NGC2359 Thor's Helmet

[PRejto]

My first try of Thor's Helmet from North Curl Curl imaged Feb.6,7,8 2013.


http://www.pbase.com/prejto/image/148725528/original


I found the processing rather difficult and feel I have only partially succeeded. I'm not happy with the green tinge that I could not eliminate and keep a decent blue. I imaged all 1x1 and used everything for luminance (358 min). Amazing to finally have 3 nights in a row. Of course, now it's raining again....

The original full image is rather nice. I struggled to get this down to the required 200 kb, and the image is softer in focus and a bit harder in contrast than the original. I need to find a good spot to post full sized images!

TEC140 - Hutech IDAS LP - Moravian G2-8300 at -20
L(134 min - 358 min using RGB) R(72 min) G(80 min) B(72 min) 8 min subs

Thanks for having a look. Tips and comments most appreciated!

Peter

[jjjnettie]

:) You've captured some lovely detail there.

[Sarge]

Nice one Peter. Has a ghostly 3D look about it.

Clear skies

Rod
:D:D

[multiweb]

Wow! That's a real clear shot. Great contrast and colors. Top shelf. :thumbsup:

[Larryp]

Top result!

[strongmanmike]

There is a really great image in there, I can tell, the detail is super and the colour is pretty good too. Regarding image display, you could try Pbase (http://www.pbase.com/) to display your images? I have used this image sharing platform since 2006 and am very happy with it, and it is very cheap (US$25/yr) :thumbsup:

Mike

[pvelez]

That is a cracker Peter. I spent about the same time on this as you and couldn't get the balance right. The blue is tricky to bring out.

For a suburban shot of a faint object, this is excellent

Pete

[Peter Ward]

Great result.

I'd echo Mike's comments: the postage stamp format does little for your hard won data, it deserves displaying in a much larger format :thumbsup:

[WingnutR32]

Very nice image. Well captured :)

[PRejto]

Thank you Jeanette, Rod, Marc, Laurie, Mike, Pete, Peter, & Sam! I really appreciate that you took the time to reply. I have a lot to learn so I value every comment.

Mike, I'm setting up a PBase account and hope to add a link to a better resolution photo shortly. I also appreciate the way you carefully suggest that "there is a better image in there!" I couldn't agree more; my processing skills are pretty crude. I know enough to force an image out by pure determination and experimentation, but have yet to grasp the delicate juggling of so many variables. If you, or anyone, can point me towards a set of tutorials where the focus is more on a global view to processing, and rather less on specific techniques, I would be grateful. I'm quite sure that you advanced imagers can pretty much look at the set of data (after reducing and stacking) and pretty much see a particular path towards a final result. What I want to know is if this skill is entirely personal, the result of years of processing and experimenting, a particular set of tutorials, or all of these?

Thanks,
Peter

http://www.pbase.com/prejto/image/148725528/original

[Ross G]

Hi Peter,

Great looking photo of a difficult object, especially from suburban Sydney.

Ross.

[SkyViking]

Very nice and crisp, would love to see a high resolution version too :)

[PRejto]

Ross and Rolf,

I appreciate your comments! Rolf I did put up a pbase link to a moderately sized image. The full sized image suffers from a poor background that is resistant to improvement. I am starting to think my background is suffering because I need to push my images in certain ways to get a result from my light polluted environment, or maybe it is from using the Hutech IDAS LP filter which seems to greatly improve my ability to image at all but forces longer subs and perhaps noise too. I am just not sure.

Peter

[multiweb]

That high-res is even better. Superb details in the bubbles. Top shot. :thumbsup:

[alpal]

Hi Peter,
A very nice pic.
Louie Atalas has some very good processing videos which used to be on the internet.
I don't know what happened to them.

His profile is here:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/member.php?u=168

so maybe you can send him a PM?

cheers
Allan

[PRejto]

Thanks Marc and Allan!

Allan I will try to follow up that lead!

Peter

[strongmanmike]

Hi Pete

The shot looks great on Pbase :thumbsup:

Yes Leo's tutorials are quite useful :)

I have found processing is a very eclectic process and just develops from trying different things on different images (or the same image... over and over again...as I like to do :lol:)

Mike

[PRejto]

Hi Mike,

I have spent my career as a cellist and teacher. I see some parallels between learning an instrument and learning how to process (and capture) images in that both arts involve a really huge number of variables. There are zero ( to my knowledge) great performers that are self taught! There are no tutorials, YouTube videos, etc that could ever bring a person from a beginning level to professional without a teacher to lead the way. The variables, and the inability to pass self judgement re success or lack of success become overwhelming. This forum is certainly very useful in that it provides essential feedback, but it is also a bit like a "concert." It's quite hard to learn only from reviews, though there is always something one can take away, whether it's a concert or the comments on a photo. All this preamble by way of saying that I wish there were ways to "study" privately (just as one would an instrument) with a master imager. If I gather enough courage, and get lucky, I might have this opportunity in Tucson in March.

Peter