Horsehead and flame 9 year project

[MartinB]

In 2010 I imaged the horse head and flame and since then have never imaged the area.  I was looking at the image recently and decided to add some more data and try a reprocess.  I managed a good few nights in February but most of the subs had to be rejected owing to high cloud.  Adding in the 2010 data I ended up with a complex set of subs and calibration files, I got lost in the complexity of it all so sub details are a bit iffy. 

Scope: fsq106 @ F3.8 

Camera: QSI532 wsg

Filters Baader Ha 7nm and RGB

Ha 30x900secs RGB each a mix of 60 and 80 secs and lots of them!

Captured, debloomed, calibrated and combined with Maxim and endlessly processed in PS.

I have been reading a lot about APP and thought it would be worth trying it on this complicated dataset.  The process is quite a faff compared with Maxim and I don't know whether I was pleased or disappointed when I could find no discernible difference between the APP and Maxim combined images.

The image presented a smorgasbord of challenges.  I just couldn't get rid of the grey halo around Alnitak and the star itself looked sad and subdued so I blinged it up with Starspikes Pro!  

It isn't in the same league as Peter Shah's recent efforts but I'm not too disappointed.  I can now get back on with my life!

 

[Cozzy]

Cracking image, some great depth to it. well worth the faff.

 

Tim

[MartinB]

Thanks Tim

[carastro]

Looks fantastic Martin.  Any chance of seeing the original result back in 2010 for comparison?

Quote

Adding in the 2010 data I ended up with a complex set of subs and calibration files, I got lost in the complexity of it all so sub details are a bit iffy.

I know what you mean, I sometimes dig out old data and add to it. Got completely lost with the details in NGC1333 as I had tried to add luminance to it over several years with different scopes and camera, so had to take a guess in the end.

Carole 

[MartinB]

Thanks Carole.  Oh dear, just gone back and had a look at the 2010 version which in some ways looks better!  Here's a link.  My 2019 data was pretty cruddy!