Thor's Helmet with FSQ 130 ED

[Kinch]

I mentioned in a previous post that my 2nd favorite target was Thor's Helmet. I have done it with FSQ106 but the FSQ130 allowed me to improve (in my opinion) on the detail I could pull out. I have seen some fantastic & detailed images of Thor's Helmet with quite large scopes - but I am extremely happy with what I managed with a 5" refractor. Again - not my most recent image - but 1st time showing it here on SGL.

This with FSQ130 & FLI 6120 camera: Total 15 Hours: Ha, OIII, R, G, B.

Edited September 15, 2019 by Kinch
Update acquisition details

[Brian Maurer]

Fantastic image!

[dweller25]

That is superb 👍👍

[Ouroboros]

Wow! 

[Rodd]

Very nice--If I have a CC, it would be the stars within the helmet (and right wing) look a tad over sharpened.  I know its hard to make a star mask that covers stars within nebulae.  I use MMT with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th set at .1 and the 5th red x'd out.  This will yield a perfect fitting star mask.  Using curves can bring out more stars (be ca5reful not to bring out nebular details--its controlled by the steepness of the curve).

Rodd

[Mr Spock]

Excellent!

[Guest]

Very nice Image & processing.. regards Martin

[Kinch]

1 hour ago, Rodd said:

If I have a CC, it would be the stars within the helmet (and right wing) look a tad over sharpened

Agree Rodd - next time I will have to watch that (and try your suggestion) - I think it is the very bright stars that were not 'tamed' enough. It being an old shot, I will just leave it for now. I head off in a few days....and for sure, could not work on this on my laptop. 

[Kinch]

just did a quick one Rodd.....I think I know what happened the first one I posted (something I did immediately before posting).....this is more like the one on my website:

 

[Tom OD]

Excellent detail Brendan. The stars look a bit soft but the nebula is fantastic. Super work. 

Tom. 

[Kinch]

45 minutes ago, Tom OD said:

Excellent detail Brendan. The stars look a bit soft but the nebula is fantastic. Super work. 

Tom. 

They don't "look soft" they ARE soft. I think I have at least 50 "final" images for this one. Some things are good in these but bad in those....if you can follow that. If I wanted to win a prize with this....I definitely would have to sit down and combine it all again from scratch, but with a bit more experience in processing. But since it is from very early 2018 it is hard to contemplate that sort of work now.

I will stick with the one on my website as being the final one for ME ... whatever faults are in it 🤔. (http://www.kinchastro.com/ngc-2359-thors-helmet.html) The thing that makes me happy is that some people are looking close in at the detail and that in itself says something. 😄

[Tom OD]

11 hours ago, Kinch said:

They don't "look soft" they ARE soft. I think I have at least 50 "final" images for this one. Some things are good in these but bad in those....if you can follow that. If I wanted to win a prize with this....I definitely would have to sit down and combine it all again from scratch, but with a bit more experience in processing. But since it is from very early 2018 it is hard to contemplate that sort of work now.

I will stick with the one on my website as being the final one for ME ... whatever faults are in it 🤔. (http://www.kinchastro.com/ngc-2359-thors-helmet.html) The thing that makes me happy is that some people are looking close in at the detail and that in itself says something. 😄

Ha ha. Yes the better you get the 

more scrutiny you receive 😁. 

Tom. 

[Kinch]

Thanks Tom.....I have to admit, I am a "Pixel Peeper" myself, but only on images I like. That is why I was happy to know that some at least are having a closer look  🤣