The colliding Antennae Galaxies through two big scopes

[gorann]

I know that processing images from the 2 m Liverpool Telescope is  close to cheating, but I need to keep up (and maybe improve) my processing skills over the summer, and now I have done something even worse:

Yesterday I received my username for the 8.2 m Subaru scope located at Mauna Kea Obsy on Hawaii (altitude 4200 m) and have done my first processing attempt. It is a bit more cumbersome getting the data than with the LT since you have to send in a request and then wait for an e-mail that directs you to an ftp server where your requested files have been uploaded. The nine subs that I requested were from one of the ten 2048 x 4096 CCDs of the CCD array in the Subaru Prime Focus Camera (Suprime-Cam). The subs are from February 2004 (this camera is now decommissioned). Using all ten CCDs in the array would probably not create a very pretty image since there are clear gaps between the CCDs. This image is from 9 x 240 s subs, all taken through a W-J-B filter (same as Bessell B - so mainly blue).

So, I ended up with a detailed monochrome image of the central parts of the galaxies. Very noise free so processing (in PS) was easy. I then decided to add this as luminosity to one hour of LHaRGB data that I have previously processed (and posted) from the Liverpool Telescope.

So, here is first the Subaru monochrome (blue filter) data, and then the Subaru - LT combo.

Comments and suggestions most welcome!

[StargeezerTim]

This could be us and Andromeda in a few (billion!) years! Lovely image...

[gorann]

1 hour ago, StargeezerTim said:

This could be us and Andromeda in a few (billion!) years! Lovely image...

Thanks Tim!

Yes, but it may good that we will miss it.....

[Scosmico]

jaw dropping image. thanks for sharing.

[wimvb]

Great image, Göran.

The only comment I would have is the bottom edge which has a colour gradient that I also have seen in my LT images (PixInsights DBE takes care of it).

Maybe by the time you can gather your own data again, you'll be spoilt by the quality data you got from the professional telescopes, and you won't want to go back.

[gorann]

4 hours ago, Scosmico said:

jaw dropping image. thanks for sharing.

Thanks Scosmico!

[gorann]

12 minutes ago, wimvb said:

Great image, Göran.

The only comment I would have is the bottom edge which has a colour gradient that I also have seen in my LT images (PixInsights DBE takes care of it).

Maybe by the time you can gather your own data again, you'll be spoilt by the quality data you got from the professional telescopes, and you won't want to go back.

Tack Wim!

Yes, I also worry a tiny bit about being spoiled (and I guess you do too), but then I think the satisfaction of gathering your own data, and just being up under the sky at night, will overcome that.

And, and as you say, there is some kind of colour gradient at the bottom (which is a bit surprising with professional equipment at a totally dark high altitude site) but in this case it could be easily fixed with some cropping since the image really do not need the bottom part:

[gorann]

[wimvb]

That's the easiest fix to this problem.

[Mick J]

Lovely stuff Göran,  I think you are on a run with these,  enjoying watching - thanks

[gorann]

3 hours ago, Mick J said:

Lovely stuff Göran,  I think you are on a run with these,  enjoying watching - thanks

Thanks Mick, much appreciated!

Looking at the image again I realized it may be better just to use the colours of the LT data and not the wider field so there would not be such a difference in resolution. So here is an version with cut off antennae but Subaru luminosity and great detail all over.

[gorann]

[Rodd]

Where can I get one....I almost have room for it!  Nicely done.

Rodd