Jump to content

M42 - Orion Nebula - Finally finished at 6h 10min exposure.

Alveprinsen

Recommended Posts

Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
Posted

Managed t oget another 2h 20 minutes exposure last night, and I think I'm just about finished with this object... for now.

I've been whining and complaining about this and that in several threads, and the responses have certainly paid off.

With some Adobe lightroom and Photoshop work, this is my final image.

Light frames: 37 x 10 minutes

Bias frames: 60

Dark frames: 24 x 10 minutes

Total exposure time: 6h10min

600mm scope at F7,5. (Evostar 80ED)

Nikon D3100 unmodded DSLR camera.

Original resolution: 2877 x 2716 (cropped) (decreased to 1920x1080 and lower quality to decrease file size.)

M42%20finished%20JPG%20small.jpg

Thank everyone who gave me tips on how to photograph and edit the data. :)

BTW: Is this the limit for DSLR cameras, or can I push this much further? I think the picture is kinda fuzzy, and looks out of focus, even though I've used my bahtinov mask to get perfect focus every single time...

Sincerely, Alveprinsen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 26
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

really? "Getting Started with Imaging" .... ;)

nice picture, I'll be very pleased if I could get less than half that quality...

Well this is my first M42 ever... not counting the other partials which have been a part of the process leading up to this final image. I've collected data on 4 different occasion over a period of... perhaps 1,5 months? The other "in-progress" images have been posted in a separate thread. This is the end result. :)

And I am "getting started". That is, I've researched and bought allot of equipment since I first started with this hobby last year. I havent had the actual skills to produce anything until now. :p:D Its been a steep learning curve, and I am still learning. Only two weeks ago I was explained how to work in layers with M42 in order to not let the core over-expose the entire image. I buildt an observatory before I had the sufficient skills to properly use my equipment. ;)

I wouldnt have gotten anywhere if it wasnt for this forum and the tremendous amounts of hints and tips I've gotten along the way.

Now, feel free to suggest other targets... I've just about given up on M31... it allways ends up over exposed, and even when working in layers the results are horrible at best. Also, at 10 minute exposures at iso 800 I STILL dont get those outer dust-rings... :(

I am so not motivated to do M31... allthough I really want to complete that one so I can move onto something else. :p I did 6 10 min exposures of M33, but that one is even trickier than M31, so I might wanna do M31 first.... Aww... the choice we face! ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Awesome, I may have to ask you for some tips when I get my 80ED!

Shoot me a PM whenever when you get it. 80ED is a really kickass entry scope if you ask me. I am super happy with mine. :) I've managed to get some experience with it now while working on M42 and my previous M31 failures... so I might actually be able to help you if you should need it... Allthough I known with some mathematical certainty that there are scores of ppl. on this forum who are far more experienced... :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Helite

Helite

Posted
Posted

Shoot me a PM whenever when you get it. 80ED is a really kickass entry scope if you ask me. I am super happy with mine. :) I've managed to get some experience with it now while working on M42 and my previous M31 failures... so I might actually be able to help you if you should need it... Allthough I known with some mathematical certainty that there are scores of ppl. on this forum who are far more experienced... :p

I will certainly take you up on that offer, and yes there are scores of informative people on here to ask, but to be fair I think it is good to bounce info off people of a similar level of experience.  Thank you for the offer and I am sure you will be hearing from me, keep up the AWESOME work! :icon_salut:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

Excellent work - that is a stunning image. I am sure you are proud of it! Totally agree, the SW 80ED is a great piece of kit. Did you guide the scope? I'm presuming so as 10 minutes would be pretty steady unguided tracking. Though I'm hoping you didn't, as that would give me hope with my, as yet unguided, 80 on an HEQ5. I managed 6 min subs yesterday with no trails and am wondering how far it can go.

Good luck with the next target.

I'm amazed that you are struggling to make a decent image of M31. As for the core - some short exposures in the mix would help keep that under control and those dust lanes need some serious photoshop layering going on... Go on, you can master it!

Finally, I'm totally and utterly jealous of anybody with an observatory in a dark sky location. Setting up & breaking down the gear is a long winded pain in the....!

Oh and really finally, you mention that you are not totally happy with the quality of the image.... Switch to Canon and all will be so much better. Nikon sucks! (in my opinion).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

This is stunning! Would be interested to know more about your setup, ie mount and guides etc. can't wait to attach the 80ed to my nikon after seeing inspiring pics like this.

Mount: NEQ6 Pro

Scope 1: Evostar 80ED

Scope 2: Startraveler 102/500 (for guiding)

Guiding cam: Orion Starshoot Autoguider

Camera: Nikon D3100 unmodded with a timer remote shutter release.

And ofc. a laptop running stellarium, ASCOM EQMOD and PHD Guiding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

...Did you guide the scope? I'm presuming so as 10 minutes would be pretty steady unguided tracking. Though I'm hoping you didn't, as that would give me hope with my, as yet unguided, 80 on an HEQ5. I managed 6 min subs yesterday with no trails...

I'm amazed that you are struggling to make a decent image of M31. As for the core - some short exposures in the mix would help keep that under control and those dust lanes need some serious photoshop layering going on... Go on, you can master it!

Oh and really finally, you mention that you are not totally happy with the quality of the image.... Switch to Canon and all will be so much better. Nikon sucks! (in my opinion).

I totally guided... I get trails after like... 2 minutes... :p I think my polar alignment is off or something... I never really got the hang of doing that.. 6 minutes subs unguided is in my opinion absolutely insane... at least at 600mm or more...

I will try to re-work some of my M31 data... Its a bit mixed, some iso1600, some iso800, some 2min exposures, and some 10 min exposures... need to sort'em all out.. or even better, re-do everything. I tried using the masking and layering tecnique to keep a low exposure core, and a long exposure everything else, but the border between the two exposures is horribly obvious.

I've understood that some Canon models can be modded as to be especially suited for astro imaging... If I am going to invest in a new camera though, it will most likely be a one-shot astro-cam with a chip about the same size as my Nikon... Theres this Chinese cam out there somewhere.. I forget the name.. It has a chip that is sliiighly smaller than the D3100, but way bigger than any CCD camera in its price-class. (ca. 990 £)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Very nice, if you don't have a copy of that hanging somewhere in your house I would be surprised!

Actually... I was considering ordering a 70x70cm printout today, but... its so damn expensive... Besides, I will most likely re-do it, and then I'll have to throw the old one out. :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

I totally guided... I get trails after like... 2 minutes... :p I think my polar alignment is off or something... I never really got the hang of doing that.. 6 minutes subs unguided is in my opinion absolutely insane... at least at 600mm or more...

I will try to re-work some of my M31 data... Its a bit mixed, some iso1600, some iso800, some 2min exposures, and some 10 min exposures... need to sort'em all out.. or even better, re-do everything. I tried using the masking and layering tecnique to keep a low exposure core, and a long exposure everything else, but the border between the two exposures is horribly obvious.

I've understood that some Canon models can be modded as to be especially suited for astro imaging... If I am going to invest in a new camera though, it will most likely be a one-shot astro-cam with a chip about the same size as my Nikon... Theres this Chinese cam out there somewhere.. I forget the name.. It has a chip that is sliiighly smaller than the D3100, but way bigger than any CCD camera in its price-class. (ca. 990 £)

I know... I kept on upping the exposure time and couldn't really believe that there were no trails. I did a couple of iterations of the polar align feature on the SynScan during set-up and it seems that it really does work! Have a look at the 'Not the North America Nebula' topic in this forum for the results.

As for cameras / CCDs - that is the question - what is the best for astrophotography at a reasonable price tag? I don't have an observatory and don't guide so don't have a laptop in my equipment (yet), so am really tending towards a dslr for now.

Good luck with the M31 processing - it's all about photoshop skills. Careful layers with masks and lots of different brush sizes and opacities....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
glowingturnip

glowingturnip

Posted
Posted

lovely photo, and yes, think the focus is there, the smaller stars are all nicely...  small

Now, feel free to suggest other targets...

how about the whirlpool galaxy M51 ?  not quite the right time of year for it, but it should be nice and high in your sky any time of year isn't it ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

lovely photo, and yes, think the focus is there, the smaller stars are all nicely...  small

how about the whirlpool galaxy M51 ?  not quite the right time of year for it, but it should be nice and high in your sky any time of year isn't it ?

I would love to do the M51... However, my 600mm 80ED has too short focal length. M51 would be very small. I would have to buy a new scope for that purpose... In fact, I am considering getting a Skywatcher Explorer 250P for that very purpose. At F4,8 it would be quite fast, and the 1200mm focal length would double the size of M51 on the chip. I would be tempted though, to use a 2x barlow to boost it even further. The new F9,6 ratio would be painful though, considering the dimness of M51... But I dont know... with 15 - 20 minutes subs.. perhaps it would be doable. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hmm, I couldnt help myself, and re-processed the picture... I included my flats this time, and tweaked some stuff in Deep Sky Stacker... added 3x drizzle etc... hmm.. I believe this is an improvement:

M42%20Final%20Finished%20JPG%20small.jpg

Or is it? ... hmmm. Seems I'm not done with this afterall.. :/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alveprinsen

Alveprinsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've not seen the first one and am a total novice, but holy [expletive deleted] that is one seriously good photo!!! Don't think you can improve on it really, pure beauty!!!!!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free

First one is one page back in this thread. :)

Personally, ... in retrospect... the first one looks better I think.

As for no possible improvement... - well... This is perhaps the easiest object AND the most difficult object to photpgraph. Easy because its big and shiny... Difficult because its dynamic range is so damn huge... And there are so many fine detail one can bring out with the right equipment and the right processing skills... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

Perhaps a combination of the two... Nebulosity from v.2 and core from v.1... Yes, obsessive! And now I look closer, I'm beginning to think that the white bits at the centre of the core are a tad burnt out.... More subs required?!?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.