M31 Andromeda Galaxy

[Pluto]

There you go i had 9 x 300 subs but lost 3 due to clouds. I have tried to process this image

without luck.i am finding it really hard spending hours with photoshop cs2, Noel's tools, maxim dl etc

can anyone be good enough just to tell me the basics they use to get the best out of the image.

here is the link thanks

http://ukastronomers.com/user/add_files#plPluto/action/files/show/20/ajax/true

[barkis]

That link just takes me to the UKAstronomers site, but no Image.

[Pluto]

I have just tried it as a guest and the link works.

is it listed under files on UKAstronomers site or not?

[barkis]

Crikey, it's 39Mb, and WinRar. I can't open it.

Ron.

[radioactive]

That link just takes me to the UKAstronomers site, but no Image.

yes that's what I am getting 39.4 Mb Winrar file

[Cloudwatcher]

Me Too.

Do you do it in small?

CW

[Pluto]

The original files 9 of them are over 98mb,all the files have been stacked together in DSS,

I have used winrar to compress the file to 39mb

[barkis]

The original files 9 of them are over 98mb,all the files have been stacked together in DSS,

I have used winrar to compress the file to 39mb

Blimey Pluto, you have captured half the galaxy's mass in that bundle of files.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Had a bash at it, its in 32 bit RGB, but my CS2 doesn't want to play at that level of bittiness. I had to downgrade it to 16 bit to do anything at all with it. If any Photoshop gurus are watching this, grab this, its worth it.

If Pluto is watching this, post a 16 bit version as it'll save folks a whole heap of download time.

Great shot BTW, I'd have a proper bash but I'm falling asleep due to work and beer.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[Pluto]

ok will post 16 bit version.think its bed time for now, work at 6 in morning

thats if i get up. night

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

OK chaps, get it sorted for him as there's a heck of a lot of data in that file.

This is downgraded to 16 bit so that I could process it, and half the size of the original. There are artifacts in it from my rough gradient elimination as I don't yet have Gradient Eliminator. Some dust bunnies that could be done away with as well. Its a rough process so that you can see whats there to play with, so go on, you know you want to.

(click to biggerise)

Kaptain Klevtsov

[Pluto]

Thanks Kaptain Klevtsov by the way was this done in just photoshop or did you use Noel's tools or other stuff ?

if done in photoshop is the trick in levels and curves?

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

This is a rough process only. Roughly as follows:-

Open file

Convert to 16 bit

Levels to sort the black point

Curves to bring out the detail

Flattening as follows

Duplicate layer

Spot heal bright stars

Clone stamp to remove the galaxy as much as possible

Dust and scratches to get rid of the stars

Gaussian blur to even it out

Invert layer

Set opacity of layer to 50%

Flatten image

Redo black point manually

Then

More curves to bring the galaxy out

Save for web going to half size (ish)

HTH

Kaptain Klevtsov

[Pluto]

Thanks will give it a blast

[barkis]

It is looking very good. Looking forward to the final image.

Ron.

[MartinB]

Hi Pluto, here's my effort. Thanks for posting. Works well for us all, you get to see what your image can look like and we have some processing fun an these gloomy cloudy days.

I like KKs process. He has done things quite differently and shows there are several ways to go about things.

This is done in PS with the some help form noels actions.

This is my rough work flow.

Convert to 16 bit.

Levels - move the L slider at the bottom of the histogram to the point where it starts to rise. Did this for each channel individually

Curves and levels - standard stretch for the combined channel and then readjusted black point in levels using individual channels.

Did a rough gradient removal using Rus Croman's gradient exterminator.

Another iteration of curves and levels then a fine and aggressive treatment with gradient exterminator.

Tweak to levels.

Boosted the colour saturation a little and then adjusted the colour balance - highlights - reduced the blue and boosted the red. Mid tones - boosted the blue

The deep space noise reduction using Noels tools.

Selected bright stars using Noels tools. then select/modify/expand 7 pixels. Select feather 4 pixels.

Created a star layer - Layers/new layer via copy.

In the star layer - filter/other/minimum 1 pixel

edit/fade minimum - 60%

Still in the star layer - fliter/sharpen/unsharp mask - threshold 3 radius 4

Still in star layer - saturation 70% (to boost star colour)

then back to background layer, duplicate layer. Select duplicate layer and select blend mode to overlay. Filter/other/high pass Radius 9.

then- layer mask/hide all. Select the brush tool making sure the foreground is white and paint over the dust lanes. This then sharpens the dust lanes only.

Layers/flatten image

A tweak to the black point in levels plus a small gamma boost to help with the black clipping that occurs when posting to the forum

Job done.

It sounds complicated Pluto. The most important bit is the levels and curves adjustment. If you have any questions just shout.

(click to enlarge)

[jcm]

Nice instructions , Martin.

Very useful to the rest of us as well.

John

[rawhead]

Blimey Pluto, you have captured half the galaxy's mass in that bundle of files.

:laughing5:

[legion48]

Great image Pluto and nice work on it guys.

[Pluto]

Thanks all for the tips, i had ago myself this is the result

after 1 hour. will have another go later to improve it.

any comments good,bad or where to improve would be appreciated.

(click to enlarge)

[MartinB]

You've got the dust lanes. There are some odd gradients with a darker back ground around the nebula then lighter more peripherally. They can be hard to get rid of without tools to help. I use Rus Croman's Gradient Exterminator which works very well http://www.rc-astro.com/resources/GradientXTerminator/index.html