Help me choose which image to enter in to Reach for the Stars competition

[Allinthehead]

As the Title states I'm entering a few images to this competition https://www.dias.ie/2020/12/16/reach-for-the-stars-diass-astrophotography-competition/ and I can't decide on the final image to enter. I've narrowed it down to the images below and would love to get opinions.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, and don't forget to vote.

CS to all,

Richard.

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by Allinthehead

[smashing]

I actually really like the double cluster!

[Allinthehead]

15 minutes ago, brandon lamp said:

Yeah the double cluster seems cool

Thanks Brandon, don't forget to vote.

[Neil H]

Vail it's a beautiful image , good luck 

[Padraic M]

Richard it's a very difficult decision to take. I see that you can enter up to three photographs so maybe you just need to decide which one NOT to send????

Anyway, the judging panel is made up of two creatives and two eminent astronomers, so the entries will need to impress photographically as well as be of astronomical interest. I know that the M42/Running Man is a bit of a cliche to those of us in the know, but yours is a spectacular rendition and would wow on the pages of Irish Times. You've got so much detail in the nebulosity, and your stars are pristine.

My second choice would be either the double cluster or the veil nebula, both of which look really well and are interesting subjects - possibly the veil shading it slightly for me.

The coat-hanger is a fascinating target, but may not stand out immediately to the casual viewer - it just takes a second or two to realize what you're looking at.

 

 

[Allinthehead]

1 hour ago, Padraic M said:

I see that you can enter up to three photographs so maybe you just need to decide which one NOT to send????

Hi Padraic, thanks for the feedback. I've already entered two images so it's just the final entry to be decided on from the above selection.

1 hour ago, Padraic M said:

Anyway, the judging panel is made up of two creatives and two eminent astronomers, so the entries will need to impress photographically as well as be of astronomical interest. I know that the M42/Running Man is a bit of a cliche to those of us in the know, but yours is a spectacular rendition and would wow on the pages of Irish Times. You've got so much detail in the nebulosity, and your stars are pristine.

I think this is a valid point, while Orion may not seem like the obvious choice to me, it may well be as you say the "wow" image.

You've given me much to consider. Thanks.

[geeklee]

All excellent Richard.  Picking images from your collection must be very hard indeed!

I personally voted for the Coathanger.  I remember seeing this one when you posted it and loved it.

As mentioned above, you've always got to keep an eye on what the judges subjective view might be (common targets perhaps) rather than the better photograph   I imagine there will a lot of M42/M43 images entered - yours is exceptional though.

[tooth_dr]

I posted a couple of images myself, went for Comet Neowise over Beaghmore Stone Circles and another timelapse one.  I havent decided on a third one yet.  I dont think I have anything really worthy in the deep sky department to enter, but I figured my best hope would be with something transient.

If I had your images to choose from, I would choose the Double Cluster, its stunning.  The others, whilst incredible in their own right, dont jump out - you only have to look at the [removed word] of FB that gets 500 likes, and its oversaturated overprocessed rubbish.  It depends what the audience want to see.

I hope you entered your dark nebula mosiac, that would be a deserving winner.

Edited March 28, 2021 by tooth_dr

[Allinthehead]

1 hour ago, geeklee said:

All excellent Richard.  Picking images from your collection must be very hard indeed!

I personally voted for the Coathanger.  I remember seeing this one when you posted it and loved it.

As mentioned above, you've always got to keep an eye on what the judges subjective view might be (common targets perhaps) rather than the better photograph   I imagine there will a lot of M42/M43 images entered - yours is exceptional though.

More food for thought, much appreciated Lee.

[davew]

I voted for the double cluster. I think it's a stunning representation of the beauty and colour of the stars and would appeal to both Astronomers and artists.

I just might have given the coathanger a second look if it did indeed look like a coathanger rather than one upside down ( Yes, I know )

Dave.

Edited March 28, 2021 by davew

[Allinthehead]

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

I posted a couple of images myself, went for Comet Neowise over Beaghmore Stone Circles and another timelapse one.  I havent decided on a third one yet.  I dont think I have anything really worthy in the deep sky department to enter, but I figured my best hope would be with something transient.

I think that's a good call regarding something transient, very much in keeping with recent interest regarding Neowise. I'm sure that's not true regarding the deep sky department. Plenty of wonderful images posted by you over the past year.

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

If I had your images to choose from, I would choose the Double Cluster, its stunning.

That was the one I was considering until Padraig commented. His point about something more pleasing to the public's eye has got in my head.

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

I hope you entered your dark nebula mosiac, that would be a deserving winner

Do you mean the Flaming star mosaic? I entered that one and a mono version of the Andromeda Galaxy.

[Simon Pepper]

Double cluster! What was that shot with? All are incredible though!

[Allinthehead]

3 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

Double cluster! What was that shot with? All are incredible though!

Thanks Simon, that was actually a first light image with my Takahashi Epsilon 160ed. Camera was Asi2600mc. 2 hours 60 second subs.

[Allinthehead]

45 minutes ago, davew said:

I voted for the double cluster. I think it's a stunning representation of the beauty and colour of the stars and would appeal to both Astronomers and artists.

I just might have given the coathanger a second look if it did indeed look like a coathanger rather than one upside down ( Yes, I know )

Dave.

Thanks for the feedback Dave, Double cluster seems to be the frontrunner here. Ref the Coathanger would it have helped if I called it Collinder 399😁

[Padraic M]

I took some independent advice here in the household and there were wows on all four! But there was strong support for the coathanger (how did he get those stars to stand out?) and the Veil (very dramatic but maybe a bit ominous). Very glad to be able to help you narrow it down. 🙂 

 

[Allinthehead]

3 minutes ago, Padraic M said:

I took some independent advice here in the household and there were wows on all four! But there was strong support for the coathanger (how did he get those stars to stand out?) and the Veil (very dramatic but maybe a bit ominous). Very glad to be able to help you narrow it down. 🙂 

 

More opinions, more confusion.😁

[Sunshine]

They are all gorgeous but, that double cluster is sublime, it would be my choice hands down.

Magical!

Edited March 28, 2021 by Sunshine

[Saganite]

Sorry Richard, probably no help at all but if I have to choose just one, it will be without doubt the diamonds in an awesomely scary background of stars, the Double Cluster.

[MartinB]

2 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

If I had your images to choose from, I would choose the Double Cluster, its stunning.  The others, whilst incredible in their own right, dont jump out - you only have to look at the [removed word] of FB that gets 500 likes, and its oversaturated overprocessed rubbish.  It depends what the audience want to see.

 

This is a very important point. What we consider "overprocessed rubbish"  is something that troubles us geeks who fret about noise, star shape, and rendering of faint details but "normal" people just want something to make them go wow!  Something daytime professional photographers know all about - how to make an image pop.  M42 would work perfectly for geeks and poppers alike.  However, and this got my vote, the Coat Hanger would really catch peoples imagination, especially if you turned it round.  Yes, is the normal orientation for Ireland but that really only matters to a small bunch of astro obsessives (like me!).

Good luck Richard!

[Paul M]

I went for M42.

I agree that they are all great images and I did pause for thought at the Double Cluster but M42 is, in my view, an exceptional image. I spent quite some time just soaking up all the fine detail. 

[Martin Meredith]

I voted for the Coathanger because there is so much going on in the background, giving the image a real feeling of depth and mystery. Even without the Coathanger I think I would choose it! The colours are great and perhaps its their overall warmth in contrast to the diamond sharp double cluster that is winning me over. 

best of luck

Martin

[Dinglem]

All  4 are brilliant pictures. The brightness and  colours of the stars in the double cluster are fantastic but I went for the Veil as I think it's amazing.

[Neil H]

Both nebula photos are amazing but I love nebulae  so I would enter them and the doubles

Edited March 28, 2021 by Neil H

[Andy ES]

Richard 

You are a skilled artiste sir, wonderful images. I’ve seen many great images on this site and I am always amazed what these “amateur” astronomers can achieve. I think a few years ago we would need the HST to compete.

I voted for the veil 😁

Good luck

Thanks

[Allinthehead]

Many opinions and of course every one of them valid and all have given me pause for thought.

I suppose the reason for the poll was because I couldn't make up my mind, so I think the best thing to do is to rely on it, then choose the one that comes out on top. I'll let it run for 24 hours and pick whichever has the most votes. Many thanks for all the feedback and opinions.

This is a great community and while the subjects we post about may seem trivial in these times, it gives me at least, a much needed release.

CS to all,

Richard.