Dumbell from last night

[Paxo]

I managed to get set-up around 10:30 last night only to find all the decent alignment stars covered by cloud. It didn't take long to wait though, by 11:00 I was aligned and centred on M27 the dumbell nebula, the aim of the night was to through the kitchen sink at this bright object with all the broadband and narrowband filters I posses. Thankfully the true Technology filter wheel takes the majority of the strain as well as parfocal filter sets, though it does need a refocus between wide and narrow band sets.

Imaging was through an WO FLT110 with an Atik 314L CCD, through Meade LRGB and Astronomik Ha, Hb, OIII and SII filters. Guided through a WO Megrez 72 using Maxim DL. Exposure times where (all 1x1 binning):

L 10 x 90 seconds and 5 x 120 secs

R 10 x 90 seconds

G 10 x 120 seconds

B 10 x 90 seconds

Ha 10 x 120 seconds

OIII 10 x 120 seconds

Hb 5 x 300 seconds

SII 5 x 300 seconds

which all adds up to about 3 hours imaging, which was just as well as at about 02:30 it clouded over again. Anyway a good night was had, only 4 images unusable, 3 of these these due to satellites, and one due to a cat! (which if I'd got hold of would have become a satellite.

(click to enlarge)

Processed quickly this morning using Maxim DL 5.0 and Photoshop CS. I combined the narrowband data in the following way. I enhanced the Red Channel by combining both Ha and SII data with the Red (SII probably could have been left out though, even though it had a suprisingly strong signal), I combined the OIII data with the blue channel and the Hb data with the green channel. The luminance data was enhanced using the Halpha data. Using the usal methodology I gues that makes it a L Ha:R:Ha SII:G Hb:B OIII.

Happy with the results, needs a bit more time to play with but I thought I would share the initial result with you all.

Steve

[ngc2403]

First of all very well done paxo, i love the way that that looks very strange and almost ultra violet like , can you please please please post the unprocessed combined images please please please please(i could go on if you like) please please

reasons being i would like to try and find out how different the narrow band images are from the others, and the different between the Hydrogen alpha, beta and the nitrogen lines.

get image though sharp and with good detail and little noise.

on a side note some of the star as you can see are a bit off colour but personally i don't mind if the final image will look as good as that, 'modern' astrophotography, in the 'modern art sense'

well done

ally

[Paxo]

Ally,

I literally haven't had time to do much with these images, they haven't even been calibrated yet. I need to get some flats for the Hb and SII filters (hopefully this afternoon) took a new series of darks last night and already have the bias data, and have a bit play and produce something better. When I've had a bit of time to play and I am satisfied with the image I get, I'll place the combined calibrated files in the download section on ukastronomers, I'll pm you to let you know when this is done.

Steve..

[ngc2403]

that's great steve,

i didn't meant to rush you, was just amazed at finding Halpha, Hbeta, S,O and RGB for the Dumbell.

you see i am on something of a mission to find out the properties of the those narrow band filters with an added interest in the Halpha and Hbeta.

have fun playing about though i still think that that first image is mad so much colour and detail, plus it looks so cool

well done again

[barkis]

Looks very nice Steve, very vivid looking. I love the very black, but whether it's my eyes I don't know, but the stars appear to me as a Bluey/Greeny colour?.

Ron.

[SteveL]

Wow

(was about to post my RGB dumbell from last night, but it looks a bit tame compared to yours now)

[Whippy]

Niiice one Steve , looks like it was the object of choice last night as I've got one to post too! If only I can remember how to do the RGB bits again....

Tony..

[steppenwolf]

Fascinating image, Steve - quite amazing how combining the narrow with the wide filter subs has pulled out so much detail from within the nebula. Great stuff!

[Paxo]

Looks very nice Steve, very vivid looking. I love the very black, but whether it's my eyes I don't know, but the stars appear to me as a Bluey/Greeny colour?.

Ron.

Thanks Ron, I think your right, the data needs calibrating and a bit more tweaking, I'm sure I will be able to get something a bit more 'natural'.

Steve..

[Paxo]

A quick rework in LRGB only to give a more natural look to the star colours:

(click to enlarge)

Steve..

[ncjunk]

Christ there is a heck of a lot of detail (clean version of my response to your image)

NC