NGC 2170

[Boren]

Here's an image still shot with the ST8300 color camera alone, riding the previous (non-carbon-fiber) version of the Powernewt.

It was one of the coldest nights out in the desert, and I recall the hours passing slooooowly, while sloooooowly losing all feeling in my toes, then my feet... - convincing me that it's indeed time for new shoes out there :-)

Finally, I was very fond of the star colors that came through. Also, upon comparing the result with some other images of the same object, I found that some of yellowish (on the right) and greenish (on the left) nebulae which came through in my version isn't that prevalent. But I've decided to just go forward with the true result and not target any particular color balance.

There are higher resolution versions available too (I think they are worth the look, especially the 1400 pixels one):

1100 pixels wide: http://www.pbase.com/boren/image/134053264/original

1400 pixels wide: http://www.pbase.com/boren/image/134053267/original

I hope you like them, and any comments are, as always, very welcome.

Cheers,

Harel

[Chestercopperpot]

Gorgeous shot mate

[dc509]

Lovely image

d

[peter shah]

beautiful shot ....i was saving this object for next season, its way past its sell by date for my location....something to lookforward to

[m_j_lyons]

Wonderful image...detail/color are outstanding.

[Looking Up]

Cor, what a fantastic image! Well worth frost bite!

[Spr]

Lovely image Harel

Darren

[ollypenrice]

Splendid, Harel. To appreciate fully just how good this is you need to know how faint it is! I have never tried it but was around when Pieter was working on it at my place with a fast TeleVue refractor and it was hours and hours and hours for a weak signal. Were you also perscuted by geostationaries?

I'm curious about the colour because to me both the blue and the red stars have a touch of green in them. This may arise from dust extinction and I know your colour is really top notch. Just intrigued.

Olly

[pietervdv]

Aha the infamous ngc2170! A very hard one this, but you have done it justice, great colours. I did this one too this February but called it quits after 15 hours, was getting obsessed by it...

Here is my effort:

Reflection nebula in Monoceros

I have pushed the reds a bit further than yours.

Again great image Harel.

many regards,

Pieter

[nightvision]

Superb , the subtle colours give it so much depth, the detail almost looks like 'mother of pearl' round the stars.

[Boren]

beautiful shot ....i was saving this object for next season, its way past its sell by date for my location....something to lookforward to

Thank you guys!

And Peter - I can't wait to see your image too

I am sure it will be a feast to the eye

Cheers,

Harel

[Boren]

Splendid, Harel. To appreciate fully just how good this is you need to know how faint it is! I have never tried it but was around when Pieter was working on it at my place with a fast TeleVue refractor and it was hours and hours and hours for a weak signal. Were you also perscuted by geostationaries?

I'm curious about the colour because to me both the blue and the red stars have a touch of green in them. This may arise from dust extinction and I know your colour is really top notch. Just intrigued.

Olly

Thanks Olly!

About the geostationaries - frankly not - I have not had a single one in my raw images. I assume this has something to do with the angle from which I am shooting (I am shoorting from a more southernly spot than you I think)..

About the color - you have touched a sensitive point here. I have felt, while processing, that I have too much green in the image. However, following the advice of Warren Keller's excellent tutorials, I have looked back in the raws, seen the green there, and made an executive decision not to articifically eliminate it, but just leave it there. It's funny how our mind (and eye) accepts all colors in an astronomical image, but green. As if the color of the meadows has no space in the skies above.

It seems, though, that some "extinction" as you called it (I'd love to hear more, by the way) has occured, and I have that green creep into the star color - where there's no doubt it shouldn't be...

Anyways, since it seems to bother nevertheless, I am working on a version with less green in it, and will post it here soon.

Thanks for these comments, and all the best,

Harel

[Boren]

Aha the infamous ngc2170! A very hard one this, but you have done it justice, great colours. I did this one too this February but called it quits after 15 hours, was getting obsessed by it...

Here is my effort:

Reflection nebula in Monoceros

I have pushed the reds a bit further than yours.

Again great image Harel.

many regards,

Pieter

Thanks Pieter!

I am shooting with an F/2.8 8" newtonian, which allows shorter exposures for a strong signal, so I can very much appreciate what a huge challange it might be even with a normally "fast" F/4 newt.

Yours is a splendid image, and the effort was very well worth it !

Cheers,

Harel