My best lunar image ever! Plato Mosaic!

[iceman]

Hi all

Processing this image has been a marathon effort lasting more than 2 days. It's a mosaic of Plato and Vallis Alpes, spanning 15 avi's and 54 alignment point MAP processing!!

Not much else to say, except that this would have to be my best lunar image to-date. It was a lot of work, but well worth it given the end result.

The attachment is the very shrunk down 800px wide version. Please click on the link below to take in the full-size, 1695x980px version.

Plato and Vallis Alpes Mosaic (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/images/images/moon/20060803-platomosaic-full.jpg) (640k jpeg).

Remember to expand it when your browser resizes it.

All capture and processing details can be found on the large image.

Thanks for looking, comments always welcome.

[[1ponders]]

What can I say. Wow :eyepop: Mike.

Boy you need to get out more or find your self a good hobby. :lol:

Fantastic result mate. :2thumbs:

[middy]

Wow, that looks fantastic! :eyepop:

I love it.

[Dennis]

Well, well, well Mr. Iceman, that is one heck of a mosaic; almost unbelievable. I fell off my chair with shock when I saw the SIZE of the rille in the Alpine Valley. I think this is the clearest and most resolved image I have ever seen of this Rille.

I'm just going back for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th look - there is so much to see.

It sounds like a lot of hard work Mike, but by golly it was worth it. You have created a genuine lunar masterpiece. I look forward to seeing this mosaic on LPOD.

Cheers

Dennis

[RB]

Oh my gosh Mike,
I was looking forward to this but it has far exceeded my expectations.

Well done mate.

[Lester]

Hi Mike,

Absolutely loaded with detail. Well done. Its the kind of image that you just gotta keep looking at for more and more to be revealed.

Well done.

[ving]

great shot mike :thumbsup:

there is something about it i cant quite put my finger on tho...

[Dujon]

Mike, that's fantastic. I'm totally gobsmacked. To be honest, words fail me it's so impressive.

Well done, sir.

[gbeal]

Heck Mike, a cracker shot. It isn't all that uncommon to get the craterlets on Plato, but the rille in the Alpine Valley, now that is hard. Well done, you should be justifiably proud.

[sheeny]

Impressive image, Mike!:thumbsup: You deserve a rest and a nice cup of tea after that! Great detail. You are da man!

Al.

[h0ughy]

Yep a very ordinary effort there Mike:eyepop: . I would like to see some improvement in the future:P ;) :lol:

[John K]

Absolutely stunning image! just pretend you're in an Apollo capsule and comming into a landing!

[rogerg]

Very nice! Feels like I'm flying over the surface. Nice subtle tones, nothing over exposed. A real joy to pan around.
:thumbsup:
Roger.

[davidpretorius]

hi all, it has been a while (must send barlow to vingo).

Mike this is fantastic!

What I love about this one, Dennis from a few months back and Birds from lat year is the smoothness of the craters. it is like someone has got the trowel and smoothed it over.

Very satisfying!!!

Well Done Mate.....now back to business plans

I promise ving to send the barlow!

[ving]

thanks dave :D

[asimov]

Wow! Thats bloody fantastic! :eyepop:

Well done! :thumbsup:

[Robert_T]

Mike, this is definitely up there with the best and may even edge out Dennis's great montage from earlier in the year... I'll have to go and check;)

Seriously a grand and stirring image that I will aspire to come close to:D

[RAJAH235]

Great shot, Mike. Details are just great....:D L.
ps. "Down in the valley, The valley so low...."...:thumbsup:

[Striker]

Totaly awesome Mike...the best lunar image I have seen.

[acropolite]

Unbelievable image Mike. :thumbsup:

[seeker372011]

its a beauty

[hevelsky]

Wow :eyepop: Fantastic image Mike :thumbsup:

[robin]

Nice image Mike. You're a certified lunatic:lol:

[iceman]

Thanks everyone for your great feedback. I'm very humbled by your comments and it's definitely made all the hard work in producing this image, worthwhile.

Dennis thanks for your comments. I heard back from Chuck, and he said he would like to use it for an LPOD! Very exciting! Getting my Jupiter shot on APOD was an amazing experience.

[Dennis]

Hi Mike

That's great news about LPOD - I look forward to cruising the mosaic again when Chuck uploads it there. I hope that Chuck can put a link to the original file, as the reduced size file, although still stunning, does not do the mosaic justice when compared to the fully resolved original.

This is truly a defining moment in your imaging career eh? It really is quite a remarkable mosaic, made even more special by your use of the humble dob and tracking platform.

Cheers

Dennis

[TidaLpHasE]

:eyepop:Awsome Mike, fantasic detail well done.

Congrats having it soon posted on LPOD whoohoo:thumbsup:

Can you tell me why this imaging stuff is so addictive.

[danny]

WOW!:thumbsup: ...............so a previous life with the apollo program eh.:rofl:

[Harpspitfire]

wow!!- that is an incredible image!!

[iceman]

Thanks for your comments guys.

The image is featured in an article on UniverseToday (http://www.universetoday.com), today:

click here for the article (http://www.universetoday.com/2006/08/16/astrophoto-plato-and-the-alpine-valley-by-mike-salway/)

[danielsun]

Wow!!! That is a top shot!!!
Crystal clear and sharpest detail ever!!!
Well done.

[iceman]

Thanks Daniel.

For those interested, my image is in a monthly image "competition" on Cloudy Nights (CN). You have to be a registered member of CN to vote.

vote here (http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1152089/Main/1152089#Post1152089)

[Lee]

:fight:

[netwolf]

Mike, excelent work. Are you not satisfied with having a succesfull Astronomy forums, which in itself should get you some prestigious award. Now your trying to win the astrphotography awards aswell. Some people i tell you, overachivers.. ;) Leave some awards for the rest of us.

[Adrian-H]

that is just amazing, looking at that makes to go buy a platform for my dob and do some lunar photography, your photos are like you are really there.

very insperational work.

i imagine if you where on the moon, the photos of earth that you would get. i would love to see that.. haha

[iluvsaturn]

That is incredible!!!!!

[Harb]

:eek: is that a dog I can see down there :eyepop: