NGC 457 - Owl Cluster

[trevboyd]

Another one from last night - my first attempt at this object. Quite pleased with the result, and I think it matches the FOV of the 350d quite well.

Canon 350d, C8-N, 20 x 30s @ ISO-800

(click to enlarge)

Comments or advice always welcome!

Trev

[Psychobilly]

Another nice image Trev and does match the FOV nicely

I'm waitng to see if the transparency will improve later as its murky at teh moment

Billy...

[trevboyd]

Thanks, Billy! Much appreciated. I've just noticed a bit of a gradient in the middle of the image, but my GradX trial has expired. Oh well!

It looks OK here, but might have a night off!

Trev

[Psychobilly]

(click to enlarge)

Hope you don't mind Trevor... I ran it through for you...

I paid my money and bought it

Billy...

[trevboyd]

Thanks Billy - looking much better now

Trev

[thing]

Lovely Trev, nice and sharp. If you get your head in the right place the gradient goes anyway.

[trevboyd]

Thanks, Dave

Trev

[jgs001]

Lovely image Trev

[anthony]

Very nice Trev. I like that a lot.

I dont know if it is still active but Pixinsight was a free software program that had quite a handy gradient removal tool/facility. Practical astronomer did a tutorial a little while back which I found very useful and straightforward once used to it. Not as quick as the gradx version though.

Anthnoy

[Psychobilly]

PixinsightLE is available free from here...

http://pixinsight.com/download/LE/index.html

And the Vignetting and Sky Gradient removal tutorial is here...

http://pixinsight.com/tutorials/LE/DBE-example/en.html

DBE is very effective but a bit convoluted tool but once you follow the tutorial it becomes easier...I have to keep refering back tot he tutorial if I havent used it for a few weeks..

I still try it from time to time if i don't like the results from GradientEXterminator.

Billy...

Billy...

[anthony]

That's the one! Quite handy, but I have the same experience. Need to re-refer if I have not used it for a while.

Mind you the central hot spot would likely be diminished with application of a flat frame and place less demands on processing.

Anthony

[trevboyd]

Thanks everyone.

Ant/Billy - I've used PixInsight in the past with some success. I tried a quick DBE on this image, but the result was very purple and dim - might give it another go when I have more time.

Trev

[trevboyd]

Lovely image Trev

Thanks John - your image from a week or so ago gave me the idea to try myself - I liked your wider view too.

Trev

[Psychobilly]

I find the combination of GradientXTerminator and Noel Carbonis Astro Actions enable you to sort out most problems....

and my favourite "FREE" tool for reducing and tidying up stars at the moment is ...

http://www.budguinn.com/gallery2/v/downloads/SmallerStars.zip.html

I am using that in preference to the similar actions in Noels Tools at the moment.

Billy...