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IC1396 - Elephants trunk in mono *2x2 mosaic*

swag72

By swag72
in Imaging - Deep Sky

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swag72

swag72

Posted
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In order to get the whole elephants trunk nebula in I needed a 2x2 mosaic - Still should have moved it over slightly, but there you go!!

Captured over a few nights, there's quite a bit of detail in a mono image! 

Details

M: Avalon Linear fast reverse

T: Takahashi FSQ85 0.73x

C: QSI690-wsg with 3nm Ha filter

This is a total of 32x1800s subs, a couple of panes have 9 subs, one has 6 and the other 8. 16 hours in total integration time.

post-5681-0-54396000-1409759968_thumb.jp

You can see a larger image here http://swagastro.weebly.com/recent-images.html

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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My main collaborator doesn't like this object (from memory) because he finds it a bit flat. I do rather like it, though. You have twisted its arm and made it talk! Your treatment of this one has something of the pen and ink drawing about it, big on the scratchy little details. While I wouldn't push it any harder than you have done I do like this new perspective on what can be a rather limp object. I think your very sharp and contrasty processing would make this a brilliant layer to add to an RGB version and would tighten such an image up no end.

I'm a fan!

Olly

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swag72

swag72

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Thanks all for looking and commenting :smiley:

@Olly - I have to say that I agree with your collaborator! I was really surprised at how very flat this target was in the centre of the nebula, hence a bit of punch to try to combat this. It reminded me of the Pacman, which I find so flat I refuse to even contemplate and has to go down as my least favourite of all nebula's thus far.

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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Oh my, that is fabulous! I just had a look on your website and saw the colour version, which is simply stunning. It makes me think of sand on the beach and all those little sparkly bits in the sun and the patterns that the water and wind make. One to stare out for hours.

I have an ongoing project of this target in HaRGB and I thank you for providing me with a bit of inspiration on how to approach the reprocess!

The only thing that I would say is that the edges, and more so in the colour version than the Ha version, might benefit from a bit of darkening. That area of this object is probably as you have processed it and is fairly flat, but a little artistic burning in around the corners / edges might help to accentuate the bright 'core'.

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lensman57

lensman57

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Thanks all for looking and commenting :smiley:

@Olly - I have to say that I agree with your collaborator! I was really surprised at how very flat this target was in the centre of the nebula, hence a bit of punch to try to combat this. It reminded me of the Pacman, which I find so flat I refuse to even contemplate and has to go down as my least favourite of all nebula's thus far.

I think a good dose of the Oiii will bring the center to life. The Packman nebula is one of the most disappointing  targets that I have tried to image in my short imaging life.

A.G

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swag72

swag72

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Thanks very much folks for your comments. A couple of you have seen the bi colour version, so no need to post that now!!

@Gav - Not sure where you think it would benefit from some darkening? On the outer edge of the nebula or the inner?

I'm not sure that OIII would lift the centre much more AG, the OIII really is quite flat in itself - Certainly most of the detail is coming from the Ha.

That's OK, this one is put to bed now in both mono and colour!!!

If anyone is interested, I won't bore you all with another thread for the colour version :grin:

if you want to see it in larger res, it's here http://swagastro.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/3/7/23377322/ic1396_nb.jpg

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swag72

swag72

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@Phil - Sorry forgot to answer your question .......... I manually align the mosaic panes. I tried software a few times, then one night I was left with a slither where it hadn't joined up properly, From there on in .... manual alignment!!!

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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I was referring just to the outer corners of the whole image, outside the nebula itself (which is processed to perfection!). Along the lines of the old darkroom technique of burning in the corners an extra stop to accentuate the main focal point of an image.

However, this beautiful image is safely tucked up and snoring contentedly beneath the starry night sky, so ignore my ramblings!

Look forward to the next Wager Opus...

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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Sorry Sara, but with an integration time of 30 hours and 30 minutes for this project, I cannot accept you saying that you are lazy or impatient. Clouds, on the other hand, I can accept as a valid reason!!!

As an aside, this is my one thousand and first post... Oh the hours spent on here, it's amazing that I do any work at all...! I do however, feel like an undergraduate studying astrophotography - the learning is PHD level (yes, push here dummy, not doctorate!).

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