Pillars of Creation Done Two Ways

[The Lazy Astronomer]

In a follow up to my WIP image posted a little while ago, this is the final version of the pillars' close-up, plus a fairly quick process of the wider image.

There wasn't too much feedback with regard to improvements on the close up; that made me think image was more 'done' than I had initially thought, so I've only done some oh-so-subtle tweaks - namely, to slightly reduce the magenta tones in the blues, then a touch of sharpening, and bit of work with the stars (which I've actually made even more magenta - I think they looked too washed out in the original). Anyway, here it is:

 

Next up, the view of the wider image, processed fairly lazily, and with the intention of showing the extent of the nebulosity of the area - as such, the contrast and colour within the bright central region has suffered somewhat, but I think it accomplishes what I set out to achieve. Quite noisy, so don't look too close!! 🙈 I shot the Ha data last year, and I didn't realise at the time, but I clearly rotated my camera at some point between then and when I went back to shoot the Oiii and Sii earlier this year, so this is the widest field of view afforded by the intersection of all the channels.

 

ZWO 294MM, Esprit 100 and Astronomik 6nm filters

Ha = 14 x 5 min @ gain 120 (2021)
Oiii = 45 x 3min @ gain 200
Sii = 40 x 3 min @ gain 200
Total integration time = ~5.5hrs
All processing in PI

As always, let me know your thoughts - feedback and critique welcomed 🙂

[ollypenrice]

The standard trick to lose the magenta halos in Pixinsight is to invert the image and then run SCNR green. This in effect becomes SCNR magenta. The halos apart, I think the first one is absolutely beautiful.

Olly

[Stuart1971]

9 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

The standard trick to lose the magenta halos in Pixinsight is to invert the image and then run SCNR green. This in effect becomes SCNR magenta. The halos apart, I think the first one is absolutely beautiful.

Olly

There is also a script in PI for specifically this purpose, called “Remove magenta stars” which also works very well 👍🏻

[The Lazy Astronomer]

On 15/10/2022 at 09:13, ollypenrice said:

The standard trick to lose the magenta halos in Pixinsight is to invert the image and then run SCNR green. This in effect becomes SCNR magenta. The halos apart, I think the first one is absolutely beautiful.

Olly

Thanks very much! The top image might just be my best ever capture (and process) - it seems decidedly sharper than anything else I've managed to capture to date. Not sure how much of that is purely psychological, or maybe a product of the high contrast between the bright pillars and the less bright background, but I hope I can produce more images like that!!

I am also of a rare breed who believe in the inclusion of magenta stars in close-up hubble tribute images. That said, looking at them now, they are maybe a bit too intense, so perhaps I'll dial them in a little. I did use the inverse SCNR green on the wider shot, because they were far too overbearing in that one.