C27 - The Crescent Nebula in Cygnus - First Light - NB - WIP

[andyo]

Thank you Andy Have to say I'm quite pleased with this one I also have to say, I'm delighted with my equipment. The MN190 is a superb scope and the same applies to the Atik 314L+ mono camera plus EFW2 and Astrodon filters. OAG and Lodestar is definitely producing better guiding too.

Yes I recently read somewhere that an OAG is best for guiding a Newtonian rather than another scope due to something called mirror flop

although now I am using the ed80 I didn't look any further into this

[Mr Bergman]

Really impressive Gina!

[Gina]

Really impressive Gina!

Thank you

[ultranova]

Wow Gina, this has to be your best image yet, Your patience and determination has paid off, Guiding and processing are excellent,

Like Olly said the O111 data is excellent, it makes this target even more mysterious.

Well done on all accounts.

Paul,

[Gina]

Thank you very much Paul

[andyboy1970]

Very nice Gina.

[Gina]

Thank you

[swag72]

Do you know what Gina, I looked at this thread at the start and thought that the images were rather over processed or lacking in data perhaps. I have never seen such an improvement in an image from the first post to the end ones. You've got a real peach there coming through. Testament to your hard work and patience no doubt. A big deserved well done

[Gina]

Thank you very much Sara

[ollypenrice]

Yves and I are becooming longer sub maniacs as well. Half an hour for us in all channels, soon. We also need to follow the long sub leader, Tim, and dabble in the 2 hour extravaganza!

Olly

[Mark72]

Excellent work Gina,

Your best I guess, masterly processed.

Mark

[MartinB]

Yves and I are becooming longer sub maniacs as well. Half an hour for us in all channels, soon. We also need to follow the long sub leader, Tim, and dabble in the 2 hour extravaganza!

Olly

Nice idea until you have a couple of 2 hour subs destroyed by two minutes of passing cloud 20 hours per channel to be able to manage a decent sigma reject. Otherwise, the longer the better with NB or dark skies. Very much diminishing returns with broadband and LP.

[Gina]

Excellent work Gina,

Your best I guess, masterly processed.

Mark

Thank you Mark

[Gina]

Nice idea until you have a couple of 2 hour subs destroyed by two minutes of passing cloud 20 hours per channel to be able to manage a decent sigma reject. Otherwise, the longer the better with NB or dark skies. Very much diminishing returns with broadband and LP.

Yes, quite so! I lost a few 20m subs to little patches of cloud. Some affecting the main image and some disrupting the guiding and causing eggy stars. I wonder if there's much to be gained by going to 30m as opposed to 20m. Alright if the sky stays clear for several hours but not otherwise.

[Gina]

Clear skies forecast for tonight and I'm debating with myself what I shall image. Three ideas :-

1. More Ha and OIII on the Crescent
   
2. Short RGB subs to get nicely coloured stars to add to the image
   
3. Swap to widefield rig and image the Cygnus Loop with Veil Nebula etc.
   

I think I really ought to finish the Crescent. I think I'm pretty satisfied with the amount of Ha and OIII but the stars could do with improvement. I could use unstretched Ha and OIII for the stars which would cure the bloat but not provide proper colour. A number of short RGB subs would be better.

On the whole I think it's no.2. then if the sky stays clear I'll set up for no.1. The Cygnus Loop can wait - it'll be around for quite a while

[russellhq]

I agree, stick with 2 and complete your image. As they say, finish what you start, you know it makes sense

[Gina]

Last night was only a partial success. Managed a good set of short subs for the stars but apart from one 15m Ha sub the other long subs were completely spoiled by guiding failure I think any more long subs will be subject to the law of diminishing returns though so I think I'll stop with what I've got.

Got 30 each of RGB for the stars. 6s R, 4s G, 4s B gave between 50,000 and 65,000 ADU for the brightest star. Here is the combined image. Stacked in DSS, aligned in RegiStar and combined in PS with slight histogram stretch. Any more and the stars bloat too much. Next stage will be to find out how to remove the brighter stars from the main image and then add this as a layer to replace the stars.