M94 SL-RGB

[Rodd]

This is the bet I can manage with this data--collected over the past 3 nights.  After seeing some truly exceptional examples of this galaxy, including Barry Wilson's from when he was just setting up his new10 micron mount, I was excited to give it a whirl.

TOA 130 and ASI 1600 with Astrodon Series E filters.

Red:  114 2min

Green:  96 2min 

Blue:  109 2min

Lum:  319 2min (all the RGB subs integrated together) 

It is an RGB image with luminance created from all RGB subs and used as a synthetic (or is it super?) luminance.  I was going to collect a proper luminance, but the Moon is over 50% now, and any trouble I have with the sky is usually magnified in the lum subs.  Anyway--its strange, but the individual subs coming off the camera look pretty good, and I was anxious to process the data.  But LRGB troubles continue to plague me.  They did intermittently with the KAF8300, and they have with the ASI 1600.  If its the sky, there's not much I can do--other than shoot narrow band (No sky problems manifest there).  It might be the quantity of data--though 10.5 hours should be more than enough.  

Maybe the subs are too long--as the stars are colorless (unless I really crank up the saturation--but then they turn pink).  And the core is a white zone.  I do know that my M63 image could not be plate solved--I did not try with this one--which might indicate a problem I am unaware of.  Usually PI can plate solve an image (necessary to use the new photometric color calibration).

maybe I am pushing it to hard in efforts to bring out the outer ring.  

[Allinthehead]

What gain did you use Rodd?

[Rodd]

I am keeping the camera at unity gain (139) for now.  It worked a bit better for M63--but still, LRGB is not going ell.

Rodd

[Rodd]

Well--here is an improvement of sorts.  I can think of nothing else to do--except add a huge amount of real lum the Moon goes away.  Not sure its worth it though.  This one might be better suited for the "what could have been pile"

Rodd