Last image of the year: NGC7822 with Sh2-171

[gorann]

This often imaged NGC object also contains Sh2-171 at the bottom half of the image, and in the upper right quadrant of the image the open star cluster NGC7762 can be seen. It was taken on the evening of Xmas day during a nearly full moon with a dual band filter (Ha & Oiii). Due to the weather it will most certainly be the last catch of the year for me.

Taken with the RASA 8 and ASI2600MC and IDAS NBX filter. Gain 100, -15°C. I started off collecting 22 x 5 min but got worried about too many burnt out stars, so changed to 2 min exposures. Got 70 of those before clouds moved in (and have been here ever since). I stacked the two exposure times separately (in PI) but then merged them in PS according to their total exposure time. Together they make up 4.2 hours.

EDIT: After posting it looked quite dark so I made a brighter version.

 

EDIT 2: Felt it was a bit too contrasty so I gave it a dose of HDRM Median Transform in PI.

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by gorann

[Davey-T]

Nice image Gorann, been pondering on an IDAS NBX filter for my ZWO ASI2600MC , think I read somewhere the other day that they'd produced an improved version and were swopping for the original ones.

Dave

[gorann]

1 minute ago, Davey-T said:

Nice image Gorann, been pondering on an IDAS NBX filter for my ZWO ASI2600MC , think I read somewhere the other day that they'd produced an improved version and were swopping for the original ones.

Dave

Thanks Dave! Have to check that info out obviously. I ordered mine from FLO 9th October - wonder if it is a new or old one. In any case I have not had any obvious problems but everything could be improved.

[tomato]

I got my NBX from FLO on 28th November, I have evidence of halos on bright stars when imaging M42, so have emailed FLO on the exchange programme.

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Nice image Gorann, been pondering on an IDAS NBX filter for my ZWO ASI2600MC , think I read somewhere the other day that they'd produced an improved version and were swopping for the original ones.

Dave

 

1 hour ago, gorann said:

Thanks Dave! Have to check that info out obviously. I ordered mine from FLO 9th October - wonder if it is a new or old one. In any case I have not had any obvious problems but everything could be improved.

 

Nice image Gorann.

 

I started a thread on it here:

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by tooth_dr

[gorann]

53 minutes ago, tomato said:

I got my NBX from FLO on 28th November, I have evidence of halos on bright stars when imaging M42, so have emailed FLO on the exchange programme.

 

44 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

 

 

Nice image Gorann.

 

I started a thread on it here:

 

Great info! I think I have seen halos that I could take care of in processing but then I have not had majors stars in my images. Have to take a closer look.

[gorann]

Found this option for attaching an NBX filter (seems to be unmounted) to a RASA 8:

https://digiborg.wordpress.com/2020/09/21/idas-nbx-filter-with-rasa-8/

[tomato]

That's a neat solution, but I think even this would take up too much back focus if you are trying to put a QHY 268c on a RASA 8...

[gorann]

10 minutes ago, tomato said:

That's a neat solution, but I think even this would take up too much back focus if you are trying to put a QHY 268c on a RASA 8...

What is the sensor distance of the 268c? I assume they made the adapter for the ASI OSC cameras (like 2600) with 17.5 mm sensor distance. Good thing is that the RASA 8 seems to be gaining in popularity so adapters keep popping up for us that do not have a brother with a mechanical shop😉.

Edited December 28, 2020 by gorann

[tooth_dr]

16 minutes ago, gorann said:

What is the sensor distance of the 268c? I assume they made the adapter for the ASI OSC cameras (like 2600) with 17.5 mm sensor distance. Good thing is that the RASA 8 seems to be gaining in popularity so adapters keep popping up for us that do not have a brother with a mechanical shop😉.

It's an extra 6mm compared to the 2600, so it's 23.5mm 

[gorann]

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

It's an extra 6mm compared to the 2600, so it's 23.5mm 

Oh dear, with that much probably unneccesary void between the front and the sensor you need a tomatobro to make a very dedicated adapter.

[tomato]

Yes, it doesn’t leave a lot to play with, but there are a number of 268c cameras attached to RASAs out there, so folks must have come up with other solutions.

[tooth_dr]

2 hours ago, gorann said:

Oh dear, with that much probably unneccesary void between the front and the sensor you need a tomatobro to make a very dedicated adapter.

I’m ok with 56mm of back spacing in the Tak 😉

[Sunshine]

What a fine image it is!

[gorann]

11 hours ago, tomato said:

Yes, it doesn’t leave a lot to play with, but there are a number of 268c cameras attached to RASAs out there, so folks must have come up with other solutions.

I assume it is mainly a problem when you want to get a filter into the lightpath.

[gorann]

9 hours ago, Sunshine said:

What a fine image it is!

Thanks Sunshine!

[tomato]

On 28/12/2020 at 16:59, gorann said:

 

Great info! I think I have seen halos that I could take care of in processing but then I have not had majors stars in my images. Have to take a closer look.

Got an update from FLO (Ian King). A new filter the NBZ will be launched by IDAS in late January specifically designed to reduce the halo issue with the NBX. FLO as per their usual  first class customer service has offered me a replacement but I believe the replacement offer is available from IDAS to all NBX owners encountering halos? The NBZ has the same bandpass specifications as the NBX so will work well with F2 systems. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by tomato

[gorann]

Great. I just posted an image of the type of halo I have had on Adams thread. Only affects bright red stars. Fortunately I also bought my filter from FLO🙂

 

[clarkpm4242]

Hello @gorann a great image for the phase of the moon!

I have just acquired 4 hours of data of the same area using a RASA 8, ASI2600MC and NBZ dualband filter.  How do you process to get the colour?  I have PS, I can see there is plenty of signal however I have a white/red image.

Many thanks, Paul. (updated - I need to sleep on it!  Also might be time to progress to PI..)

Edited September 20, 2021 by clarkpm4242

[gorann]

On 20/09/2021 at 06:41, clarkpm4242 said:

Hello @gorann a great image for the phase of the moon!

I have just acquired 4 hours of data of the same area using a RASA 8, ASI2600MC and NBZ dualband filter.  How do you process to get the colour?  I have PS, I can see there is plenty of signal however I have a white/red image.

Many thanks, Paul. (updated - I need to sleep on it!  Also might be time to progress to PI..)

Sorry for the late reply - I first missed your comment. It was nearly a year ago so I cannot recreate exactly what I did but I can see looking at the saved versions that I also had a very red image initially with a rather faint blue signal. I do most of my processing in PS and two things I did that helped lifting the blue was to first use curves in PS to lift the blue signal (this was done after the initial stretching of all channels using curves):

Then I used Selective Color in PS to swing the magenta towards blue:

Those two adjustments helped bringing out more blue. I hope it will also work on your image. I am also at a Bortle 2-3 site and if you have more light pollution that may possibly suppress or drown the blue signal.

Edited September 21, 2021 by gorann

[clarkpm4242]

Thank you @gorann !  I've spent a few hours since my question and have got nearer your outcome.  Still a little too magenta.

Many thanks.

Paul

[gorann]

3 hours ago, clarkpm4242 said:

Thank you @gorann !  I've spent a few hours since my question and have got nearer your outcome.  Still a little too magenta.

Many thanks.

Paul

I do my processing in small increments and I can see that my final version was nr 57 of previous saved versions, so it takes hours for me too.

Edited September 21, 2021 by gorann