M 106 HaLRGB

[Rodd]

As promised, I revised the image after doubling the luminance data.  The image now contains 82 2min lum subs (101 red, 109 blue, 54 green and 45 5min Ha taken with TOA 130 and ASI 1600).  I was surprised to see blue stars and an Ha region in NGC 4248.  I saw a long focal length image of this galaxy and noticed beautiful blue stars.  If you zoom, you can see the core details beginning to materialize.  The details in the dust lanes in NGC 4271 surprised me as well.  I think I have just about reached the limit of this data.  My goal was to reveal the details and structure in M106 without generating the processing artifacts that plagued my previous attempts (stippling, posterization, etc.).  Any sharper, and the image begins to break down.  Now I am wondering if I doubled the amount of luminance again if I would see even greater detail.  

Edit:  The background shows very subtle noise and structure due to the quality of my skies.  I have a version with a darker background, but it is unnaturally dark--almost black.  This version attempts to balance the need for a low black point to hide imperfections with the desire to portray a natural looking sky.

 

[MarsG76]

Awesome... just awesome

 

[Rodd]

2 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

Awesome... just awesome

 

Thanks Mars!

Rodd

[wimvb]

Excellent! 

[Rodd]

5 hours ago, wimvb said:

Excellent! 

Thanks Wim.  

Rodd

[Rodd]

One more modification that I think is well worth posting--small though it may be.  A final tweak to increase contrast and color in NGC 4248.  Since that is the only change I made, and since you can't really notice it on the full image unless you squint, I have cropped out the galaxy and posted it alone.   I wonder how sharp the details could be from a truly dark site with excellent seeing and transparency.

[tomato]

Great result, wonderful detail in M106.

[Rodd]

1 hour ago, tomato said:

Great result, wonderful detail in M106.

Thanks!

Rodd