IC1396 - collaborative image

[Adreneline]

This is another collaborative image with @geeklee

This is my first image with my new 3nm Antlia NB filters - Ha and OIII so far - and was going to be a HOO image.

Lee offered me some of his data taken with his RedCat51 + ASI294MM and in particular some SII data to allow me to put together a SHO image - my preferred option.

This is 33x300s 3nm Ha + 25x300s 3nm OIII from my RedCat51+ASI1600MM, and, 26x300s 3.5nmHa + 24x300s 4nm OIII + 24x300s 4nm SII from Lee's RedCat51+ASI294MM.

In total the above equates to 11 hours of data.

Calibrated, registered and integrated in APP and post-processed in PI.

This was processed as starless and stars separately before combining in PixelMath.

The normal processing in PI using NoiseX and StarX along with the usual PI processes.

BlurX was also applied in the linear stage using the PSFImage script in PI to set the PSF value in BlurX.

I know it is customary to have the trunk at the bottom but I quite like to see the dancing dervish down there.

Thanks to Lee for all his comments and critique in arriving at the finished image.

Thanks for looking.

Adrian & Lee

 

[geeklee]

On 24/12/2022 at 17:07, Adreneline said:

In total the above equates to 11 hours of data.

Nice one Adrian - Great use of the data to create an image with depth, detail and subtle colours.  The dark dust/globules look fantastic too.  Hard to imagine many better IC1396 versions at this focal length.

[Mr Spock]

I like the processing on this one - very delicate. It reveals far more detail than some of the over processed images you see. Very nicely done 👍

[tooth_dr]

Lovely version Adrian, the starless version is really something

And a sensible idea combining your data.  More to come hopefully from you both?

 

Adam.

[Sunshine]

This is stunning! I don't think i'll ever make up my mind about starry vs starless. 

[Adreneline]

On 25/12/2022 at 18:33, geeklee said:

Great use of the data to create an image with depth, detail and subtle colours.  The dark dust/globules look fantastic too.  Hard to imagine many better IC1396 versions at this focal length.

Thanks Lee for your very generous comments but above all thanks for the data and thanks for the invaluable critique whilst I arrived at the final image. What you see is in no small part due to you.

On 25/12/2022 at 18:47, Mr Spock said:

I like the processing on this one - very delicate. It reveals far more detail than some of the over processed images you see. Very nicely done 👍

Thank you Michael. I am always concerned about overstretching the data but also aware that many prefer the more saturated approach to processing - I am not one of them.

On 25/12/2022 at 19:21, tooth_dr said:

Lovely version Adrian, the starless version is really something

And a sensible idea combining your data.  More to come hopefully from you both?

Thank you Adam. Really clear nights - with minimal/no Moon - are so few in the UK and getting sufficient data to complete an image can be very frustrating. Because my equipment and Lee's have so much in common it makes sense to share, otherwise you can end up with insufficient data to get anything at the end of the season.

On 25/12/2022 at 19:26, Sunshine said:

This is stunning! I don't think i'll ever make up my mind about starry vs starless. 

Thank you @Sunshine - I agree it is a tough one. I tend to feel that if I am imaging a nebula then that is what I want to see as clearly as possible and in my opinion that is best achieved with the stars removed. I recognise many, maybe even most, like to see the stars in the image so I've done both and processed the stars as carefully as I can, but not at the expense of the IC1396 and other nebula in the image.

Thank you to one and all for your comments.

Adrian