17 Hours of m42 in HaLRGB

[HunterHarling]

Hello all,

I have finally finished processing the large amount of data I had for this image . I captured this data in January and February but only recently started processing it. This is my first decent m42 capture and it was nice to return to this target since the last time was a few years ago. This was also my first HDR image and it took a while to figure out on PS. Does anyone know how to do that in Pixinsight?

The total exposure for this image is about 17 hours (and probably the same amount of time for processing!). I left the resolution largish so it should be zoom-able to the core:

Capturing info:

ASI1600mm

FSQ106

Atlas pro EQ6 mount

HaLRGB filters

 

Short exposures:

All filters (HaLRGB): each 30x15s 

 

Long exposures:

RGB: each 30x300s 

L: 40x300s

Ha: 45x300s

 

Thanks for looking and clear skies!

 

Hunter

[wimvb]

Great image, well processed.

15 minutes ago, HunterHarling said:

Does anyone know how to do that in Pixinsight?

There is a process/script called hdr composition, but I've never used it.

 

https://www.lightvortexastronomy.com/tutorial-producing-an-hdr-image.html

[fireballxl5]

Fantastic image there!

Yes,  PixInsight has the HDRCombination process for merging exposures of different durations.  I used it in my image of M42 just last week🙂

Only 2.5 hours without the Ha goodness....

CS, Andy 

 

 

[HunterHarling]

Thank you Wim, Andy. The thing about Pixinsight's HDR tool is that the shorter exposure image affects the longer one's background, thus increasing the noise. Or is there some way to protect the background?

[JeremyS]

Stunning image @HunterHarling!

[wimvb]

13 hours ago, HunterHarling said:

is there some way to protect the background?

A mask? Sometimes masks don't work with scripts. In that case you can do the process on a clone and afterwards combine with the original with the help of a mask.

[HunterHarling]

On 21/03/2020 at 05:26, wimvb said:

A mask? Sometimes masks don't work with scripts. In that case you can do the process on a clone and afterwards combine with the original with the help of a mask.

Masks don't work with HDR combination. There must be some way to do it in pixel math though🤔