Iris Nebula complex - Part 2 of 3

[Uranium235]

Out at the dark site again last night, this time NOT forgetting my counterweight and tripod leg spreader!

Now up to four hours @f2 with the 135mm lens, which has helped with the noise in those really faint patches of dust. Also, I've had a good go at keeping the starfield down - which is easier said than done when most of the background is stars! It might be worth me trying straton or something similar and incorporate that into the Scott Rosen workflow, but whether that would kill off detail... I dont know until I try it.

Once its complete, it might be a good candidate as data for the advanced Ps workshop at the next SGL meet, I'll post two versions - just so you get the picture (pardon the pun!).

24x600 (L)

Samyang 135mm @f2, Atik 383L+, NEQ6

 

Thanks for looking

 

First, version using standard curves, levels, and moderate star reduction:

As you can see.... too many stars, not enough dust!

 

New method to be used at the workshop:

Now... much smaller stars, and much more dust. The two bright patches either side at the top of the frame are from bright stars just off the FOV.

[gorann]

Beautiful!

The Samyang 135 is just such a brilliant little scope! Pity I cannot use mine until the dark nights return in September, but then it is always going to sit next to my main scope firing away all night.......

[Uranium235]

6 minutes ago, gorann said:

Beautiful!

The Samyang 135 is just such a brilliant little scope! Pity I cannot use mine until the dark nights return in September, but then it is always going to sit next to my main scope firing away all night.......

I guess for now you could take it out and do some daylight photography, the only issue being that you will need a tripod/monpod and do the focusing via liveview to nail the focus - but that does rely on your subject staying still for a few moments (not always possible!)  

I made the silly error of not checking my focus properly for the first sub of the night, one quick inspection of the first sub showed that I was a fair bit off - so a couple of tweaks later and the show was back on the road.

[gorann]

1 minute ago, Uranium235 said:

I guess for now you could take it out and do some daylight photography, the only issue being that you will need a tripod/monpod and do the focusing via liveview to nail the focus - but that does rely on your subject staying still for a few moments (not always possible!)  

I made the silly error of not checking my focus properly for the first sub of the night, one quick inspection of the first sub showed that I was a fair bit off - so a couple of tweaks later and the show was back on the road.

I invested in focuser rings for mine (from TS), which not only helps in precise focusing but also lock the focus. I found that if I did not bump the lens with rings it would keep focus night after night.

Will you give away your striking processing tricks for us that will probably not make it to the next SGL-meet workshop?

[Uranium235]

36 minutes ago, gorann said:

Will you give away your striking processing tricks for us that will probably not make it to the next SGL-meet workshop?

PM'ed mate

[Tangoringo]

That's incredible how much you've been able to tease out with your processing. A very skilful job there my friend.