Tarantula Nebula NGC 2070

[lazjen (Chris)]

This is the final image from my dark site visit last weekend - Tarantula Nebula.

ISO400, 12 x 300sec, 6 darks, 20 flats/dark flats.

By the time I was taking this, it was quite early in the morning and around 2 degrees - I haven't been that cold in a while.

Anyway, I've looked at other images around here and on the net... and the colour of mine is nowhere near anything else I've seen. I can see a good range of reds, greens, blues through the rest of the pic (and even in the "threads" of the nebula), so I'm not sure what is happening.

Large version here: http://www.rymich.com/astro/tarantula_processed.jpg

[Rex]

Awesome job again Chris, you really gave that rig a work out. Like to know how many stars are in this image. LOL.

[lazjen (Chris)]

Answer: A lot.

I've been reviewing that picture today because of the colour issues. I'm going to reprocess it differently (*) as I think I've made a mess of it. I'm certain there's better data there that's not coming out.

(*) By differently I'm going back to the beginning, experimenting with different software and perhaps even reading manuals, docs or tuts.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne (Justin Tilbrook)]

Originally Posted by lazjen

This is the final image from my dark site visit last weekend - Tarantula Nebula.

ISO400, 12 x 300sec, 6 darks, 20 flats/dark flats.

By the time I was taking this, it was quite early in the morning and around 2 degrees - I haven't been that cold in a while.

Anyway, I've looked at other images around here and on the net... and the colour of mine is nowhere near anything else I've seen. I can see a good range of reds, greens, blues through the rest of the pic (and even in the "threads" of the nebula), so I'm not sure what is happening.

Large version here: http://www.rymich.com/astro/tarantula_processed.jpg

Attachment 149496

Hi Chris,

That's good!

That's actually spot on for colour from an unmodded DSLR.
They are not sensitive Hydrogen Alpha, you need to mod your camera if you want the red.

Cheers,

Justin.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Very well done. Focus is spot on. Great data.

[lazjen (Chris)]

Thanks.

Justin, yeah, I realise I need a modded DSLR for the red H alpha. I can't do that to this one as I need it for other purposes. I'm saving pennies for a CCD setup.

I've been fiddling in StarTools beta today (even on my new laptop, it's slow - I think the image size is too large and I need more RAM). I think, if I knew what I was doing I could extract something better. But that's not today.

[raymo]

You haven't made a mess of the processing; you have a good image.
You used a conservative ISO setting. I suggest that you repeat the
exercise using either 800 or 1600, or both, if you have the time and the inclination. I think that you will find the noise acceptable, and you'll
start to see more Ha emerging. That might be a good compromise
until you get your CCD.
raymo

[carlstronomy (Carl)]

Chris I like this one, heaps to look at and the colours look good don't worry to much

Carl

[lazjen (Chris)]

Hey thanks guys. I'm not too worried - I am perhaps being overly critical as I'm trying to get the best out of it as I can. I do like the image and I also think it's probably the best I've done so far.

So, it's mostly looking at ways to improve, because it's cloudy outside, I'm back in my light polluted backyard (it's like a big downer after being at the dark site :p) and I've nearly run out of other data to process.

[lazjen (Chris)]

I couldn't leave it alone. :p

How does this compare to the original?



Larger version here: http://www.rymich.com/astro/tarantula32_processed2.jpg