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IC 434 - Horsehead Neblua (WIP)

dannybgoode

By dannybgoode
in Imaging - Deep Sky

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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Work in progress - just about happy with the Ha data for my first attempt at IC 434 - the iconic Horsehead Nebula.  23 300s frames all calibrated, aligned and stacked in PixInsight and captured with the new love of my life, NINA.

Overall very pleased with how this is turning out.  Having really struggled to get images I am happy with, the combination of NINA, the Pegasus FocusCube v2 and PPBA and of course the mighty TMB 105/650 LZOS is really starting to come together for me.

 

Ha_crop.jpg

Edited by dannybgoode
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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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Yep - the PPBA has made setting everything up so much easier.  Even powers my mini PC so in the process of knocking up a battery box with 12v panel and then I can finally get mobile and to better skies.  Do you have an autofocus?  That has revolutionised things for me.  The FocusCube v2 is very very good.

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scotty38

scotty38

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Yes, I have the ZWO EAF on my setup. I thought I was struggling with power so bit the bullet a while back and bough a 25A power supply from FLO. I had intended leaving the mount powered separately with a second cable to the PPBA but yesterday made up a cable and everything is powered via the PPBA now and all seems just fine. I am very fortunate in that I don't need to travel anywhere really so I'm ok being on a mains supply.

Oh and I have the connector plugin in NINA so can connect/disconnect all the kit as part of the sequence plus can then turn off the power as the PPBA is set up as a switch in NINA. As it's the Advance you can only turn off the 4 ports together so I power the mini pc from the DSLR port (set at 12v) and leave that on all the time.

Edited by scotty38
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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

Great image of the HH! Not sure what camera you are using with the LZOS!?

Starlight Xpress SX-H674 Mono with Baader filters. No field flattened yet - now the scope has been cleaned and collimated I am not sure it needs one :)

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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Needs more RGB data and I need to really get into the more advanced parts of the image processing software as well but here is the colour version of my attempt at IC 434 - Horsehead Nebula.  Still a fair bit wrong with it - the R G B is well under an hour each for a start - but my best image to date I think 🙂.

I will spend more time properly cleaning up the subs in PI and do a better job of integrating once I have more data.

_ez_HDR_Image92_HDR_DBE_Nik_DxO.jpg

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teoria_del_big_bang

teoria_del_big_bang

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Very nice image indeed.

I had some Ha data from Feb 2021 still to process so last night took advantage of the low moon presence and clear skies to get dome RGB data so I too need to spend some time in PI as I have never used Ha with RGB before.

Did you use the Ha as a luminance or add it to the red or do something fancy in Pixelmath to do a bit of both ?

Steve

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Did you use the Ha as a luminance or add it to the red or do something fancy in Pixelmath to do a bit of both ?

I am not entirely sure!!  My ability to work with Lum data is somewhat sketchy.  For this one though I actually generated a super lum layer by combining the R G & B integrated subs with the Ha.  Then I combined the RGB data and then used the LRGB combiner, unticked the RGB channels and just dragged the blue arrow onto the merged RGB file.

There is another method that I am playing with and then does involve some light pixel maths to generate a 15% grey layer which you then apply to the Lum, invert and then use the L*a*c option to merge in the Lum.  This seems to give more contrast and is what I will use I think when I go for the final image.  I also need to get smarter with things like histogram equalisation and stuff.  Overall though I am pleased with it so far.  It isn't going to win any awards but I feel I have taken a step forward with it all...

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newbie alert

newbie alert

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Great image, nice tight stars and details within the horse are crisp and sharp.. couple of what I think are hot pixels within the image, what camera are you using?

And can i ask what a WIP is, I've seen it mentioned a few times now, hopefully without sounding too much of a idiot 🙄

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AKB

AKB

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Nice data!

I wonder if your latest isn't a bit too smooth?

Using it as colour and a lightly processed version of your previously posted mono image for luminance, gives this result (albeit with the hot pixels inevitably returning.)

Hope you don't mind me giving this a go (my own data gathering last night was a bit of a disaster!)

Tony

 

Image145.thumb.jpg.0eb8f48404980073be48457ea62af60b.jpg

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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@AKB - yes I like that. One of the thing I find fascinating about AP is how there are almost infinite ways to process the same data and everyone seems to have a slightly different take.

I will still try to capture some more RGB data though and give it another go :)

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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@AKB - taking your version as inspiration I have had one last tweak and now I am going to leave it alone until I have a) more data and b) had a bit more hammer on the various PixInsight functions I can use to clean up the subs and stacks :).  It shouldn't suffer from the hot pixels...

 

Final.jpg

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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6 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

Oh of course...

So we're they hot pixels? Mine get removed by the stacking software,  I think...

Actually I don’t think they were hot pixels as such rather artefacts from a sharpening process I ran in Affinity Photo. For the re-work I did more work in PI getting the stars right etc to reduce the need for sharpening later.

My subs and stacks are fully calibrated so yes, that does remove true hot pixels 

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