gum 15 nebula Gum 15 and Open Cluster CR197 in Vela - a WIP

[MikeODay]

Re-processed 3rd March 2018 - no luck so far getting any more data;  I will try again when the moon goes away

.......

With my unmodified D5300 DSLR, the HII nebula Gum 15 is barely brighter than the surrounding diffuse red glow that surrounds it and it all sits way down in the noise.

I decided to share this small WIP version as I think it may be a while before I can get the data I need to impove it.  

This one has way too much noise ( and hence quite heavy noise reduction / smoothing ) as the detail is very faint and I needed a massive stretch to pull it out - more data will help with that I think.  

Seen small,  from a very long way away, I don't think it is too bad  

Gum 15 and Open Cluster CR197 in Vela

 

Unmodified Nikon D5300 
Orion Optics CT12" Newtonian with ASA Coma Corrector ~ effective focal length 1400mm @ f 4.7

HDR image in 10 sets ( all at ISO 250 )
- 35 x 240 sec + 5 each for exposure durations from 0.5 to 120 seconds

[Allinthehead]

That looks like it's going to be a winner. Beautiful colours and detail.

[MikeODay]

 

14 hours ago, Allinthehead said:

That looks like it's going to be a winner. Beautiful colours and detail.

Thanks Richard.  While I'm waiting for the skies to clear I thought I might try super pixel debayering to see if it helps with the noise.

[MikeODay]

Re-processed while I am waiting for the moon to go away so I can try to get more data ...

I'm not sure if it is much of an improvement - I think I might even prefer the original softer version; even if the stars are a little bloated. 

[Stephen Green]

Great image and great detail

[iansmith]

Great images. For me, I prefer the second, sharper image, but then I'm not a fan of the "soft" look.

Cheers, Ian

[Barry-Wilson]

Very nice image Mike of this faint target - I think perhaps the second version is my preferred iteration.

For me, I'd be tempted to bring the background brightness down . . .

[MikeODay]

14 hours ago, Stephen Green said:

Great image and great detail

 

7 hours ago, iansmith said:

Great images. For me, I prefer the second, sharper image, but then I'm not a fan of the "soft" look.

Cheers, Ian

 

7 hours ago, Barry-Wilson said:

Very nice image Mike of this faint target - I think perhaps the second version is my preferred iteration.

For me, I'd be tempted to bring the background brightness down . . .

Thanks guys much appreciated.  This one is difficult for me - it is quite faint and the whole field is covered in red dust / Ha making it hard to get an attractive contrast between the background and the nebula.  I am quite pleased with the stars though.  What I think it really needs is more data and perhaps a camera more sensitive to Ha

 

[Rodd]

I agree with Barry on the background....but I know its tough sometimes if conditions were not great to achieve a smooth background.  The nebula looks great.

Rodd