1 year Anneversary Image SH2-115 SHO

[Rodd]

This image represents my 1 year anniversary doing astro-photography, which I began on 11/3/2015.  Thank you all for helping me improve.  Though there is a long way to go, I am pleased that I can at last see some reproducible improvement.

Televue np101is, SBIG STT 8300M with self guiding filter wheel and Astrodon 3nm NB filters

6 hours each of Ha, OIII, and SII in 30 minute subs.  Total 18 hours of exposure.  The Ha stack was inserted as a luminance layer, making it a (Ha)SII-Ha-OIII image.

Version 1 is softer with less sharpening, and version 2 is a bit more defined, though I think I went a bit too far. Not sure which I like better.

 

[gnomus]

Terrific Rodd.  Version 2 for me this time.  You've been able to eliminate the colour cast you had on the left in v1.  There is something a little odd happening in the three stars above the big blue area in v2 though.  They seem very purple/magenta to me.  I wonder if you could lose that.  But you have another winner.  

[Allinthehead]

Stars look better in the second to my eye. Lovely image

[Dbswales]

Another one for version 2. Beautiful. Absolutely terrific image. 

[PatrickGilliland]

Happy Anniversary - a lot of progress for a single year well done.  Nice images to, prefer second one as the stars have lost the purple detail is nice in both.  Few stars could do with some attention the purple area (unless it is supposed to be there and a few have lost their profile).  But that's just nit picking.

Paddy

[Yamez]

I like really like the sharp nebulosity in the second image and congrats for one year. Absolutely brilliant work.

[Rodd]

56 minutes ago, gnomus said:

Terrific Rodd.  Version 2 for me this time.  You've been able to eliminate the colour cast you had on the left in v1.  There is something a little odd happening in the three stars above the big blue area in v2 though.  They seem very purple/magenta to me.  I wonder if you could lose that.  But you have another winner.  

 

56 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

Stars look better in the second to my eye. Lovely image

 

53 minutes ago, PatrickGilliland said:

Happy Anniversary - a lot of progress for a single year well done.  Nice images to, prefer second one as the stars have lost the purple detail is nice in both.  Few stars could do with some attention the purple area (unless it is supposed to be there and a few have lost their profile).  But that's just nit picking.

Paddy

 

47 minutes ago, Yamez said:

I like really like the sharp nebulosity in the second image and congrats for one year. Absolutely brilliant work.

Thanks guys.....I appreciate the input.  I was so worried about not overdoing it, I think I overcompensated...Version 2 definitely for me too, now that I see it on the bigger screen.

[simmo39]

Yep, second one for me too, as said above Brilliant!

[Rodd]

21 minutes ago, simmo39 said:

Yep, second one for me too, as said above Brilliant!

Thanks Simmo.

[Pompey Monkey]

Th second one for sure - the stars have a much better distribution of colour to my eye.

Congrats for lasting the whole year - I remember the almost tangible feelings of frustration emanating from your early posts. TBH, I didn't think you'd stick around for long, but you've proved me wrong! 

[Rodd]

1 minute ago, Pompey Monkey said:

Th second one for sure - the stars have a much better distribution of colour to my eye.

Congrats for lasting the whole year - I remember the almost tangible feelings of frustration emanating from your early posts. TBH, I didn't think you'd stick around for long, but you've proved me wrong! 

Thanks Paul--still battle with bouts of frustration, but at least there are some times of exuberance.  Like when hiking up a mountain.  Before there are any views to admire, its pretty much death by lactic acid buildup.  The vistas are beginning to open up.

[Rodd]

Here's another version--I fixed a few of the blemishes as much as I could, and I gave the core some more definition.

[Rodd]

Here is what I think is the final version--a bit of chromatic noise reduction and removal of star color (I like white NB stars).  I think 1 or 2 still have some color.  On my 4K monitor, this image is starting to have some depth.

[wimvb]

Happy anniversary. That's a great way to celebrate 1 year of AP. May I ask what the first image of that year looks like?

[Rodd]

2 hours ago, wimvb said:

Happy anniversary. That's a great way to celebrate 1 year of AP. May I ask what the first image of that year looks like?

I think it was the horsehead and flame--not the worst image I have done by a long shot.....but understandably wanting. It is buried on some storage device.  I will have to do it again one day....there are just so many wonderful targets, and each one needs weeks to do (due to weather..12-18 hours of clear sky).  Oh to be in a desert.