My attempt at the horsehead

[lukebl]

I've resisted this one for a long time, as it's such a popular subject and countless others can make a much better job of it than me. However, I had a quick go last night to see how much imaging was possible in high winds. Despite blustery weather and a very alpine-looking PHD graph, I managed 10 minute exposures with reasonably round(ish) stars. Anyway here's the result after 2h 10mins.

Could do better I know, but you should have seen the smile on my face when the first sub appeared. It was such a treat to capture an image of such a celestial icon myself for the first time, and in less than ideal conditions.

SXVF-H9, 250mm f/4.7 Newt, NEQ-6, H-a filter.

Here it is with a little more contrast

[Martin-Devon]

Luke - that's a cracking good image...

[Spikey]

Luke that is a fantastic image, I prefer the top one. What sort of Ha filter are you using?

[SJJ]

Nice image Luke. Good one to add to your collection.

[lukebl]

Many thanks All. Spikey, the filter was a 7nm Baader filter. One of these.

Done a bit of a re-work. I prefer the slightly different colour balance. My original seems to look much better than the uploaded version, though.

[ollypenrice]

It's good! The backgoround is red so I go for the first colour version. I know what you mean about the smile! Before I was imaging myself a guest was shooting this in a 10 inch SCT and I just couldn't believe the sight of the first sub coming in.

Olly

[Photosbykev]

Check you are using sRGB rather than aRGB colourspace Luke, that third image is typical of an aRGB profiled image being uploaded all the colours wash out.

btw awesome result

[Beyond_Vision]

A result to be proud of Luke it's a great closeup of the Horsey

Regards

Kevin

[lukebl]

Thanks gents!

Check you are using sRGB rather than aRGB colourspace Luke, that third image is typical of an aRGB profiled image being uploaded all the colours wash out.

To be honest, I just converted it to colour to give it a more natural appearance, but as it's just a single Ha channel, I guess I ought to have just posted in b/w. So here it is. Sometime I might capture a few hours-worth of O-III and SII to do it properly, but not sure when I'll get round to it!

[Uplooker]

Thats brilliant. I would be so proud of that, even more so given the conditions you mentioned.

Uplooker

[Astroscot2]

Star on the nose too, nice!

[Tim]

Very very nice Luke, good resolution there, and the detail in the edges of the horsey are starting to come out. With longer subs the clouds beneath the head start to put some more definable structures in too.

Actually, I've been running some 60 min subs of this with the same camera and same filter, at F4. Would be very interesting to see the differences (if any) between the two. I've done the same with S2 but the signal is horribly weak as usual. Not sure about O3, havent had a moonless night to try it yet.

Again, well done, thats a horsey to be proud of.

[Ju_Cooper]

Excellent image—inspiring me to have a crack at it

[lukebl]

Cheers, all.

....Actually, I've been running some 60 min subs of this with the same camera and same filter....

Blimey. 60-minute subs. You don't get many of those per session! What do they look like? I'd love to see.

[rickygoespop]

love the pics, they show what realistic photos look like apart from all the hubble ones i have become acustomed too.

[dave_galera]

Brilliant image and I also prefer one of the original red versions.

BTW, if you are using Photoshop you should set your colour space to Adobe RGB (1998), or if you are using CS5 then set it to Adobe Pro Photo, otherwise you will loose some of your colours, and always work in 16 bit.

To create a jpeg for web work you can use 'File > Save For Web & Divices' and select sRGB as the colour space for the jpeg image only, and never print in sRGB the gamut is too small.

[lukebl]

....To create a jpeg for web work you can use 'File > Save For Web & Divices' and select sRGB as the colour space for the jpeg image only, and never print in sRGB the gamut is too small.

That's interesting. I've never saved a jpeg that way. How does that sort of jpeg differ from one made the conventional way (i.e by doing a 'save as')?

[dave_galera]

Hi Luke,

Using Save For Web gives you a lot more options, allows you to covert image to sRGB without disturbing the original images working space, and you can re-size the image again without resizing the original image.

I have, and still do sometimes, forget I have re-sized the original image and press save and close the image . Ooops, so I have to start again........using save for web doesn't disturb the original image and is a safer way to do it when its getting late at night. You should never keep re-sizing an image smaller then larger, I always work from a master large hi-resolution image and develop smaller images from that going back to the hi-res master each time (I have been using PS commercially since 1997 as a photographer)

Hope this helps.

[Tom OD]

Nice image Luke,

Waiting for that first image to come off the laptop is one of the highlights of imaging. My preference is for the first pic too.

Dave on the sRGB point, you say never print in sRGB. I've found that all camera shops print in sRGB. I never know whether to bring in images in Adobe or sRGB or them. So I can get some varying colour in print outs. I'll work in Adobe RGB and then convert for e mailing / posting and for those camera print shops.

Tom.

[dave_galera]

Hi Tom,

You might have just opened Pandora's Box!!

Generally for inkjet printing the preferred working space is Adobe 1998 especially if you are printing yourself, however, if you are using a photo lab they seem to prefer sRGB.

The Adobe RGB space is recommend for inkjet output because it is similar to the performance capability of inkjet printers and you will get better reds, greens, and blues when printing files that have an Adobe 1998 profile attached. In general, inkjet printers are calibrated to accept Adobe RGB data which is then converted to CMYK values before printing.

I would check with your photo lab and give them the color space they want.

What system are they using to print the images?

As I also live in Andalucia, which printers do you use?

[lukebl]

Hi all,

Managed to capture a couple of hours-worth of additional subs this evening, before the clouds rolled over again. Quite pleased that I've teased out a little more of the delicate nebulosity.

[Fay]

really beautiful Luke, so smooth & detailed

Fay

[Spikey]

Luke that looks amazing & thanks for the filter info.