Fighting Dragons of Ara 2014 update

[strongmanmike]

I recently combined some higher res AG12 data collected from steady Canberra skies :D with my old 2011 data taken from blurry Newcastle skies :sadeyes:.

The result is the beautiful NGC 6164 is seen in higher res now :thumbsup:

The Fighting Dragons of Ara (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/134900874/original)

Of course I blended the newer data set in so as to match the original as naturally as possible as simply posting high res data into a lower res field can look pretty obvious...but here is the new (smaller FOV displayed at full resolution) data set that was combined: NGC 6164 (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/156316203/original) note: while the seeing was much better than Newcastle it still wasn't the best I see here at Wallaroo.

Mike

[rustigsmed]

i love ngc 6164 and what an awesome picture - loving the resolution!

cheers

Rusty

[RickS]

Very nice, Mike. Congrats! Do you still have the old version around for comparison purposes?

[hobbit]

what's the bubble in the lower left?

[RickS]

It's NGC 6164/6165:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=121891

[strongmanmike]

Cheers guys :thumbsup:

Ricki...he he, try googling Fighting Dragons of Ara ;) :lol:

Mike

[RickS]

Won't that point me back at the same modified image on Pbase, Mike? You usually update the image and the old one disappears?

Here's another 6164/6165 for ya, Hobbit:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=121174

[Andy01]

I love that object - and that's a cracker of an image! :thumbsup:

[Bassnut]

Yes, thats a cracker Mike. A tad WFW, but heaps of detail and pleasure to view.

[alpal]

A lovely image Mike,
you should present that for an APOD.

cheers
Allan

[strongmanmike]

Oh ya's for checkin it out and passing comment guys :) it is just an old good'un image revamped :D

Due to the atrocious seeing conditions I experienced in Newcastle I never was happy with the resolution, especially in NGC 6164, so it was long overdue to touch that section of the image up :thumbsup:...be good to touch the whole image up but...meah, that would take too long :lol:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

He he trust me Rick, try googling Fighting Dragons of Ara ;)

Mike

[cosmophoton]

Incredible details and colors!

[strongmanmike]

Yeah, I went for some colour Luiz :thumbsup:

Mike

[RickS]

So many hits :lol:

[mbaddah]

What an amazing capture and nebula! Beautifully processed Mike :)

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Beautiful Mike!:thumbsup:

Did you do much star reduction?
Or is that just how it comes out in NB?

Cheers,

Justin.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Mo and Justin and yep that is how the stars came out, generally I do little or nothing to my stars..given my general aversion to deconvolution and all :whistle: :lol:

Mike

[gregbradley]

Looking very good there Mike. I am not a big fan of green in astro images but apart from that personal taste its got a lot going for it. I do like the way stars are very natural in your images and I think that is a very good thing. Tons of detail, perhaps a bit oversharpened in places?

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Greggles... not a fan of green huh? I'll mention that to The Hulk ;)

Oversharpened you recon?...ah well, at least there are no deconvolution or wavelet worms :P

Mike

[dvj]

The "dragons" are excellent. This would make a great print Mike! Or even better a back illuminated Duratrans in 20 x 24 format.

j

[stevous67]

Beautiful work Mike, excellent blend of two data sets. I'm surprised how relatively large NGC6164 is (well, if you can detect the outer shell as well as you have here).

Nice data indeed Mike.

Cheers,

Steve

[gregbradley]

Only slightly along the ridge line not anywhere else. I know its common practice to enhance that contrast but just a tad unnatural. Yes no worms, that's a good thing:lol:

Greg.

[atalas]

Hmm,bit heavy on the sharpening there mate....still,a fantastic region and a fine effort.

[strongmanmike]

Thanks for all the nice (mostly ;)) comments guys :)..regarding the sharpening, I haven't altered the sharpening since I first posted back in 2011 and it subsequently made the APOTY podium...I've only blended in the higher res 6164 in the lower left corner since :shrug: but all good :thumbsup:

Mike