M42 1 Year of progression

[CaptainKingsmill]

I just want to share with you guys how far i've come in the last year, mostly because of the helpful people here on this forum, most of the time I don't even need to ask my questions, a quick search here and some helpful soul has already answered it!

I've been steadily improving my technique over the last year or so, gradually increasing exposure time, calibration frames etc and i've captured my most detailed M42 shot to date....
The weird thing about my latest effort is, while there is clearly a lot more detail, I seem to have lost a lot of colour. if anyone has a clue why that might have happened, I'm all ears.

Anyway! here are my four captures of Orion over the last year or so, Thanks for reading

15x60sec subs at iso1600 in B5 skies - End of 2020

 

I can' seem to find the acquisition details for this one - Early 2021


80x40seconds ISO1600 F2.4  - November 2021
Canon 2000D
Samyang 135mm 
No calibrations

300x30 seconds Light frames Iso1600 F2.8 - 5th Jan 2022
50x30 second darks
30 Flats
30 Bias
Canon 2000D
Samyang 135mm 

It's clear the impact the calibration frames have had on reducing the noise in my final image, and the increased total integration time has really brought out some extra detail within the core, but as you can see I've lost a lot of the colour.
I'm not sure what has caused that. 
I only changed a couple of parameters:

• stopped down lens to F2.8 from F2.4, 
• decreased exposure time from 40-30sec
• increased total exposure time

I suppose it could have also been the way I edited it, but that was fairly consistent in both.
I'll change one of them back next time and see what I get. 

Anyway, Thank you for looking, despite the loss in colour detail I'm really pleased with how far I've come so far.
Clear Skies
 

Edited January 7, 2022 by CaptainKingsmill

[andy fearn]

You have made good progress, not sure about loss of colour but as you say could be in the processing. lovely images.

[Catanonia]

As you step down your exposure times, you are obviously limiting the amount of photons and colour hitting the camera pixels.

This is great as more images means less noise, less chance of tracking issues etc.

When you come to process try the following after calibrations etc

• Colour balance / calibration (depends on the software)
• Up the saturation of the image and even try the vibrancy to get some of the colour back. Be careful not to add noise to the background.

[CaptainKingsmill]

On 08/01/2022 at 10:56, Catanonia said:

As you step down your exposure times, you are obviously limiting the amount of photons and colour hitting the camera pixels.

This is great as more images means less noise, less chance of tracking issues etc.

When you come to process try the following after calibrations etc

• Colour balance / calibration (depends on the software)
• Up the saturation of the image and even try the vibrancy to get some of the colour back. Be careful not to add noise to the background.

Thanks for that. 
I think your first point must be it, that I simply didn't capture the colour due to the shorter frame time. 

I've tried to bring it out in editing by boosting saturation and vibrance, but I just end up oversaturating the little colour that is there almost like the colour data just isn't there. 
The nice thing about learning on M42, is that because it's so bright I can practice various techniques, sometimes multiple techniques in one night and not feel like i've wasted hours and hours only end up with junk. 

i'll try upping my exposure again next time we get a clear night, see what happens then.