ended up buying a whole new focuser from FLO (Their Astro Essentials one specifically for the 80ED which is a much better piece of kit anyway and which I am very happy with) So, if i were doing it again on the scock focuser I'd connect the bracket with just two diagonally opposite fixing screws (meaning the housing would not be removed or even loosened) and one in the focus stopping screw hole. As I say, several people have done it with the focus stopping screw hole and the counter screw hole but I was just not comfortable with that. But perhaps its fine. Good luck.! Edit ; I bought the following from amazon to ensure I had appropriate lengths of M3 screw. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075TYHG5S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There will be plenty "in depth science" coming out of JWST in many different scientific forums (and by that I dont only mean "forums" in the sense of Bulletin Boards like SGL but the many scientific publications and conferences that will be held) in the coming weeks, months and years. This was a mainstream TV program intended to inform the general public of the technical complexity and importance of the JWST. It had to be engaging, interesting and provide the viewer with the "wow" factor. On that basis I think it was an excellent program, pitched perfectly. In fact, one of the best I've seen.