Leo Triplet - my best image

[split_city]

Given my lack of imaging for the last 6 months, I thought it would be good to really spend some time processing my old data. I've spent probably about 6 hours on this one after reading through various tutorials and trying out different techniques. I'm pretty pleased with the result and have to say, it's probably right up there with my best image so far. Still need more data to reduce the noise and not 100% happy with the colour. As you can see in my raw sub, not a lot to work with as this region of the sky is the most light polluted region of my sky.

Details

Scope: 8" Newt

Mount: EQ6

Guide scope: 60mm f/11 tasco refractor

Guide camera: unmodded Toucam

Guiding software: PhD

Imaging camera: unmodded Canon 400D

Settings: about 6hrs of data made up for 480 and 600sec subs @ ISO800 and ISO1600

Stacked in DSS and processed in CS3.

First image shows final result and second image shows a raw sub (600secs @ ISO1600).

Leo Triplet by split-city, on Flickr

Raw by split-city, on Flickr

[Gina]

Very nice - lots of detail

[sologuitarist61]

That is a truly great image - excellent

[Mark72]

Nice image. great details there,

Mark

[Stu]

That is very nice indeed :-)

Stu

[adamsp123]

Nice one! (or three)

[NGEddie]

Looks great to me!

[stellawolf]

Great image,nice detail well done

[split_city]

Thanks for all the comments

[Black Knight]

Very nice looking result

[Chris]

Thats a cracking triplet, congrats!

[Eddy_J1]

Very nice, another great example of what dslr's can do

[split_city]

Cheers for the feedback. I have lots of data from other objects waiting to be looked at again

[StuartJPP]

Very good, and it is nice to see a raw sub from which you extracted the data.

[split_city]

Yeah I might include a raw image in future. It gives a bit of a reference point as to what kind of conditions I was dealing with.

[davo]

The Leo Triplet is a great view! but this capture wants me to get in to imaging!. You really got the, very elusive, edge on NGC 3628 spot on. I could look at this for hours. Fantastic image :-)

[split_city]

Thanks Davo. I only started imaging just over a year ago, but had 6 months off during to birth of our Charlotte. I say go for it if you want to start!