Horsehead in H-alpha+RGB

[Martin-Devon]

Not the greatest Horsehead, but with the lack of clear skies it'll have to do....

Taken over two nights, 20th & 21st February, with plenty of moonlight around so the RGB data is compromised somewhat, hence it's rather noisy. Data consists of 15 x 10 min H-alpha and 6 x 10 min each of RGB; calibrated with darks and flats.

Thanks for looking - Martin

[nytecam]

Very nice Horsehead - well done

[Velvet]

very nice

Velvet

[johnrt]

Not seen it presented in colours like that before, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. You have some real detail around both the horsehead and flame there.

[swag72]

I like the detail, but personally I'd like to see more colour. I can understand that you've been struggling with the moon - This is a good example of how the moon washes out the RGB. Without the moon, that would have been as colourful as anything I'll bet.

[Ewan]

Agreed about the moonlight Martin but nether the less it's a nice shot, you will get another chance to grab this before it goes i'm sure.

[Gina]

Very nice indeed

[peter shah]

a lovely crisp shot there

[Mark72]

Nice details Marin,

The colours are unlikely to be from the moon. How do you combine it with HA?

Mark

[Martin-Devon]

Hi Mark - I had taken 2.5 hours of H-alpha on the first night, and was planning for LRGB on the next night, however the weather had other plans! Anyhow I managed to get 3 hours of RGB before clouds rolled in, so no luminence. To make the image I used H-alpha as my luminence layer, which worked OK. The H-alpha layer had really nice detail, tight stars and low noise whereas as expected the RBG was noisy and of poorer quality; it was more than half-Moon last night, I didn't need a red torch most of the time due to the moonlight.....

[Mark72]

Martin,

Yes, I thought so, the colours are gone and everything is salmon pink because you use Ha as Lum.

Try to blend it in red channel first and then very gradually in Lum with soft light from colour on top.

Mark

[x6gas]

Very tough to get RGB with the moon and high cloud and I think you've done extremely well considering...

Lovely detail on the curtain...

[Martin-Devon]

It's a good point you make Mark - you'll see that Sara also picked up on this as well - it's really good to get feedback like this so that I can make improvements. I'll try blending the H-alpha into the Red data as you suggest and see what comes out; the Red is not particularly good data though, it's definitely a tad milky due to the moonlight, but I'll try it anyhow - thanks

[ollypenrice]

Yup, the pink-out is a classic consequence of using Ha as Lum. So are the blue stellar haloes.

Try adding Ha to red in blend mode Lighten. Maybe add a whiff of Ha to the end result as Lum but I never go above 15% opacity.

Olly

[Martin-Devon]

I've had a bash at revising this based on the advice of Mark & Olly - see the new version below - looks a tad on the red side to me, but probably an improvement on the earlier version.

[swag72]

That is a rendition far closer to the norm, and I do prefer it to the other one. Looks like a bit of green has crept in though? Could do with a dose of SNCR in PI to get rid of it.

[ollypenrice]

I agree with Sara, bits of intruding green are lurking in the pixels, as they often do. SCNR Green. Exterminate. Exterminate!!

I should have said that I didn't dislike the original, I was just saying that you'll always get those colours using Ha as L.

Olly

[Gina]

That's lovely Martin Looks a tad blue to me - so that's the set then Red, green and blue

[Cath]

That's a lovely image Martin! .. The original one you posted that is. The colours may not be accurate but I really like it, much prefer it to the red one, I like the brightness of it, looks more pleasant to look at.