M13

[kirkster501]

30 minutes each of 1x1 RGB from the TEC140 Atik rig.  I also have three hours of luminance but struggling with how to blend it in.  Infact, I am struggling full stop with this object as I don't seem to be able to get any more colour out of the stars.  I think I need some more colour data but it's curtains for M13 this year unless we get some clear sky in the next few weeks.  I will save this data set (yet another) to add to next year.

Anyway, here's where I am so far.

Steve

 

[ollypenrice]

Good. You're certainly not short of red data because that upper right star is super. Are you using an LP filter? Just wondering about the other end, the blue.

Olly

[kirkster501]

Thanks Olly, yes my thoughts too about the blue - (green actually as well).  It's on the right track I think.  Just more data required.  I may be lucky and have a clear night tonight possibly.

Do you think the Luminance is really needed on Globular clusters?  I have a theory that it isn't as long as the RGB is 1x1.......

Really love the small objects and the TEC and the Atik work well on them I think.

[ollypenrice]

28 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

Thanks Olly, yes my thoughts too about the blue - (green actually as well).  It's on the right track I think.  Just more data required.  I may be lucky and have a clear night tonight possibly.

Do you think the Luminance is really needed on Globular clusters?  I have a theory that it isn't as long as the RGB is 1x1.......

Really love the small objects and the TEC and the Atik work well on them I think.

Well, Tom O'Donoghue and I often discuss luminance. He's always in favour but I have argued against when I feel that the RGB should have what you need. And, dammit, I think he's right. He takes the view that luminance 'tightens things up' and I think it does.

On the other hand Tom will never publish an image till he's nailed it whereas I'm often working with guests on a time budget.

I strongly suspect that your L layer will enhance your image but it will need very delicate combining with your RGB. If you stretch it too far it will just bleach out your colour.

First priority is to find those blues (and greens.) I suspect they are in there.

Olly

[Obi Wan Ken00bi]

Well, I know it’s supposed to have some other colors in there but don’t beat yourself up. It’s a beautiful image and mesmerizing to look at. Just step back and think about all these star bundled together since (almost) the start of the universe. (I believe these dense star clusters are actually very old right?)

[alan4908]

1 hour ago, kirkster501 said:

30 minutes each of 1x1 RGB from the TEC140 Atik rig.  I also have three hours of luminance but struggling with how to blend it in.  Infact, I am struggling full stop with this object as I don't seem to be able to get any more colour out of the stars.  I think I need some more colour data but it's curtains for M13 this year unless we get some clear sky in the next few weeks.  I will save this data set (yet another) to add to next year.

Anyway, here's where I am so far.

I think you have all the colour you need in the image. The issue is that the image is not correctly colour balanced.

If I put your image through Pixinsights Photometric Colour Calibration (PCC) tool and give it a bit of boost in blue I get the image below. 

You'll get a better colour balance if you put the image through PCC whilst it is still in its linear state eg after DBE but before you stretch it. 

Alan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kirkster501]

Thanks guys.  As it happens the rig is running as I type collecting more blue and green.  Surprised to have a clear night tonight, it peed it down two hours ago.

[kirkster501]

@alan4908 your rendition is much better. I will get the additional data then use the PCC tool - that's a new one on me so i shall give it a whirl tomorrow.

[kirkster501]

Another try from scratch with some more data.  Not sure it has done that much to be honest.  Maybe a bit brighter and a few more details?

This is now three hours integration of RGB binned 1x1.

[Tiny Small]

Well, here is a quick job in PS. It does need a bit more blue but there is definitely some in there.

 

 

 

 

[Tiny Small]

To bring out the little blue I could in this, it ended up over-suturing some of the bigger stars, but that would be easily solvable with a mask.

[Hallingskies]

I don’t think M13 is a particularly “colourful” cluster, and your original is an accurate rendition - and certainly much sharper than any of my past efforts!  Moot point maybe, but I think M3 and M5 have a bit more to offer, both visually and from an imaging perspective.

[kirkster501]

@Tiny Small top job!  Did you use my last image as the basis for your tweak?  What did you do in PS may I ask please?

[Tiny Small]

45 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

@Tiny Small top job!  Did you use my last image as the basis for your tweak?  What did you do in PS may I ask please?

No, I used your first. I did levels adjustment for the individual channels then a hue and saturation layer. Then created a new image layer from everything beneath it, created a star mask and the made that layer black and white to correct the background sky. Repeated the layer and star mask process and applied noise reduction.

[Tiny Small]

Forgot to say, the Cyan's recieved the biggest boost.