M31 (7 hrs of OSC) - A Return to my 1st DSO, 3 yrs later

[Xiga]

So it's coming up on 3 years since i took my 1st proper DSO pic, which was of good old M31. Back then i was using a stock Canon 60D, and i drove to a Blue Zone with our local Astro society with the intention of getting about 2 hrs of data. I ended up with just 4 subs and 27 mins in total! Lol. The thread is linked below, for old times sakes ?  So i decided it was finally time to go back and have a real go now. 

So last Wednesday (Oct 17th) it was clear the whole night, so i set the rig up and left it running until 06:30 while i got a few zzzzz's. I used the usual gear, 80ED, Nikon D5300, HEQ5-Pro, and this time i used the IDAS-D1 filter, as even though the skies are pretty good here (Green Zone) we do have a lot of streetlights nearby. The moon was still up for the first couple of hrs, so i started out using 300s exposures, but i noticed the Mean ADU level dropping once it had set, so i upped it to 360s after a while. So the full capture details are:

24 x 300s at ISO 200

51 x 360s at ISO 200

Calibrated with Flats & Bias. APP used for stacking and gradient reduction. Photoshop used for everything else. 

I've been deliberating whether or not to post this tbh. I've had it more or less processed for a few days now ('ve just been doing minor tweaks) but i keep doubting myself. I still remember the struggle i had processing Andromeda 3 years ago, but i was honestly surprised to still find it just as much of a struggle with a few years of experience under my belt and much more data to work with. I'm not sure what it is, but it always leaves me feeling like i'm not getting everything out of it that i should! Nebulae seem so much easier in comparison for some reason...

So i decided quite early on in the processing of this one to go down a different route to how most M31 images are done. I've been looking at a lot of M31 images of late (and been inspired by them all i must say), and i came to the conclusion that i simply prefer a big, bright core to the galaxy, rather than one that has been deliberately tamed. It just looks more natural to me, i guess. I know that probably sounds like heresy, but it's just a preference i have visually for this particular target. So i decided i would go for a big and bright process to try and show as much of the dusty details as i could, and only manage the core lightly, to ensure it wasn't clipped. I've also used a fair bit of star reduction too, more than i would usually use. In particular, i wanted to reduce the stars in the spiral arms in order to help the eye to focus on the dust lanes. This proved quite tricky i must say, so hopefully it doesn't look too bad. 

I actually made 3 different stacks in APP. One was a rough and ready one, which i stacked while i was packing up. Iirc i think it only used a small selection of the flats & biases, to keep it quick, and it didn't even include a rejection algorithm! A few days later i did a proper one, with all calibration files and a rejection algorithm. And finally, i did an x2 Drizzled stack too (I did actually see an improvement in the Drizzled stack too, when i compared all 3). Now, i foolishly started processing the rough-and-ready stack, just to see how good the data looked. But in the end i actually processed it almost to completion. And even though it had loads of mistakes in it, i actually really liked the colours that it yielded! For whatever reason, i couldn't get as pleasing a colour scheme from the Drizzled stack (although i should really go back and try again, as there is definitely more detail in there). And even more foolishly, when i went back to do the proper full process, i mistakenly picked up the rough stack instead of the proper one, so the image below has been done on the wrong stack! (i couldn't bring myself to start all over again, lol). Maybe once the dust (sorry, bad pun!)  settles and i get some decent sleep, i will go back and have another go, and maybe 'steal' the colour from this one ?

So this is the best i could manage. Really interested to hear what you guys think. Especially regarding the brightness level (which i flip-flopped on endlessly). The black level is much lower than i would usually go for, but then i thought it helped accentuate the galaxy a bit more (but who knows). I know it won't be to everyone's tastes, but hopefully it's not too 'offensive' to the purists out there! 

As always, comments & critiques warmly welcomed! 

[MarsG76]

What a way to return.. that is stunning..... awesome.

 

[Demonperformer]

That is very nice - a considerable improvement on your 27-minute one!

[tooth_dr]

You’ve done an amazing job again Ciaran. It looks 3D ??

[Allinthehead]

That's an m31 to be proud of.

[cuivenion]

Looks pretty amazing too me.

[Xiga]

9 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

What a way to return.. that is stunning..... awesome.

 

 

8 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

That is very nice - a considerable improvement on your 27-minute one!

 

6 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

You’ve done an amazing job again Ciaran. It looks 3D ??

 

4 hours ago, Allinthehead said:

That's an m31 to be proud of.

 

3 hours ago, cuivenion said:

Looks pretty amazing too me.

Thanks all! ? 

[david_taurus83]

On 25/10/2018 at 04:32, Xiga said:

I've been looking at a lot of M31 images of late (and been inspired by them all i must say), and i came to the conclusion that i simply prefer a big, bright core to the galaxy, rather than one that has been deliberately tamed.

 

 

Hi. I tend to agree. I see a lot of emphasis on threads about over exposing the core of M42. To me, it's a star factory and a nice bright core represents the heart of the nebula busy at work. I like your image. Well done!

[Xiga]

10 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

 

Hi. I tend to agree. I see a lot of emphasis on threads about over exposing the core of M42. To me, it's a star factory and a nice bright core represents the heart of the nebula busy at work. I like your image. Well done!

Thanks David! 

ps - While we agree on M31, i don't feel the same about Orion i have to say. The core of M42 is insanely bright, so when it is over-exposed it just comes out pure white. All detail is lost completely and it just doesn't look right at all in my eyes. The core of M31 is nowhere near as bright (i think so anyway) so it is a lot easier to get a much more dynamic range of brightness out of it.