NGC 6888 (Crescent) Reprocessed

[Tim]

Somebody, I think Kevin, posted a very helpful link about flats with DSLRs and also other advice relating to DSS.

Thanks for that, very helpful, I managed to get a library of flat files and have used them for the first time in this image. I have to say, having the flat included in the stack made a huge difference when it came to processing. The star colours were easier to keep, and the contrast was much easier to deal with.

I know its very subjective as to what appeals to each individual, so I've processed this one again the way it appeals to me.

What do you think? Better than the original?

Cheers

TJ

Full size version on UKA, this one reduced to 30%.

[Beyond_Vision]

Thats certainly looking a lot more natural interms of the nebulosity and not oversaturated, but I think the added diffraction spikes have distorted the central star and the bright one above.

Regards

Kevin

[Tim]

Thats where I cheated Kevin, there is no spike on them, but they were so blobby that I tried reducing them with the minimum filter. Is there another way?

The central star, and the one to its right are actually doubles, and the single exposures show them quite nice and seperate, and their different colours.

I'm struggling to know how to deal with the big stars, all advice welcomed

Cheers

TJ

[Beyond_Vision]

I think the halo around the stars in your original image are caused by the CLS filter. I have noticed this on my image of the Gamma Cygni area and I too found it difficult to reduce by any amount. Im sure Martin or someone will be able to help out.

Regards

Kevin

[barkis]

It is certainly an Improvement on the original TJ.

Personally, I don't care much for Diffraction Spikes, whether real, or artificial.

There seems to me to be a bit of colour bleeding, and I use that expression merely to describe what I interpret, and not to define any real effect of digital processing, because I don't know nowhere near enough about it, to make any technical comment.

I may have read that Noel Carboni has a toolkit that can among other things, de blob stars, but I stand to be corrected on that one.

Are you content with the DSLR TJ, or do you think you might step up to Dedicated CCD Imaging at some point.

Ron.

[Ferox]

Very nice image TJ.