Astrotrac Horse and Flame with Achro refractor.....

[stan26]

....Not recommended!

I wanted to see what the little astrotrac could handle. After a few tweaks of my DIY wedge I was managing half decent 2min subs with my Skywatcher star travel 102 achromatic refractor.

Naturally the final stacked tiff was a processing nightmare, blue halos,flaring, field curvature, lack of contrast and colour compared to my Canon 200 L lens. But it was able to bring the subject closer than my lenses and that was the point of using it.

The massive flare artifact around Alnitak is staying put! that would require too much butchering of the image to sort out, besides I think it adds a little character! 

1.5hrs of 2min subs, Modded Canon 1100D, Hutech IDAS filter, ST102, Astrotrac TT320, DIY wedge.  

150 x Bias, 20 x Flats chucked in too.

(don't look too close) 

Stan 

Flame and Horsehead nebula. by James stannard, on Flickr

[StuartJPP]

Great work there...definitely more mileage in a DSLR than most people think

[Digz]

That's a great shot. I can't wraith for some clear, wind free nights!

[daverave83]

i have the same scope how on earth did you get the nebulea to stand out???

this is my pic, the issue i get is with levels and curves, once i increase them there is so much noise. iv'e heard that you can use the dropper tool!? is there anyway to increase nebulosity without increasing the overall image?

the max i can get is 1.10 - 1.15 min exposures 1.20 mins then the images start to trail.

[stan26]

Cheers guys, i may have an arm wrestle with Alnitak later!

I forgot to mention, these subs where ISO3200!!! hense a bit of noise about it, however I have done "some" selective noise reduction in areas.

Dave, what ISO where you using..? and is your camera modded or not...?

The basic method I use to get the initial nebula to show is this....

I load the stacked tiff in photoshop (complete linear file with no pre stretch done in DSS so it looks black with a few stars)

I then go straight into curves and pull the curve roughly half way across to the left (obviously this will vary from image to image)  press OK

I will then do this another couple of times, making the image brighter and revealing more detail on each basic stretch.

After a few stretches I will then go into levels and select each individual RGB channel seperately and pull the black point slider (far left slider) right toward the start of the histogram peak so that the slider meets the start of the left side of mountain looking bit. I dont quite go right up against the peak because I dont want to clip the levels. I do this with each colour channel untill the image is looking correctly balanced colour wise and obviously darker and more contrasty.

I will then go back into curves and do the above all over again but with smaller adjustments teasing out a bit more detail each time, but being careful not to blow any highlights (bright areas in the image) if this happens, back off a bit.

I will often use individual RGB channels in curves too to get the colours I want. 

This gets me to the point where I have the detail revealed, now all the little tweaks need to be done.....

Maybe this helps..?  I will happily look at your stacked image and see what I can do with it and explain what/how I do it if that helps...?

Stan

[daverave83]

Cheers guys, i may have an arm wrestle with Alnitak later!

I forgot to mention, these subs where ISO3200!!! hense a bit of noise about it, however I have done "some" selective noise reduction in areas.

Dave, what ISO where you using..? and is your camera modded or not...?

The basic method I use to get the initial nebula to show is this....

I load the stacked tiff in photoshop (complete linear file with no pre stretch done in DSS so it looks black with a few stars)

I then go straight into curves and pull the curve roughly half way across to the left (obviously this will vary from image to image)  press OK

I will then do this another couple of times, making the image brighter and revealing more detail on each basic stretch.

After a few stretches I will then go into levels and select each individual RGB channel seperately and pull the black point slider (far left slider) right toward the start of the histogram peak so that the slider meets the start of the left side of mountain looking bit. I dont quite go right up against the peak because I dont want to clip the levels. I do this with each colour channel untill the image is looking correctly balanced colour wise and obviously darker and more contrasty.

I will then go back into curves and do the above all over again but with smaller adjustments teasing out a bit more detail each time, but being careful not to blow any highlights (bright areas in the image) if this happens, back off a bit.

I will often use individual RGB channels in curves too to get the colours I want. 

This gets me to the point where I have the detail revealed, now all the little tweaks need to be done.....

Maybe this helps..?  I will happily look at your stacked image and see what I can do with it and explain what/how I do it if that helps...?

Stan

if you could that would be great,

I use a Canon 1100 D unmodded

This had already been stacked through DSS with Flats, Darks, Bias

[daverave83]

also pictures were taken 

ISO 800, 1600, 3200 all between 30 - 50 secs 

[StuartJPP]

Come on, you can't be using ISO3200...that can't possibly work, besides ISO is a myth

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to imaging...I must add though that post processing is where the real art lies.

[stan26]

Dave, Sorry i should have been more clear,  i really need the Tiff file that you got out from your stacking software, I'm just not sure how you could send it too me. as the upload limit is 20mb on here and your tiff will be around 70mb.

Maybe someone else will know the answer? Failing that you could use a site like file dropper to send it to me..?

Once I have the tiff with all the info/data it holds I can have a play and talk you through it.

Stan 

[Digz]

Dave, Sorry i should have been more clear,  i really need the Tiff file that you got out from your stacking software, I'm just not sure how you could send it too me. as the upload limit is 20mb on here and your tiff will be around 70mb.

Maybe someone else will know the answer? Failing that you could use a site like file dropper to send it to me..?

Once I have the tiff with all the info/data it holds I can have a play and talk you through it.

Stan 

Try Dropbox

[daverave83]

Thanks Guys 

Downloading now....

[daverave83]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5k5n0lfm53tov0q/IC434%20.1.TIF

Does this work?

[Naemeth]

I agree with the "don't look to close" . It's a lovely image, but not CA free (as you wouldn't expect from an achro: check the two stars in the top left, the one that is a bit right and down from that, zoom in on).

Lovely nonetheless .

[sologuitarist61]

Superb image - great detail and colour!

[stan26]

...I must add though that post processing is where the real art lies.

This is so true Stuart I couldn't agree more, and not just astro either, all types of photography!

I find PP the most challenging aspect of photography especially DSO work. IMO a lot of the time its what makes a good photo into a GREAT photo!