Bicolor Heart Old and New

[Rodd]

Well--not very old.  But definitely OLD.  This is another example of me using deconvolution in the linear state--which lead to a much more "correct" way of processing as apposed to the type of sharpening and detail enhancement that I used to do.  This time--the first image is the new one and the second image is the old one.  The new one seems much more realistic to me--no sense of "cartoon", which the old one has in certain areas due to excessive saturation.  The image is dim due to the limited OIII data sort of controlling the image (its a bit ironic that that is where much of the improvement can be seen--in the blue areas).  I plan to collect allot more OIII and SII--maybe eve more Ha as well.  In the end I hope to lift much more of the surrounding nebula extensions.  I was surprised at how the improvements to the image are not really visible when the image is small.  Enlarged, they are very noticeable.  As always, please tell me if I am, as someone initially thought, "bonkers"?

[Rodd]

Here is with Melotte 15 and the arches lit up a bit.  Can't decide on this or #1.  Part of me says leave 5% on the table, part of me says, portray it.

[ollypenrice]

Nobody who isn't bonkers will ever win the Isle of Man TT, play a musical instrument brilliantly or take a decent astrophoto.

I think you are becoming a sophisticated self-critic, Rodd, and admirably so. The new image is a little more subtle, yes, but the original does not say 'cartoon' to me. I think that the charm of 'natural colour imitating' HaOIII is that it preserves the 'gassiness' of emission nebulae. My own efforts on these targets have been dominated by a mania for going deep but the price paid is that the nebulae develop a solid look. It would be nice to see RGB star colour in this image in order to have true colour three dimensionality, but only if the stars remained as tiny as they are. This has to be possible.

I'm inspired to work in this direction myself.

Olly

[Rodd]

52 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Nobody who isn't bonkers will ever win the Isle of Man TT, play a musical instrument brilliantly or take a decent astrophoto.

I think you are becoming a sophisticated self-critic, Rodd, and admirably so. The new image is a little more subtle, yes, but the original does not say 'cartoon' to me. I think that the charm of 'natural colour imitating' HaOIII is that it preserves the 'gassiness' of emission nebulae. My own efforts on these targets have been dominated by a mania for going deep but the price paid is that the nebulae develop a solid look. It would be nice to see RGB star colour in this image in order to have true colour three dimensionality, but only if the stars remained as tiny as they are. This has to be possible.

I'm inspired to work in this direction myself.

Olly

Thanks Olly.  I will get RGB and see how the stars look--allot will depend on the conditions, which typically are not great.  But with short exposures I think star size can be controlled.  This target is in a dark part of my sky and fairly elevated, so that helps.  

Rodd

[MikeODay]

Lovely images Rodd - I like the colours and detail is wonderful.

[Rodd]

57 minutes ago, MikeODay said:

Lovely images Rodd - I like the colours and detail is wonderful.

Thanks Mike.  

Rodd