The Eagle Nebual in H-alpha (383L+) and Oiii (DSLR)

[tooth_dr]

Here is my first attempt at processing this data.  The target is one I've wanted to do since I started imaging.  The lower of the two scopes 'just' cleared the wall of the observatory.    All data captured on Monday 9th July from 00:45-03:15 using dual ED80 on EQ6.  Poor seeing/guiding.

 

Details:

 

Atik 383L+

24 x 300s

12nm Astronomik hydrogen alpha

 

Canon 40d

14 x 300s at ISO1600

12nm Astronomik Oiii

 

DSS and PS processing - Red=Ha Blue=Oiii Green=50%Ha 50%Oiii

 

The Oiii data was weak, being only 300s exposures with a colour camera, but it's just the way I had the guiding setup, next time will aim for long subs, and do a loose dithering setup in APT.

 

Thanks for looking

Adam

[tooth_dr]

Also I adjusted the spacing, This is an uncropped FOV of the Atik camera, just minus the dithering overlaps at the borders.  How do the stars look?

[Allinthehead]

Very nice. Stars look good. The joy of a dual setup getting this in one night. I'm surprised you can get this so far north as it's below the level of my neighbors roof tops in Cork. 

[Atreta]

Great image. It's the first time i could notice why it's called eagle nebula. 

[alexbb]

Nice pillars! I also wanted to shoot this target since I started astrophotography, but I wanted wait to get better at it for M16.

11 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

How do the stars look?

Just a bit out of focus. Do you have any tool that can deconvolve the image?

[tooth_dr]

3 hours ago, moise212 said:

Nice pillars! I also wanted to shoot this target since I started astrophotography, but I wanted wait to get better at it for M16.

Just a bit out of focus. Do you have any tool that can deconvolve the image?

 

I've attached a few images here that were taken during the session.  The seeing/guiding was terrible, and I couldn't get it any better despite my efforts on the night.

I am not familiar with deconvolution so if you have time to suggest anything I would appreciate it.

 

Focus at start of session with Bhatinov mask (Oiii DSLR):

 

Single 300s sub from Canon DSLR:

 

Stacked/Aligned with Ha image/Processed Oiii image

 

Stacked/Processed H-alpha image:

[alexbb]

Focus looks spot on with the Bahtinov mask, but I do realize now that this target is 10 degrees lower that is for me. I don't usually attempt to image a target below 30 degrees, 25 if it reaches 30 max.

A trick to have a better guiding graph is to use a deep red/IR pass filter for guiding, however this doesn't necessary mean you will have a better result, maybe just a better graph.

I just recently bought a new EQ6-R and the result is much better than I expected compared to what I used to get with the AZ-EQ5 due to a better guiding. Whilst the smaller mount was guiding ~1.2-1.4" RMS with occasional spikes of 8" p2p, the new bigger one guided on the same area of sky at 0.6-0.7" RMS with maybe several 2" p2p exceptions. How bad was your guiding? I expected your NEQ6 to behave about the same as my EQ6-R does.

The reason I was saying that the focus looks a bit off is that the Oiii image seems to have the stars looking somewhat flat a wider area around the center. This in comparison to the Ha image where the stars are bright in the center and they start fading out much closer from the center. I don't know yet how to explain this scientifically.

It can be though due to atmospheric dispersion which affects more the shorter Oiii wavelengths compared to the longer Ha ones. Or could you have had temperature focus shift? How does the first frame look compared to the last?

About deconvolution, I use PixInsight. For a long while I avoided it because I didn't have enough time to learn a new tool, but in the end, I get now a much better result even faster. Most probably I can get better results, but after 2 months of using it, I feel comfortable with it now.

[tooth_dr]

45 minutes ago, moise212 said:

Focus looks spot on with the Bahtinov mask, but I do realize now that this target is 10 degrees lower that is for me. I don't usually attempt to image a target below 30 degrees, 25 if it reaches 30 max.

A trick to have a better guiding graph is to use a deep red/IR pass filter for guiding, however this doesn't necessary mean you will have a better result, maybe just a better graph.

I just recently bought a new EQ6-R and the result is much better than I expected compared to what I used to get with the AZ-EQ5 due to a better guiding. Whilst the smaller mount was guiding ~1.2-1.4" RMS with occasional spikes of 8" p2p, the new bigger one guided on the same area of sky at 0.6-0.7" RMS with maybe several 2" p2p exceptions. How bad was your guiding? I expected your NEQ6 to behave about the same as my EQ6-R does.

The reason I was saying that the focus looks a bit off is that the Oiii image seems to have the stars looking somewhat flat a wider area around the center. This in comparison to the Ha image where the stars are bright in the center and they start fading out much closer from the center. I don't know yet how to explain this scientifically.

It can be though due to atmospheric dispersion which affects more the shorter Oiii wavelengths compared to the longer Ha ones. Or could you have had temperature focus shift? How does the first frame look compared to the last?

About deconvolution, I use PixInsight. For a long while I avoided it because I didn't have enough time to learn a new tool, but in the end, I get now a much better result even faster. Most probably I can get better results, but after 2 months of using it, I feel comfortable with it now.

Alex, thanks for taking time to answer.

I think I just took a notion to image it regardless of its declination!

I had the graph set to ‘8’ and it was see-sawing back and forth the full of the graph. Normally it would be set to ‘4’ and would hover between 1 +/-. Sorry I don’t know the units. I couldn’t get graph flat.

Could it be the modified DSLR camera making the difference in star sizes? There was only 1 hour 20 minutes of subs, and they all look similar, and the temp recorded in the exit data was steady.

I’m not sure my brain could handle a new software ? =?

 

 

[alexbb]

2 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I had the graph set to ‘8’ and it was see-sawing back and forth the full of the graph. Normally it would be set to ‘4’ and would hover between 1 +/-. Sorry I don’t know the units. I couldn’t get graph flat.

This has to be it then, I don't think you can do much more until you improve this.

2 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I’m not sure my brain could handle a new software ? =?

That's what I also avoided for a while. I was very wrong. PixInsight is fast, doesn't consume much memory, the only real requirement from my point of view is to have a decent display and resolution. You can get away for quick processes, but I would avoid working on my laptop's screen as much as possible. Going to PixInsight processing was one of the best improvements since I started astrophotography. I calibrate and integrate with APP though.

[tooth_dr]