Another attempt at M82

[alan4908]

I decided to create a deeper image than my previous attempts and focus on maximising the details of the starburst HII regions, so I decided to concentrate on gathering more Ha data.

I also experimented with a processing technique described by an Adam Block studios video called continuum subtraction which more accurately blends the H alpha into the red channel.  Here, you subtract the Red from the Ha data in an attempt to eliminate the Ha emission component from stars, so you are left with only the Ha from the HII regions.  I was so impressed by the results, I also tried this on the lum channel.

The LRGB image has a Ha blend into the red and lum channels and represents 49 hours integration time. It was taken by my Esprit 150.

Alan

 

 

M82 is located in Ursa Major about 12 million light years distant. Due to a close past interaction with a neighbouring galaxy (M81), it is currently in a period of massive star forming activity called a starburst.  Here, young stars are born at a rate 10 times faster than in our own Milky Way. This consumes vast amounts of the surrounding gas and eventually becomes self limiting and is expected to cease in a few tens of millions of years.

LIGHTS: L:41,R:24;G:40,B:35 x 600s; H:51 x1800s

[Adreneline]

That is an impressive amount of detail Alan, and 49 hours on a galaxy target is serious commitment.

I was considering using continuum subtraction on one of my own images the other day - I need to take a proper look at the process.

Thanks for sharing.

Adrian

 

[mikeDnight]

Truly awesome Alan. Thanks for sharing it, it really makes observing it visually so much more fascinating. Your image is exactly how I see it visually through my 4" refractor! With a large dose of imagination of course!! 

Edited March 6 by mikeDnight

[Ratlet]

8 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Truly awesome Alan. Thanks for sharing it, it really makes observing it visually so much more fascinating. Your image is exactly how I see it visually through my 4" refractor! With a large dose of imagination of course!! 

Averted imagination is it mike?

[carastro]

That is very impressive, especially if you zoom in which you can if using a phone. 
 

 

[pipnina]

I think if this image were any better it might make Hubble blush!

[glafnazur]

Truly fantastic image 👍

[jock1958]

What a lovely image Alan. Have seen this many times visually but missed out on the all the starburst action that you’ve captured incredibly well!! 

[Ratlet]

41 minutes ago, pipnina said:

I think if this image were any better it might make Hubble blush!

I did a quick google to check that statement.  Honestly I think it already does!

https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2006/14/1876-Image.html

If it weren't for the diffraction spikes I think you'd struggle to tell them apart.

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Truly awesome Alan. Thanks for sharing it, it really makes observing it visually so much more fascinating. Your image is exactly how I see it visually through my 4" refractor! With a large dose of imagination of course!! 

Mike, I'm glad it wasn't me that suggested you use a large dose of imagination in your drawings 😂.

[pipnina]

1 hour ago, Ratlet said:

I did a quick google to check that statement.  Honestly I think it already does!

https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2006/14/1876-Image.html

If it weren't for the diffraction spikes I think you'd struggle to tell them apart.

I think Alan has created a more pleasing level of contrast and balance of colour than the photo editors of the hubble project. However one cannot deny how impossibly detailed and sharp the hubble image is (and always will be) in comparison to our meak sub-meter telescopes!

Hubble images often have an almost greeny tint to them and sometimes squander the red colours. Alan has captured a beautiful blue hue in the galaxy with maybe a slight magenta lean and has produced incredibly vibrantly scarlet hydrogen.

That's my take at least.

[old_eyes]

A spectacular image!

+1 for the continuum subtraction process. It is the first tool that helped me add Ha in a way that felt remotely natural. 

This is the guide I used Advanced Narrowband Combination — Pixinsight Tutorial — Night Photons. I used Method 1 'Synthetic Color Flow'.

[alan4908]

22 hours ago, Adreneline said:

That is an impressive amount of detail Alan, and 49 hours on a galaxy target is serious commitment.

I was considering using continuum subtraction on one of my own images the other day - I need to take a proper look at the process.

Thanks for sharing.

Adrian

Thanks for the comment Adrian - I think this is one of my longest integration times ! - it did take rather a long time to acquire.  Good luck with the continuum subtraction, I will certainly be using this as part of my Ha blend process from now on.

 

22 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Truly awesome Alan. Thanks for sharing it, it really makes observing it visually so much more fascinating. Your image is exactly how I see it visually through my 4" refractor! With a large dose of imagination of course!! 

Thanks 

21 hours ago, carastro said:

That is very impressive, especially if you zoom in which you can if using a phone. 

Thanks - I decided to crop it since the background objects where not that interesting.

21 hours ago, pipnina said:

I think if this image were any better it might make Hubble blush!

Thanks but I don't think it is quite that good ! although I do quite the colours in my image....

 

Just now, old_eyes said:

A spectacular image!

+1 for the continuum subtraction process. It is the first tool that helped me add Ha in a way that felt remotely natural. 

This is the guide I used Advanced Narrowband Combination — Pixinsight Tutorial — Night Photons. I used Method 1 'Synthetic Color Flow'.

Thanks - I'm new to continuum subtraction so I'll investigate this guide. The method I used was from one of Adam Blocks Horizon's subscription videos which are available at https://www.adamblockstudios.com/

Alan