Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

M33 - Reprocess using Astro Pixel Processor

MrsGnomus

By MrsGnomus
in Imaging - Deep Sky

Recommended Posts

MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
Posted

We first processed this data ~12 months ago, but we were never very happy with the finished result.  Then around a month ago, we had another go using the new PI tools 'Local Normalization' and Photometric Color Calibration'.  We have just purchased APP and thought we would have a go with the new software.  This was calibrated and stacked in APP.  APP was then used to combine the R, G & B.  We used APP's Light Pollution tool to flatten the backgrounds of the Lum and the RGB stack.  Background and Star Colour corrections were appled to the RGB stack, again in APP.  The image was then stretched and further processed in PI and PS. 

We are finding APP extremely useful, but it has its quirks.  How about this for the name APP chooses for the Ha stack - St-avg-7200.0s-SC_1_3.0-x_1.0_LZ3-NS-full-eq-add-sc_BWMV_nor-AA-RL-MBB5_2ndLNC_it1.fits!!

Data from our Esprit 120/QSI 690 rig:

  • Lum: 24 x 300s
  • Red: 6 x 600s
  • Green: 6 x 600s
  • Blue: 6 x 600s
  • Ha: 4 x 1200s

A total of 6.3 hours exposure.

09_M33_Lis_FINx2560.thumb.jpg.9c973cf62dfb2f246af3b4b28f834932.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Allinthehead said:

Looks like APP does a good job. Any advantages over PI?

It was my first proper go using APP (up to today I had been a spectator while @gnomus used it) so I am probably not the best person to ask.

I found today's effort reasonably straightforward although having my "trusty assistant" on hand to remind me what I was doing wrong was invaluable. The most telling thing was that I got a result that I was fairly happy with without having to repeatedly go back several steps to fix things. No doubt next time I try it I will have forgotten everything from today and will produce a complete dogs breakfast of an image.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted

There's an awful lot to like in this rendition. I'd have thought it would take more contrast and a bit of fairly large scale sharpening. Don't mistake the naturally grainy 'surface' (not really a surface, of course) of M33 for noise. It remains grainy with thirty hours of data. I'd use the background sky as your indicator of the noise floor.

It's a good image and nicely understated. Here am I suggesting you give it a bit of welly!

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
  • Author
Posted
2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

There's an awful lot to like in this rendition. I'd have thought it would take more contrast and a bit of fairly large scale sharpening. Don't mistake the naturally grainy 'surface' (not really a surface, of course) of M33 for noise. It remains grainy with thirty hours of data. I'd use the background sky as your indicator of the noise floor.

It's a good image and nicely understated. Here am I suggesting you give it a bit of welly!

Olly

Thanks Olly.  I've gone back and added a bit more sharpening and contrast and boosted the colours slightly.  Is this what you had in mind?

C_M33_Lis_FINx1920.thumb.jpg.1d583d66c9613187ae908bbc76677f0f.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, MrsGnomus said:

Thanks Olly.  I've gone back and added a bit more sharpening and contrast and boosted the colours slightly.  Is this what you had in mind?

C_M33_Lis_FINx1920.thumb.jpg.1d583d66c9613187ae908bbc76677f0f.jpg

Yes, I think that's great. It's very finely resolved into the core, too. If you feel like going back to it at any time M33 really does respond to more hours.

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
swag72

swag72

Posted
Posted

I have never once managed an M33 that I was remotely happy with...... Something of my nemesis..... This is a super rendition. The background is balanced and the colours are good..... Very much the case here of everything to like :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
  • Author
Posted
3 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Yes, I think that's great. It's very finely resolved into the core, too. If you feel like going back to it at any time M33 really does respond to more hours.

Olly

Thanks Olly. We were talking about revisiting this just the other night.  We were going to add more Ha last year but the weather didn't cooperate at all.  The data for this one was all captured in a single session last year to give number 3 son a go at processing something. His version isn't bad either (we won't embarrass him by posting it ?) and he is certainly much faster than I am at learning how to process and getting familiar with new software - must be all those hours spent playing PC games. 

2 hours ago, swag72 said:

I have never once managed an M33 that I was remotely happy with...... Something of my nemesis..... This is a super rendition. The background is balanced and the colours are good..... Very much the case here of everything to like :) 

Thanks Sara. I'm not sure that the gnomus household is ever totally happy with anything we have produced.  The running joke with our kids is "... the worst picture of xxxx (insert name of latest celestial object) ever".  Although when we do go back and compare things with our efforts from 2 or 3 years back we are usually pleased with the improvement. Hopefully I will have a bit more time to practice now that I have "escaped" from the NHS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

 

Superb Mr and Mrs Gnomus!

I'm hoping to do more on M33 this year as well.  I got a ton of data last year and then it clouded out for months leaving me with half finished data sets.

 

Thanks, we're looking forward to seeing your version too 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsGnomus

MrsGnomus

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, MartinB said:

That's right up there with the best especially from a uk site

Thanks. Living on the edge of smallish village with next to no services has some advantages.

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

Really nice image and clearly a lot of effort to get it looking like it does. Well done!

Yes it has been quite a team effort for us. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomato

tomato

Posted
Posted

Superb image, this has been a target I have concentrated on since acquiring my G2-8300, but that's just about the only positive statement I can make regarding my own efforts at the moment.

I think I am going to push the button on the APP software, I cannot make Startools work with the stacked data, and my calibration and stacking routines with either SIPS or DSS don't fill me with confidence. Of course, it could be case of garbage in but the raw subs from the camera (in my humble opinion) don't seem too bad.

Still, your excellent result shows me what can be achieved when I know what I'm doing, inspiration indeed.

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.