M31 Andromeda Galaxy

[beamer3.6m]

Total Exposure 6 mins 55 secs.

ISO 800 + 1600

200mm Explorer

HEQ5 unguided

Core overexposed, not sure how to solve this?

(click to enlarge)

I have posted this on another thread just in case it looks familiar!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

A smashing image. Re. the overexposed core, there's no way to bring it back fully, but try fiddling with the top bit of the curve in Photoshop curves, you might be able to lessen the effect. Also, if the core isn't burnt out before stretching, you can duplicate the layer, process the layer for the core and paste it on top cutting away all but the core. This has to be feathered or it will look odd.

BTW it's supposed to be very bright in the centre.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[beamer3.6m]

Thanks for the reply.

Glad you like the image. I do not fully understand the whole 'layers' principle yet but I am getting there.

[robindurant]

Hi

Personally I don't look on the core as burned out. I have seen many so called professional images with a larger core than that. Its all up to ones interpretation or presentation of the image.

Its a super pic, well done.

Robin

[barkis]

It's a good result Beamer, don't knock yourself out over the core, it is not that intrusive.

It is after all, the heart of the galaxy.

Ron.

[Beyond_Vision]

A cracking image with nice detail

Well done

Kevin

[Sam]

Well done Beamer - a great image of a stunning target.

[beamer3.6m]

Thanks guys.

I just wish I had spent more time on this object.

I did not think I would be able to capture it so I ignored it and only ended up with just less than 7 mins in total. I should have spent an hour at least.

Oh well, at least it is one to improve on.

(just to clarify the image was a stack of six images amounting to 6 mins 55 secs in total)

[cygnusx1]

You captured a lot of detail for 7 mins!

Lowering the iso a bit and extending the exposures should produce a cracker with stacking.

Well done on your 1st images!

[George]

Nice image, M31 is not that easy to image but tends to be along with M42 peoples first images

[tom.yates]

Very nice mate keep up the good work

[centroid]

Nice result, well done!!.

BTW, DDP filtering can be helpful in reducing the size of the 'core', but you'd need software like Maxim DL or Astroart 4.

Dave

[legion48]

Nice one Beamer. :-) I tried M31 lastnight unguided but didn't get anything like your image. I know you said you took 6min 55 secs worth in total but how long were your subs?

[MartinB]

Plenty of outer detail there Beamer. As KK says the core can be prevented from burning out by using a non linear stretch with curves. Shout out if you need any more help with that

[beamer3.6m]

Legion48 - there were 6 subs in total I believe at a mixture of 90 and 60 seconds.

I appreciate that this may not amount to 6 mins 55 seconds but I had to manually count the time and as such I was sometimes a little out.

Hope that helps.