Realistic photos

[Bugdozer]

One of the great things about astrophotography is being able to bring out details we can't see through the eyepiece. Subtle details and colours, enhanced brightness, etc.

One of the not so great things about astrophotography is the disappointing gulf between what our eyes can see and what our cameras can!

So, I thought this would be a fun challenge. What if we put some photos we had taken... but deliberately processed to give a view as close to what our eyes would see in the eyepiece as possible? I think this would be helpful for newbies to get an idea of what objects really look like to the eye.

So to kick off, here's my representation of M13 as seen from suburban Hastings, through my Celestron Nexstar 5SE with a 25mm eyepiece:

[Captain Scarlet]

Not an astronomical object, but certainly a phenomenon we all get interested about, the Aurora Borealis. I’ve seen two from the SW tip of Ireland this year, and I did exactly what you mention to my photo of it. So herewith my pic of 13 September, both as captured by the camera, and as re-rendered in PS to be exactly as I recalled it naked eye:

 

 

Cheers, Magnus

[Bugdozer]

That still counts! 

[PeterStudz]

I think that this would be a good idea for an SGL Challenge. In the past I’ve tried to do similar using smartphone images which I use to record my visual observations/what I’ve seen. Eg this, from back in September 2021, which is an animate GIF taken from an iPhone video, to try and illustrate Jupiter moving through the eyepiece of my DOB, plus the far too often atmospheric wobbles. Could do something better now but you get the idea. All editing and processing done on the phone.

Edited November 6, 2023 by PeterStudz

[Gfamily]

I'm not sure whether I posted this here a couple of years ago - but this is an image I put together to show the difference in the view from a dark sky site in Wales, and the view from our back garden in a town in NW England 

[mcrowle]

How most diffuse nebulae appear through the 'scope:

Edited November 8, 2023 by mcrowle

[happy-kat]

Oops wrong thread

Edited November 8, 2023 by happy-kat

[Whistlin Bob]

I did this a couple of years ago for an exhibition at my local club. The scope view version was based upon what I can see in my 14" dob under dark skies.

 

[jjohnson3803]

9 hours ago, mcrowle said:

How most diffuse nebulae appear through the 'scope:

That would be any galaxy aside from Andromeda, M32, M81, or M82 at my home.  ☹️

[Bugdozer]

21 hours ago, mcrowle said:

How most diffuse nebulae appear through the 'scope:

My scope doesn't show that level of detail!

[Bugdozer]

21 hours ago, Whistlin Bob said:

I did this a couple of years ago for an exhibition at my local club. The scope view version was based upon what I can see in my 14" dob under dark skies.

 

That's pretty accurate I think! Is that the Rosette in Monoceros?

[Whistlin Bob]

Thank you! Yes, it's the Rosette 😃