M97 - The Owl Nebula

[Petergoodhew]

First go at Messier 97, imaged from Spain between 14-24 May. Images captured in conjunction with @ampleamp

39x5 mins Lum, 12x5 mins B, 16x5 mins G, 16x5 mins R

Total integration 6h 55min

Comments, critiques, and suggestions welcome as always

[steppenwolf]

I like this image as it shows some of the hard to find core detail although the stars appear to display a slightly offset red channel or it is just my stupid glasses?

I am all programmed up for this one myself, just waiting for a clear night!

[Petergoodhew]

3 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

I like this image as it shows some of the hard to find core detail although the stars appear to display a slightly offset red channel or it is just my stupid glasses?

I am all programmed up for this one myself, just waiting for a clear night!

It's not your glasses Steve, but my processing!   Need to do some more work on that. I've also some Ha and OIII to combine with it in the hope of pulling out more detail too.

[steppenwolf]

@Petergoodhew I am set for an HOO image as it responds well to this and for your image, to have the RGB stars in the background with NB enhanced planetary would be excellent - I look forward to seeing the finished result.

[ampleamp]

Looks good Pete, yes slightly pink but I'm sure you can correct that, and who am i to criticise!

Looking forwards to the addition of NB data.

[toxic]

very nice owl indeed Peter

[celestron8g8]

Very very nice capture !

[Petergoodhew]

On 31/05/2017 at 11:56, steppenwolf said:

to have the RGB stars in the background with NB enhanced planetary would be excellent - I look forward to seeing the finished result.

Steve, here's a reworked Owl with NB added.  Managed to pull out some outer halo from the OIII.

[steppenwolf]

@Petergoodhew That's very nice indeed, I love that halo!

[Petergoodhew]

1 minute ago, steppenwolf said:

@Petergoodhew That's very nice indeed, I love that halo!

Thanks Steve. Praise from the author of my first ever book on astrophotography is praise indeed!  Without that book I would never have got this far.

[swag72]

I like the halo and the detail, but I think that the colour balance is a little off by looking at the star colours.

[Petergoodhew]

3 minutes ago, swag72 said:

I like the halo and the detail, but I think that the colour balance is a little off by looking at the star colours.

I really struggle with getting the colour balance right Sara.  Any tips for getting it right?

[swag72]

Just now, Petergoodhew said:

I really struggle with getting the colour balance right Sara.  Any tips for getting it right?

Nothing beyond fiddling with the selective colour slider or the colour balance adjustment

[PatrickGilliland]

Nice work Peter, some great contrast in the middle.  There is an app which can help with the star colours xcalibrator or similar, or you can just tweak as Sara says.

[ollypenrice]

The NB version has orignal data, to my mind at least. That outer halo is excellent. So is the resolution.

OK so I'm bugged by the colour. To me the Owl is an OIII dominated green object fringed in places by the red of Ha. Pale blue is new to me (but I'm only on a laptop for the next ten days so I could be right up a gum tree, in which case tell me so!)

Don't get me wrong, I think that this is, in most respects, utterly gorgeous.

Olly

[Petergoodhew]

Thanks Paddy and Olly. I know my colour balance is rubbish, but I'm working on it. Let me see if I can get it right on this image. I was amazed to see the outer halo appear. I guess it shows the value of getting lots of good quality data.