M1 The Crab Nebula (almost 24hours with a DSLR) finished at last!!

[Bizibilder]

I think I have finally finished my attempt at the crab nebula - Five long sessions with a total exposure time of 23 hours.  I have made several attempts at processing and think I may be somewhere near - but it has been a struggle!

Details:

Dates:

Jan 12th 2013  2 hours 55 min

Dec 4th 2013   3 hours 00 min

Dec 25th 2013  3 hours 45 min

Dec 27th 2013  6 hours 40 min

Dec 28th 2013  6 hours 40 min

Evostar ED120 APO, with reducer/flattener on an EQ6/EQMOD guided using PHD.  Modded Canon 1000D at ISO 800.

5min subs - a total of 276 making 23hours 00mins.  Processed in DSS and PS CS5.

The Full DSLR frame has been cropped to 2000px square.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/11632146924_91451fae21_o.jpg   - Click this link to see original full size, A reduced version is below:

Just the nebula full size:

[ultramol]

24 hours well spent. I think this is a wonderful image. This is the next on my list to find, I know it won't look like this but your image will remind me of what I am looking at...

[YouCannotBeSirius]

I agree, this is a wonderful image.

[keybaud]

Fantastic image. You've set the bar quite high for anyone following in your footsteps with a DSLR (like me)!

[sologuitarist61]

That has come out very nicely - well done

[StuartJPP]

Good work, I will hopefully be back on this target myself again at some point if we get the chance.

Have you tried running a deconvolution on it? For objects like this I find it brings out a lot of hidden detail. I may have gone a bit overboard, but you get the general idea. You will need to view full size to see the effect...I also reduced the star size and boosted the saturation a slight bit...sorry I tend to get a bit carried away sometimes.

[Jannis]

Wonderful pic.

Now i understand why my 15 min data of M1 a coupple of years ago gave little to no results, lol

[nytecam]

Congrats - amazing picture and tenacity of 24hrs exp plus processing.  My own early modest M1 effort from 3 autumns back below

[Mr Spock]

I like the colour on this one. You see so many un-natural looking images it's refreshing to see things as they actually are.

[nytecam]

I like the colour on this one. You see so many un-natural looking images it's refreshing to see things as they actually are.

That's a very interesting question?  What are the true colour of deepsky objects when you're on their doorstep?  Assuming the Crab's feeble photons, for example, were enough to trigger my colour vision [doubtful as they don't do much from 6000LY!] what colours would I see?  Clearly my human colour vision would trump any alien native to the M1 zone

[Jason71]

Grate image Roger. Like the second close up image of the nebular.

[Bizibilder]

I've reprocessed it here:  http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/203545-m1-the-crab-reprocessed-or-why-i-just-threw-away-10-hours-of-precious-data/

[ejwwest]

Amazing! Rather better than my attempt last night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejwwest/11669775226/

[Mr Bergman]

That's a very interesting question?  What are the true colour of deepsky objects when you're on their doorstep?  Assuming the Crab's feeble photons, for example, were enough to trigger my colour vision [doubtful as they don't do much from 6000LY!] what colours would I see?  Clearly my human colour vision would trump any alien native to the M1 zone

I believe that you, if your eyes retinas were enough sensitive to colour, and if you got enough light into them, you would see approximately the same colours as a basic camera, with the exception of the angle of the object through atmosphere and possible alterations done to the camera. That though, would require extremely large eyes:-) In reality, since the most sensitive cells in the retina respons to black and white, ( rods ), I guess you would see very little colour even at close proximity. But I am no eye doctor so maybe someone else correct me if Im wrong! Interesting thoughts though!

[Quatermass]

Top job 24 hrs well spent !