Wow - I can't believe I got this - Orion Nebula

[MarkyD]

It isn't perfect but for my very first DSO with a rough polar alignment (I'm going to have to read up on the process again as something went screwy) and trouble focusing the Canon in Live view I am well chuffed at what I have got.  This was almost like this out of the camera with but a tweak on exp, blacks and shadows in Lightroom.  This is from one sub

No where near some of the images I have seen but I'm chuffed and can only get better   Feel free to advise on what could be done better/differently - I'm a grown man :)

Canon EOS-1D MkIII, ISO1600, 65 secs

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Mark

[laudropb]

Very nice image.

[Guest]

I think you've done an absolutely fantastic job on your first image - that's a huge confidence boost for you - hope you get some more clear skies to continue these early successes.

All too often people are worn down by the constant tech problems in astrophotography so when you show how good things can go on a first image like this it gives everyone a boost :-)

Keep the posts coming ....and read up on toning down that core for your next challenge* :-)

David

*....and when you do tell me how you did - I still haven't managed it har har!

[Paul M]

Beautiful!

I'll be brutally honest. I prefer your lovely rendition to some of the (in my view) over cooked images of this old favorite that we see quite frequently.

Maybe I'm just nostalgic. You have produced an image that would have rivaled some of the observatory images that I fell in love in my books as a boy. 

 

[MarkyD]

Thanks all for the comments  - I really did not expect to see his result on a DSO for the first time attempt.  I have done wide view a couple of times but this has given me some get up and go for more DSO's 

I actually took two shots one at 30secs and the above at 65 secs but I was so excited last night I only used one image. This afternoon I combined them in Photomatix and then tweaked again in CS4.  I have managed to bring out some of the blues that are nearer the core and top edge

Thanks all

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Mark

[symesie04]

Its a real rush when you see your first results isnt it? Learn the art of stacking and your be well on your way.

[Pankaj]

Simply beautiful for a single sub. The photograpg is a soothing treat to eyes.  I would agree with what Paul said. This image is is better than some of the over cooked images that I too have seen. I too have targeted Orion with various exposures and stacking. Whenever I increase exposure to bring out the delicate details in nebulosity, the core (trapezium area) burns out. Dont know how to tackle that.

Just sharing one of the pics that shot using the economical Achromat ST 80A. 

[DaveS]

Those are way better than my first images, well done!

[WaveSoarer]

That's excellent and it's  also well framed - which can be tricky in its own right.