M101 part 2 (the part that nearly never was).....

[johnrt]

Following on from my Luminance image http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/215629-m101-atik-460ex/ I have been chipping away at the colour channels for my M101 project.

Just as I had everything ready for a process the hard drive on my iMac died taking everything with it - not a problem as I had all the data backed up, or so I thought. Turns out yes I had all the original files straight from the camera BUT I no longer had flats and in the meantime I had adjusted camera spacing, cleaned optics and replaced my filter wheel!!! No way could I get the original frames into useable condition to produce an image.

Not to be defeated, as I had captured about 15 hours of data by this point, I did something a little drastic to produce a final image.

Now if you're an imaging purist, or just faint of heart read on no further.

I processed my colour files with accompanying calibration frames, and then used the jpeg I had uploaded to Flickr as the luminance  to complete the image

Crikey.

Well a few tweaks and processing head scratches later the final image has made it to daylight, which I feared it never would, it has survived poor spacing from chip to reducer, light leaks, equipment replacement and hard drive failure but here it is

[MikeD]

A lovey clean and detailed image, the colour is spot on, great work.

Mike.

[Martin-Devon]

Considering all the challenges you've overcome on this one John, that's an excellent image, crisp and great colours.

Martin

[PhotoGav]

Oh my, as if it isn't hard enough already! You did well to not just sit in the corner crying... The result is great!

[johnrt]

Oh my, as if it isn't hard enough already! You did well to not just sit in the corner crying... The result is great!

Ah I generally reserve that kind of behaviour for when I'm at work

[swag72]

I like this a lot John. The colour is spot on in my opinion and the detail is super. A class act - well done

[earth titan]

Brilliant image - even with the challenges.

[Christopher Davenport]

Well done very clean and at 15hrs plenty of dedication.

[AndyUK]

An excellent result, John... Lovely detail and colour balance...

I'm always amazed at this hobby - Just as soon as you think you've got every step of the process ironed out, a curve ball flies in from left field to try and knock everything askew again.  However, in this case, if you hadn't told us(!), we'd never have known .  A testament to your processing skills, sir

[gingergeek]

Now that is sheer brilliance in the face of adversity, I doth my cap to you sir 

[james_screech]

The work was worth it, great image.

[StuartJPP]

Very good despite the problems...

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice work.

[johnrt]

Thank you for all the fantastic comments everyone

[Epicycle]

Wonderful M101!

[Uranium235]

Nowt wrong with your methods mate   it was a means to an end.

Colour is colour is colour (as long as its yours of course).

I dont think its possible to be a purist unless youre using film, as with digital data you have to do things to it in order to get the desired result. For instance, my 383 has a small column of dead pixels near one edge - I just fix it with a clone brush since its not the kind of thing that stacks out easily.

[Barry-Wilson]

Excellent image John, lovely colour palette and yellow core, especially so with the pc challenges.

Barry

[ollypenrice]

And again, John...

Olly

[purdo]

It's a really lovely image.

[morimarty]

Thats a beautiful smooth image of M101 love the colours/starfield. And well done on overcoming the Gremlins!

[kirkster501]

Fabulous.  I like :-)

[Ewan]

Really a very nice image John well done.

[Stargazer33]

What a beautiful image, really very nice!

[Pete Presland]

cracking M101 well done for sticking at it !

[Dave Smith]

What a cracking image. All the work has paid off. :icon_salut:

Dave