Markarian's Chain - thanks Olly!

[Stub Mandrel]

Prompted to go back to last May's data for Markarian's Chain by Olly's fantastic image I added the results of ten month's practice at battering images into submission. 32-bit pre-stretch in DSS, using 'screen' in PS to get more faint detail, slightly better at noise reduction. I can't magic wonderful colours into an image badly affected by LP, but the difference (from last May, then today) is clear. Glad I kept my data:

Not just more and bigger faint fuzzies, note the limbs of the 'tormented' galaxy left of centre have appeared, In Olly's image these are lovely blue loops.

These were taken with a 400mm Prinzgalaxy tele lens, so obviously I must return with the 130P-DS in search of further improvements!

 

[wimvb]

You definitely got more detail in the second version. I think that in the first, you had clipped the background. There are probably better noise reduction methods in PS, but if all else fails, you can try to reduce the colour noise by masking the stars and galaxies, and dialing down colour saturation. This should neutralise the background, while keeping colour in the galaxies.

BTW, didn't dig up your original post, but how many subs at which camera settings went into making this image?

[Stub Mandrel]

7 hours ago, wimvb said:

You definitely got more detail in the second version. I think that in the first, you had clipped the background. There are probably better noise reduction methods in PS, but if all else fails, you can try to reduce the colour noise by masking the stars and galaxies, and dialing down colour saturation. This should neutralise the background, while keeping colour in the galaxies.

BTW, didn't dig up your original post, but how many subs at which camera settings went into making this image?

Thanks Wim, good idea for cleaning up the red/blue streaks in the background.

It was 90% 0f 50 60-second subs at iso 1600, so not a huge amount of data, also the lens is only f6.3. If I can get a few hours with the 130P-DS at 2 minute exposures and using my LP filter I think it will be a cleaner background and much more detail.

[wimvb]

I agree, the best image processing tip I have ever received was to collect more data, and increase exposure time.

Good luck