Iris Nebula NGC7023 RGB

[physicus]

This one is proving an interesting learning experience re processing.  The image here is 2 hours each 600s RGB - but taken over two days at different ambient transparency/contrast, unbinned on the Esprit 100/Atik 460.

The challenge was how (if?) to combine the two sessions data: in the event I restacked the data sets together with sigma-clipped stacking in Nebulosity.  I also have 2 hours of Luminance not shown here, which so far isn't adding anything to the quality of the image.  In general though, I don't find the popular technique of combining 1x1 luminance with a few binned and fuzzed out RGB subs very successful; not if I want to keep star colour in the detail - although I'm happy to concede that may be because I'm not very good at it!     Anyhow, quite pleased with progress so far: dust cloud is there, sharp stars.

 

 

 

[physicus]

Okay, with the colour turned up just a wee bit.

 

[Ishan Mair]

Star colours aren't bad at all.  The dust hiding the stars is seen too. I liked the subtle first one. I'd be over the moon if I got it so clean with such good stars. Its great to watch.

[laudropb]

Nice image. I prefer the colour of the second image.