Iris Nebula - Processing Help Please!

[trunting 1]

I've been having another crack at DSO imaging lately, and I've managed to produce this from 6 hours of integration: 

I'm quite pleased with it but I'm very new to image processing, so I'd be incredibly grateful if someone wouldn't mind having a go at processing my data!

Image Info:

• Lights: 46x4min + 66x3min 
• Stacked with Dark, Flat and Bias frames
• Stacked in DSS and processed in GIMP
• Taken under Bortle 7/8 skies

Gear:

• SkyWatcher ED80
• 0.85x Reducer
• Astro-Modified EOS 600D
• ZWO ASI 120MM Mini Guide Camera with 9x50 Finderscope
• HEQ5 Pro Mount

There's some dust bunnies and other artefacts on the image that I know I could spend more time removing, however I'm wondering if I'm doing my data justice in processing!

Thanks, Tom

NGC7023 (2).TIF

Edited May 15, 2020 by trunting

[tooth_dr 7,549]

23 minutes ago, trunting said:

I've been having another crack at DSO imaging lately, and I've managed to produce this from 6 hours of integration: 

I'm quite pleased with it but I'm very new to image processing, so I'd be incredibly grateful if someone wouldn't mind having a go at processing my data!

Image Info:

• Lights: 46x4min + 66x3min 
• Stacked with Dark, Flat and Bias frames
• Stacked in DSS and processed in GIMP
• Taken under Bortle 7/8 skies

Gear:

• SkyWatcher ED80
• 0.85x Reducer
• Astro-Modified EOS 600D
• ZWO ASI 120MM Mini Guide Camera with 9x50 Finderscope
• HEQ5 Pro Mount

There's some dust bunnies and other artefacts on the image that I know I could spend more time removing, however I'm wondering if I'm doing my data justice in processing!

Thanks, Tom

NGC7023 (2).TIF 254.32 MB · 0 downloads

Hi Tom

The fact that you have dust bunnies and light/dark patches in the image means that the flats arent working.  If the calibration data is right then processing is much easier.   It looks pretty decent what you have done, especially from very poor skies.

I remove the light pollution gradient, and stretched it heavily to reveal the dust etc, attached below.

 

 

[trunting 1]

13 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

 attached below

Wow thank you! I will look into improving the flats. I'm currently using a t-shirt and a bright light, any tips?

Also would you mind telling me what processing steps you followed? I find myself struggling when it comes to colour and you've done a nice job there

Edited May 15, 2020 by trunting

[almcl 628]

You've got some nice colour there, but as Toothdragon says, the flats haven't worked - they should eliminate the dust bunnies.  

Here's a crop of the central area, very quickly (<5min)  processed in StarTools.  Just a stretch, wipe, decon and colour:

 

definitely one to persist with, it took me ages to get that much detail!

[tooth_dr 7,549]

58 minutes ago, trunting said:

Wow thank you! I will look into improving the flats. I'm currently using a t-shirt and a bright light, any tips?

Also would you mind telling me what processing steps you followed? I find myself struggling when it comes to colour and you've done a nice job there

The technique is good, but perhaps use the sky rather than a light unless it's very diffuse.   Since you are using an ED80, a computer monitor or even an ipad/tablet, would be a good even light source.  Also there is some new dust and moved dust, so try to take your flats straight after imaging, or at the very least, dont move the camera or focuser if you take the kit indoors.  Set the camera to AV mode and it wil detemine the correct exposure.  You want it maybe 1/100 so if it's 1/2000 then the lights too bright, so use more fabric.

I just ran it through Astro Pixel Processor.  I didnt procees it other than remove LP and stretch.  You are off to a great start though, get the flats sorted and the image processing will be easier

 

[trunting 1]

Thank you for the kind words both you, the help is much appreciated!

[smr 615]

Regarding flats I've always used a laptop screen with notepad, recently I bought an LED light and found that does just as good a job, probably better. 

[trunting 1]

I've spent a few days playing around with StarTools (thanks @almcl! Oh and Ivo of course for creating such an awesome program) and managed to get out last night. Did my flats properly (thanks @tooth_dr!) and managed to produce this off of 90min on NGC7000.

 

Needless to say I'm chuffed with the result, thank you everyone for your input 

[almcl 628]

Well done!

And the adventure is just beginning....!