Cocoon Nebula Re-Processed

[Catanonia]

My original effort was here http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/154111-cocoon-nebula.html and I wasn't too happy with the outcome. Mainly the processing looked too forced.

I tried a different processing method. Rather than trying to blend in the 20min Ha to the RGB after processing, I tried another method.

Using PixInsight I calibrated the 2xbin RGB and the unbinned HA.

I then star aligned the Red and Ha together which shrunk the Ha to 2xbin size and allowed me to combined it at the Red level with the Red subs.

So effectively I combined the Ha to the Red at the combination stage rather than after the RGB stage.

I think it has come out better and with crisper stars and more of the blue surrounding the Nebula is showing.

The stars don't look so forced, well in my eyes and a bit tighter. Also lost alot of the Red ring around the older orange stars as a result.

I think this looks better, but you guys are the judges.

[shaunster]

Much better mate.

For me the last one looked processed, this looks more natural and the detail is still showing

Think you may get a more natural look if you ditched the binning, but maybe at the expense of star colour.

[foundaplanet]

I think both are excellent images.

Both have different appeal but I can see what you mean about this one looking less forced.

[dc509]

I agree with you, I think it's an improvement. Interesting technique, too. Very nice version of the Cocoon...

d

[ollypenrice]

Yup, I felt that the stars were big in the first one and put it down to binning, which I never use if I will be adding Ha because of the disparity in star size between NB and broadband. But here you have much tighter stars, still with the really good colour of the first one. I still think you'd be better with unbinned colour but I fully understand that you need to get the data in fast in the UK. It's a great image and I'd be inclined to give it a bit more to pull out the dust lane, even though it is only a dust lane!

Olly

[Catanonia]

Yup, I felt that the stars were big in the first one and put it down to binning, which I never use if I will be adding Ha because of the disparity in star size between NB and broadband. But here you have much tighter stars, still with the really good colour of the first one. I still think you'd be better with unbinned colour but I fully understand that you need to get the data in fast in the UK. It's a great image and I'd be inclined to give it a bit more to pull out the dust lane, even though it is only a dust lane!

Olly

Not sure if not binning the RGB would do any good.

For 2x2 bin i would have to at least do 15mins RGB compared to 10mins RGB unbinned and I would still get over exposed stars.

I am leaning towards 2x2 binning as by the time you reduce the image for web viewing, you loose alot of the detail.

But then, there is always the full sized image to be aware off.

Mixing the Red and Ha at the initial merge of the Red channel is something I have played with a few times, but it is horses for courses, sometimes it works, sometimes not.