Feedback needed, Double Cluster

[VigdisVZ]

Greetings SGL.

I finally got out of the apartment for some imaging. Those who saw my last thread know that I was hoping to take longer subs with a timer remote, but the model I got was faulty. My latest step is to take lower ISO subs, this time I went down to ISO800. The whole image consists of 39x30sec lights. 16 flats. 40 bias. 1 dark (dropped the ball on that one, was tired so pushed single exposure instead of using the cameras interal interval timer). Kit is in my sig. No coma corrector.

I'm pretty pleased with how the flats turned out (t-shirt method), still a slight darkening in the top left corner but way better than before. I'm happy got a lot of yellow in some of the large stars. For some reason I couldnt tease out any blue, so hoping to maybe reprocess it.

Stacked in DSS, finished with levels, curves and more saturation in Photoshop. Slightly cropped to improve composition.

I also had to throw away half of the subs because the rig lost focus a little mid sequence, but luckily a few stars showed themselves in live view so I could refocus quickly.

What I learned this time is to be more careful and take shorter sequences and rechecking focus.

Looking for feedback on how to improve any aspect (apart from getting a real timer, guidescope and coma corrector). Thanks for looking.

[VigdisVZ]

Newly processed version, much work done in Maxim DL instead of DSS. I lost the background a bit sadly since I have only tried Maxim for 2 days yet.

Feedback still wanted! Hints or comparisons. Be brutal please.

[glowingturnip]

honestly I prefer the first version more, I think you've been a bit over-aggressive with the stretching for the second one and black-clipped the background and white-clipped the stars (Imagine the stars like little gaussian bell-shaped mountains, if you reduce the white point too much in stretching then you're slicing the tops of the mountains off which are then showing as pure white blobs)

In the first one, the background is a little bit too light and a little bit too blue, but some like a blue sky so that's ok.  What you could do is make a star-mask and then increase the saturation of the stars only to bring out a bit more star colour, you've got some colour showing already, but with more it would really pop.

It's a good image, well done

[wxsatuser]

Prefer the first one but go for a neutral grey background.

[VigdisVZ]

Thanks! I'm learning tons by processing and reprocessing. RIght now I would have liked to see a mix between the two. Sadly the 2nd version was much harder since I couldnt get a version out of Maxim with the background intact. And the first version from DSS wouldn't give me any blue whatsoever.

Unsure what path I'll take next but please keep the feedback coming!

[glowingturnip]

have you paid for Maxim, or just trialing it ?  I paid for it (unfortunately), but I'm really not a fan - I'm a Pixinsight geek, which is many many times better once you get your head round it.  You can do an awful lot with just Photoshop though.

[VigdisVZ]

Trialing. I like some of the functions where you remote control camera, scope, focus and guide via ASCOM. Not there yet. Just giving the stacking a go. Right now I'm back playing with the old DSS data. Been eyeballing Pixinsight. Wont plunk down and wads of cash until i get consistent data however.

[VigdisVZ]

“When things go wrong, don't go with them.” 
― Elvis Presley

Another try with DSS data. I think I'm getting close to where I wanna be...

[Astrosurf]

I really like the first image. I find the last one has too much star colour. I prefer gentle colours as that's the way the stars would look in reality, I think. I also like a blue/black sky. Some like the sky very black but it can make things look too harsh in my opinion. I've had a quick look on Google at other images of this object and the blue stars aren't very noticeable, only the red.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090103.html

Alexxx

[pbeville]

The first edit of your picture looks the best. You can really see the different hues of the stars.