Eta Carinae - RGB with L-enhance

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Hi guys,

Been a while since I last posted any of my images. I have been struggling with processing images taken through the Optolong L-enhance filter and the resulting colour balance.


But this is my first try at adding "Narrowband" data as a luminance layer to an RGB image.

I converted the Narrowband image to black and white and just used it as a luminance layer.

I did try copying the data from each individual channel but was not happy with the result.


This comprises the following subs:

35x 2min - 800 ISO RGB Data
19x 5min - 800 ISO with L-enhance Filter.

Total exposure time = 2hr 45min.


So the luminance layer is not 100% perfectly aligned and this is also the cause of the weird framing of the shot. Will rectify that with my next set of data. But I do welcome any comments or criticism. I feel like I have finally made progress with the filter and my processing is definitely improving.


I have attached my old image of this object for comparison.
It should be right around 12 months difference between shots.

[casstony]

Looks very nice Aaron. I use the L-Enhance too and don't worry too much about the colour balance.

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Originally Posted by casstony

Looks very nice Aaron. I use the L-Enhance too and don't worry too much about the colour balance.

Everything seems to just be very red in my images with the filter. There is not alot of blue/ green coming through that OIII bandpass.

I assume that's pretty normal as most objects are generally pretty light on the OIII emission?

It's quite difficult to get a "Natural" look to an image with this filter. Although it does block the moon and light pollution brilliantly.

[xelasnave]

Aaron..you have every reason to be proud of your result. I give you top marks.
Please keep produceing your encouraging results.
Alex

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Thanks Alex.

I have had a bit of a reprocess to try and get a more natural colour to the image.

This is what I have so far. Still think I can improve and given the weather here doesn't allow for any imaging of late, I'll have plenty of time on my hands to keep playing in photoshop.

[xelasnave]

One is important and you can have so much fun playing with Photoshop.
Try the dodge and burn tool..takes a while to be subtle but as you say time is supporting you. I find those tools can make a silk purse out of the pig's ear... maybe the good guys will say that is cheating but hey..what is photo shop for..to get the best from what you have.
Alex

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Hi Arron,
A great image to be proud of. Lots of fine details and quite sharp from edge to edge. The colour is one of those subjective things and with Eta Car its always red or pink but how much?
I'm in the middle of processing an image I took on Saturday night and have the same colour issues in what is natural.
Anyway keep up those images.

Cheers
Andy

[bgilbert (Barry gilbert)]

Good job Aaron

. Sharp across the whole image plane.

I have attached an image of the keyhole neb. I would like your comments on the colour, because I have been criticized for the green content. I used a Pentax K1 with natural daylight colour settings, 5000K. I believed that if I had a fast enough telescope, that through an eyepiece this Is what I might see. The only processing was done in DSS, Increased saturation (probably too much).

Cheers
Barry

[bgilbert (Barry gilbert)]

. Could not attach in previous post??
. Eta carina
eta carina copy_WPS PDF convert.zip

Cheers
Barry

[bgilbert (Barry gilbert)]

. Try this attachment;



cheers
Barry

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Hi Barry,

The colour in your image seems fine. I think with more exposure time the darker green will lighten up. I think the darkness is due to using what I assume to be a long Focal Length scope with that field of view.

Add a few more subs to the stack and I think it will lighten to a bluish colour which from other images I see online is what that central area around the keyhole is meant to be.


But if you were to see the colour of that nebula in a scope visually, I imagine it would appear greenish in colour. A bit like Orion's nebula does. Although that begs the question, are there any nebula's out there we can discern colour in other than Orion? I've heard with a big enough scope people have seen the slightest tinge of pink in Orion. Although all I get through my dob is a greenish hue.

[RyanJones]

Hi Aaron,

A really nice image there, more so in your second processing attempt. If I can give you a tip when processing with this filter ? I used an STC Duo which is essentially the same sort of filter. Processing the image combined is very difficult to do to achieve natural balance. I spent a long time struggling with it. Then I found a separate channel processing tutorial on Astrobackyard on YouTube. If you are using photoshop like me, I haven’t found a better technique yet. Give it a go and let me know what you think. You’ve got some really nice data there to work with so congratulations and well done.

[LostInSp_ce]

What an improvement from your pre-filter version. Well done!