Complete Cocoon (RGB+LAB) including Heart WIP

[Uranium235]

A few days ago (before being struck down with man-flu), I managed to bag some more RGB and Lum subs for this one. So now ive recovered, its time to have a mess about with it.

I've also had a play with the colour, using RGB for the nebula - and LAB colour for the stars. Ive also pushed the blue a bit to catch the outer colour of the nebula and stars that are dotted throughout the image (there was far to much red last time).

Getting the background colour was a pain due to gradients, which was complicated by the fact it was a mosaic. Anyway, I think this is as far I can take it from my town centre(ish) location. Ive also included a little grab of the Heart nebula, nice to get it all in one frame for a change!

IC5146: Cocoon Nebula
18x450 L, 10x300 RGB  (RGB nebula, LAB colour stars) x2 panes

IC1805: Heart Nebula
8x900 (Ha)

80ED, Atik 383L+, NEQ6

Thanks for looking!
Rob

First, the Cocoon:

 

Fullsize here:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/9761996736_373da024f7_o.jpg

Now the Heart, just messin about really:

 

Fullsize here:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7283/9761894881_42333f777e_o.jpg

[Daniel-K]

very nice i really like the cocoon huge FOV

[Uranium235]

Cheers Daniel, I think this one would really respond well to data taken from a dark site as killing off those colour gradients took its toll on some of the dust colour (should be brown). Shame there isnt an Autumn SGL starparty!

[SkyJamie]

Hey Rob glad your feeling better. The Cocoon is one of my fave nebs and i think this image is one of your best yet! And for just messing about i think the Heart image looks brilliant

All the best

[Uranium235]

Cheers Jamie, still a bit bunged up here but its been sudafed spray tp the rescue... it really clears you out that stuff does!

Still much to come for the Heart, that will probably end up being hubbled.

[Mark72]

nice  work on both objects Rob,

The Heart nebula is very impressive.

Mark

[Uranium235]

Cheers Mark, I'll try and wrap it up asap. Im hoping to hoover up at least another 3 or 4 targets before November in time to get the Christmas calendars printed (yep, its almost that time already!). Im thinking of distributing a few amongst the neighbours by way of thanks for keeping it dark out the back.

[Big Jim Slade]

Both really good stuff. Any pointers or links for doing LAB stars? I like the look of those. 

[Uranium235]

Cheers Ian, the LAB colour was fairly easy(ish), all it was a case of doing was copying the star layer* from the LAB colour version, then pasting that into the RGB version - blend mode colour. Not sure if thats the right way to do it, but it worked (kinda!).

Here is one of the numerous recipies for LAB colour with photoshop:

http://www.dl-digital.com/astrophoto/p2-astro/Astro-Workflow.htm

and here:

http://sharmaastronet.ipage.com/PS4.pdf

* thought id better expand on that bit.. What I did exactly was use noels "select brighter stars", expand the selection by 2, feather by 1, copy then paste into the RGB image.

[Big Jim Slade]

Ah, thanks very much Rob. I'll dig in a have a go!

[Coco]

Looks terrific, love the star colours too... 

[Quatermass]

That cocoon is amazing really amazing and the heart is fantastic, brilliant job.

[Uranium235]

Cheers guys   I'll keep pushing the 80ED and see what I can get out of it, that humble little scope continues to surprise me (but its not been without its fair share of frustration!).

[andyo]

great captures both of them but that widefield of the cocoon showing all the dark stuff is superb

[Daniel-K]

which flattner do you use?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice couple of images

[zicklurky]

Wow! Love the Heart image, incredible, nicely done!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[Uranium235]

which flattner do you use?

Its just the matched 0.85x reducer/flattener, screwed directly to the focuser tube (not a fan of push-fit reducers - too much room for error)