R1k

Gorgeous image olly!

About 6 hours of data from last week

First time using pixinsight which was incredibly useful in linear stages

ASKAR FRA400 at 280mm f3.9
294MM pro
Optolong 3nm SHO filters

full frame with minimal crop and 2 selected crops 

Equipment:

- Skywatcher EQ6-R pro

- AKSAR FRA400 with 0.7x reducer (f3.9)

- ZWO 32mm f4 guidescope + ASI 120MM-mini

- ZWO ASI 294MM pro

- ZWO EAF

- Optolong 36mm RGB filters, Optolong 3nm 36mm Ha filter

- Pegasus Powerbox advance

Acquisition:

- Lights, Ha 23 x 300s, RGB 20 x 180s, total integration 225 minutes

- Darks: 30

- Flats: 20 per filter

- Darkflats: 20 per filter

Processing:

-        Stack and calibrate al subframes in APP

-        Light pollution removal and batch crop on Ha, R, G and B stacks

-        Combine as HaRGB, star colour calibrate

-        Save stretched version of Ha alone and HaRGB as 16bit TIFFs

-        HaRGB file in PS – noise xterminator, starxterminator, create star mask, saturation, vibrance, light stretch

-        Ha file in PS – noise Xterminator, starXterminator, curves, ACR, contrast

-        Use processed Ha file as luminance on starless HaRGB file at 25% opacity

-        Further sharpening and adjustments using Topaz AI and a series of masked high pass filters

-        On Star only layer, minimisation using highlights selection and minimum filter

-        Add stars back into main image using blend mode “linear dodge, add”

-        Crop to taste

hi res: https://www.astrobin.com/2rhh8c/

On 02/01/2023 at 18:49, ollypenrice said:

Transformed! A really good M42, now.

Point of interest: the bottom half of the nebula, in this rendition, is brown and dusty. In most renditions the red emission still dominates in the lower half.  In some, there is a strong colour transition, but in the reds, where yours turns into brown dust. I find your version perfectly credible and am simply interested in the emission/reflection balance, brown dust being reflection. Essentially, I think your image may be onto something.

Olly

Thank you Olly! I recall your version from last year well - something for me to aim for in the future!
 

although technically HaRGB, the Ha was only very slightly used in channel combination, it’s effectively a true colour image hence why the brown dusty areas may have turned out the way they did. 

Wouldn't normally re-post but have re-processed this image paying much more attention preservation of the core. Here is the updated version!

3 minutes ago, Craig a said:

That’s a lovely image of m42, and from a fellow Quattro 10 user that’s nice to see, you pulled some nice detail in the clouds 

Thanks Craig, it’s occasionally a pain to use but when all works, it’s a great scope!

Orion Nebula in HaRGB

This hustling and bustling neighbourhood 1,400 light years distant is brimming with towering pillars of gas and dust that are home to fledgling stars.

Shot over two nights this week from my home in Bortle 6 NW England.

Equipment:

- Skywatcher EQ6-R pro

- Skywatcher 10 inch f4 Quattro

- Skywatcher Aplanatic coma corrector

- Skywatcher Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI 120MM-mini

- ZWO ASI 294MM pro

- ZWO EAF

- Optolong 36mm 3nm Ha filter, Optolong RGB filters

- Pegasus Powerbox advance

Acqusition:

- Lights, Ha: 20 x 300s, 50 x 15s each of RGB

- Darks: 30

- Flats: 10 per filter

- Darkflats: 10 per filter

Cocoon Nebula in RGB

Equipment:

Skywatcher EQ6-R pro

Skywatcher 10 inch f4 Quattro

Skywatcher Aplanatic coma corrector

Skywatcher Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI 120MM-mini

ZWO ASI 294MM pro

ZWO EAF

Optolong 36mm RGB filters

Pegasus Powerbox advance

Acqusition:

Lights, R: 34 x 180s, G: 33 x 180s, B: 33 x 180s (total integration 5 hours) 

Darks: 30

Flats: 30

Darkflats: 0 

Would you be able to provide some insight into your denoise workflow?

Incredible work

Western Veil, 250mm f4 newt

294MM PRO

12x300s Ha
19x300s Oiii

6 hours ago, simmo39 said:

V nice. 

Thanks!

First light last night for my Optolong 3nm Narrowband filters. Nebula combined as HOO, Stars R=Ha, G=0.25Ha+0.75Oiii, B=Oiii

19 x 5 min Ha
14 x 5 min Oiii (so much more needed)
250mm f4 newt
294MM-pro

6 hours ago, GalaxyGael said:

Beautiful result for 1 hr in Bortle 6.

How did you processes away or deal with the diffraction spike, which would ordinarily appear for some of these stars. SW have thin vanes and the spike are normally not too thick and the stars retain their circular core, but curious to know how 20 sub stack dealt with them. Lovely job.

Thanks very much. Nothing particular for the diffraction spikes. They are there and more evident on the brighter stars in the field of view I have cropped out. The stars within this cropped FoV are quite dim so they just don't show up.

8 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

That is a sensational result and, bravo, well done. Resolution of spiral detail is just brilliant.

There are High Dynamic Range techniques which would let you fix the small, circular saturated core, probably, though you might need to shoot a handful of short subs for that.

The background isn't perfectly flattened but, hell, nobody is going to begrudge you a bit of leeway from NW England (land of my birth! )

This is the most remarkable image in terms of quality-from-location that I've seen in a long time.

Olly

Thanks Olly! Big fan of your work so means a lot. I will have a think about shorter subs (maybe next year now) for a HDR approach. Thanks again for the feedback

4 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

Thats wild for 60 minutes. The 10 inch f4 is a real beast with mono it looks like.

I really do love it. Has been a game changer for me!

First light for a new-to-me ASI294MM-pro. 20 x 3minutes lum on M51 with a 250SW quattro. Bortle 6 NW england. Darks but no other cali frames.

What an incredible area of sky!

23/4/22 and 24/4/22

Total integration 8 hours 8 minutes with a Skywatcher 10" f4 newt and 294MC-pro

(112 x 2min + 88 x 3min)

5 hours ago, tomato said:

That's outstanding detail from a 210 minutes of integration and a Bortle 6 location.👍

Are imaging at native resolution or are you binning 2x2?

Native resolution. Image scale is 0.96 arc sec/ pixel.

thanks very much, I’m so pleased with this setup.

Is this CC correct for your scope? My understanding is that it is only for f4 newts

13 hours ago, Richard_ said:

Very nice image Rik! I love the way that side on galaxies look, a nice dark centre with light popping out. It'll be interesting to see how M106 will look with Ha data. 

Funnily enough, I was going to shoot this target with the same framing last night but it hit the meridian by the time I was ready to shoot so I changed target. After seeing your image, I'll definitely have to give it a go. 

Thanks! Yeh I’m a big fan of this framing. I’m looking forward to seeing your result 🙂

Started on a new target last night. I absolutely love this area of the sky surrounding M106 - so much to see, photograph and discover. Will hopefully add much more to this (including some Ha) in the coming weeks. 210 minutes, 294MC pro, 10" f4 newt, Bortle 6

Fantastic images! Which Meade 8 inch SCT was used?

How dark are your skies?

This looks like something that you won’t be able to sort without expert help. If the scope is in warranty definitely contact explore scientific for help. Otherwise ES Reid who is an optics expert in south England can normally help for a fee.

Thanks all. Very useful comments. This is all shot with a 294MC pro and Optolong L-pro, so no Ha to extract! Was pleased to get some of the ha areas coming through