Iris Nebula - Final...for now

[Wyvernp]

After 6h total integration time, filter wheel issues here's my final Iris Nebula for now.

[happy-kat]

It's a lovely looking object with surrounding interest.

[Wyvernp]

1 minute ago, happy-kat said:

It's a lovely looking object with surrounding interest.

It's got to be one of my favourite objects to go for in RGB. Actually come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen a hubble palette  version.

[happy-kat]

Doesn't it have dust clouds around it and are they ha?

[Wyvernp]

Definitely lots of dust! Not sure about the Ha though.

[x6gas]

Yeah not much to see in narrowband AFAIK but a stunning object and you've done a lovely job of capturing and processing it.

[Wyvernp]

1 minute ago, x6gas said:

Yeah not much to see in narrowband AFAIK but a stunning object and you've done a lovely job of capturing and processing it.

I thought as much as I've just been trying to google a narrowband version of it and can't find a thing. Thank you, that appreciated. Especially as its a bit all the gear and no idea here at the moment 😛 

[x6gas]

Just now, Wyvernp said:

its a bit all the gear and no idea here at the moment 😛 

I think the result proves otherwise!

[Wyvernp]

Well, there's still plenty to learn that's for sure!

[Wyvernp]

Just had a browse of your website @x6gas beautiful collection of pictures! I especially liked M27 exquisite detail, with I had the focal length to do those. Well I do but the 8se is not the easiest scope to focus.

[x6gas]

12 minutes ago, Wyvernp said:

Well, there's still plenty to learn that's for sure!

There always is with this hobby!

7 minutes ago, Wyvernp said:

Just had a browse of your website @x6gas beautiful collection of pictures! I especially liked M27 exquisite detail, with I had the focal length to do those. Well I do but the 8se is not the easiest scope to focus.

Well that's very kind of you.  I had a four-year, work enforced, break from imaging so to be honest it feels like I am having to learn just about everything over again but it's fun and I have a few images that need to go up on the website and a few more that I'm not happy with and need re-processing...

Cheers, Ian

[MarsG76]

Nice and dusty, you've really brought out the dark nebula nicely.

 

[Wyvernp]

If anyone has any constructive feedback I'd love to hear it.

A couple of things I've already addressed/am addressing

The stars in the corners are elongated, these subs were taken with the wrong backfocus adaptor, this has now been fixed.

The focus is maybe a little bit off, especially in the blue subs, this caused blue rings around the stars which I have toned down in this photo. I've just bought a dial gauge to more accurately calculate the backlash on my focuser.

Anything else you can think of? More subs? Different exposure times or gain? These were all at 300s at 139gain.

[happy-kat]

Did you combine all the subs you took in the stacks you produced?

[Wyvernp]

There are a some 30s subs, about 20 of each lrgb but they didn't seem to add anything so I did not include them in the final stack.

I would have liked to get some more data but the nights are so short...

Edited June 6, 2020 by Wyvernp

[happy-kat]

I was thinking of all the earlier images which were all luminance

[Wyvernp]

Ahh good point! I tried integrating the luminance subs but they also didn't seem to change the image at all. I'll probably try again with both them and the 30s ones.

[MartinB]

I've tried and failed in the past to pull out the dust around the Iris.  You've done a great job here and I suspect your skies aren't that dark.

[Wyvernp]

21 minutes ago, MartinB said:

I've tried and failed in the past to pull out the dust around the Iris.  You've done a great job here and I suspect your skies aren't that dark.

Thanks! No such a thing as dark skies this time of year   I'm told I'm around a bortle 5 although I suspect its more like a 6.

I'm not sure what I did to bring the dust out so much, I think starnet++ helped a lot as I could remove the stars, mask off the bright nebula core and run some Multiscale linear transform on the dust areas and then pixelmath the stars back in.

I'd love to have a bit more definition in the nebula core too, maybe at some point I'll run some 2m exposures when the nights close in.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Wyvernp

[Wyvernp]

Decided as they were on offer at £30 For an 80x60 I thought I’d get an aluminium print done. Not sure it’s done the small details any favours but it looks ok. 

 

actually they come out better in the photo of the print 😂

[wornish]

Where did you get the print from.

[Wyvernp]

Just now, wornish said:

Where did you get the print from.

my-picture.co.uk

I think they are based in Germany but they arrive pretty quickly. Not always in great condition sometimes but I have never had any issues getting them to reprint the damaged ones.