NGC2430

[daz]

After what seems forever and ever, my observatory is finally back up and running and I'm able to image properly again! Having taken delivery of my ZWO533MC Pro earlier this year, I managed to get a test run at Kelling and followed this up once I got the kit installed in the new box...

And of course, I have to re-remember how to process the data - that might take a while!!

Anyway,, here is NGC2403, discovered by William Herschel in 1788 and part of the M81 group - part of the larger Coma-Sculptor Cloud. 

• Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro, guided with ZWO ASI120MM Mini
• Scope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED
• Mount: Skywatcher AZEQ6
• Exposures 63 x 300s, calibrated with flats, darks and dark-flats
• Processing: Pixinsight

Processing was done with the new version of WBPP, splitting the RGB channels and registering each channel individually. Each channel was then run through NSG and integrated (cut off at weight of 50). The stacked masters were then given a touch of Mure Denoise before being Star Aligned and then ChannelCombination to give the RGB.

A series of curves, ColorSaturation boosts, and a nifty process to try and boost the definition in the arms, before TGVDenoise, colour desaturation on the background and a final tweak with MMT.

Much of this is putting learnings into practice from Adam Block Studios into practice, with copious references to Inside Pixinsight (Warren Keller), and Mastering Pixinsight (Rogelio Bernal Andreo)!

 

I think I could have pushed the colour harder, and I might yet have another go round with it.

Anyway, this will do for now.... c & c welcomed of course!