Eagel and Swan, Twin Taks.

[ollypenrice]

This is first light for the paired Tak 106/11 megs, one ours and one Tom's. It is also first light for the Astrodon 3Nm Ha filter.

The scopes are both on their own mounts at the mo, but this might one day change.

Tom's rig, 6x10 RGB and 11 x 10 3 Nm Ha. (Sorry about the short Ha subs but I had a guiding glitch.)

Our rig, 4x10 each of RGB. (The mount was testing another scope earlier in the week.)

Of interest; the 1000 dollar Astrodon filter is better than the Baader. A lot better? Yes. 800 Dollars better? Only if you're an imaging obsessive...

Combining data from 2 cameras. Does this reduce noise as compared with the same total amount from one camera? I'm pretty sure it does, and big time. The older camera is quite noisy and the younger one threw up some silly hot green pixels. When combined, the data was pristine.

I'll shoot more Ha for this, maybe hoping for a back to back Baader v Astrodon, but the delicate detail, tiny stars and high contrasts of the AD are very apparent.

Here's the picture so far...

The big one is here; http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Best-of-Les-Granges/22435624_WLMPTM#!i=2673409829&k=7DQKVHn&lb=1&s=O

Olly

[fwm891]

WOW and WOW again - that is really superb Olly & Co. Awesome detail and it's likely to get better!

You've done it again Olly.

How have you processed this one?

[davew]

It's rather nice to see you've retained the very thin red that usually gets buried and then lost in the background. Nice one.

I also like the more subtle approach to the star colour.

I've used my camera and a QSI ( Fay ) and it does appear to be better than just doubling the data from the same camera.

Dave.

[ollypenrice]

WOW and WOW again - that is really superb Olly & Co. Awesome detail and it's likely to get better!

You've done it again Olly.

How have you processed this one?

Thanks Francis. I combined the RGB from both cameras in Registar while still linear, ran ABE and SCNR green in Pixinsight and then stretched in Ps CS3 having made a star mask to hold down the field stars. I used some of Noel's Actions and used layers for sharpening. There was no NR at all in the RGB.

I processed the Ha in CS3, stretching very hard for the limited signal. The extreme contrasts of the Astrodon made me think I was getting to the noise limit when I wasn't.

I then applied the Ha to red in Blend Mode Lighten but it had little effect so I stretched it in situ while pasted onto the red until I felt it was going to say something.

Luminance flats were used for all the data. I find it makes not a jot of difference. Tom has been doing this for ages, too, as do many of our guests.

Calibration was by bias subtraction and Bad Pixel Map rather than by regular darks.

Olly

[swag72]

A stunning image with lots to say of that there is no doubt. Delicate colours, great stars and a real beauty. Glad that you are liking the Astrodon!! I take it that you are an imaging obsessive, in which case it's worth every $$!!

[Gina]

Wonderfully detailled and processed image as usual Olly

[andyo]

Another fantastic image