It's NOT Marco's BRILLIANT M78, but...

[LewisM]

...it's my M78, reprocessed yet more. NO new data, at all. This is a total of about 2 hours worth now through the 102mm refractor, and only 40 minutes of Hα.

MAYBE, just MAYBE tonight I might get more NB seeing the moon is ripe and the skies seemingly may co-operate.

You've seen it before, now see it again with some new tricks from Mr. Gendler's book :)

[cometcatcher]

But it's yours and you took it! Very nice too.

[pfitzgerald]

It's still a cracker of an image Lewis - dark and mysterious.

I tried imaging it the other night but by experimenting with exposure times and ISO settings I wasn't able to collect enough data. I'll need to wait for the new Moon before trying again.

Paul

[RobF]

Good effort Lewis. Its a faint one to get any colour or detail, so you've done well. Doesn't matter whether its Marco or the Hubble, you still can't beat that feeling when you shoot something for yourself can you. :thumbsup:

[LewisM]

I reckon another 20 hours will fix all that... but knowing QLD coastal weather, Orion will have set for the season again by the time I get to TRY to finihs this one off. Maybe it will be a multi-year effort like Marco's :)

Thanks all. It's ALL I can do with this ruddy weather. Haven't even turned the mount on since 7 December 2013 :( :( :(

[multiweb]

That's a superb M78. Top shot. :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Yeah Lewis it is a good M78, nice work! Previous data often benefits from a re visit.

Mike

[Ross G]

A very good M78 photo Lewis.

Nice detail and composition.

I really like the colour.

Your best photo yet.

Ross.

[LewisM]

It's pushed to hyades and back, but it's all I can get data wise. Was HOPING for tonight, but as usual, the summer afternoon onshore breeze brings the fluff yet again. I appreciate the comments, and whilst I too can see promise at the end of the rainbow, it falls a LONG way short of respectable in my opinion. Good things take time...maybe another 2 years :)

Winter, where for art thou!

[gregbradley]

I like it. Dark and moody.

Greg.

[LewisM]

Thanks Greg. I don't like the sharpening artifacts starting to show. I have tried relayering a non-panda-eye layer, but it doesn't look right.

Answer - pure and simply, MORE DATA!

And now I have SII and OIII filters to supplement the Hα, the moon is no hindrance :) (well, lessened hindrance)

[LewisM]

You can see a bit more detail (and artifacts/noise) with the AB version: http://www.astrobin.com/full/73139/0/

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

It's good Lewis!:thumbsup:

The colours look great, nice detail.

Cheers,

Justin.

[David Fitz-Henr]

Yes, a very nice image Lewis; the colour processing has a natural look about it :thumbsup:

[marco]

I quote Kevin, you got a very fine result despite the "limited" exposure time! M78 is not so easy object to process..

Regards
Marco

[LewisM]

Thanks Marco.

Anyway, here's a VERY quick and VERY untidy addition of a mere 30 minutes of additional H-a. Really added to the colour and detail... just need more to suppress the shocking noise!!!