tarantula neb

[Adrian-H]

this is one of my first astro images (through scope), i chose tarantula cause its among my favorites

i finally got around to actually stacking some photos up allthough i used photoshop and only photoshop to process this image, i dont really have any cash for more programs, and i havent worked out iris yet as it has a deep learning curve.

mostly ive been entertained by standing outside with the shutter cable in my hand more then anything, and pulling that scope out to drift align everynight, it is fun and i enjoy it alot.

i am quite happy with the ED80's performance it sure dose do the job, i would love to get a focal reducer/feild flattener sometime in the future for it, when i have the cash, as i would love a even larger fov.

theres still plenty more room for improvements, i will get around to longer exposures and redoing tarantula.

constructive critique and comments are welcome

11x 30sec, iso1600 with ED80 and 350d, processed in photoshop

Thanks.

[JohnG]

Hi Adrian

Congratulations on your first effort through a telescope, your now on that long road of learning. :thumbsup:

You have captured a lot of detail there, might I suggest that you try ISO 800 on the 350D next time you shoot, it will cut down a lot of the noise in the shot.

In my opinion, you seem to have brought out the red channel, all the shots I have done, the Spider is a green colour of O111, you will learn how to use the Levels and Curves command in PS I am sure.

You might want to Google up Noiseware, there is a free edition that allows you to remove some of that noise saturation.

Once again, congratulations and well done.

Cheers

JohnG

[Lee]

Nice shot Adrian - I hope my early efforts are as good.....

[Adrian-H]

thanks alot john.

i took your advice and went and got myself noiseware, and wow im was really amazed in the difference in detail it makes. thanks so much.

i managed to preserve the details in the core in this picture, and brang out more nebula, detail and closer.

i dont really know much about how the curves tool works for photoshop, i pretty much fiddled lots to teach myself the most of the tools that i use on photoshop, i do know levels though.

i re-processed the image completely. i have troubles geting greens out of this picture, without losing quality, i shot the picture in jpegs cause i thought that would be easyer to start with, i guess i could allways change the hue, hmm o_0 :lol:

what do you think?

thanks lee, neather the less, i think you will get a blast out of it, i sure am enjoying it alot

the orginal unprocessed photo's look pretty crummy, most of the enhancements to the picture is all done with image processing.

Thanks again.

Adrian

[sheeny]

Adrian! I like your reprocessed version!:thumbsup:

Great effort!

Al.

[Adrian-H]

thanks al, im very happy with it.

[Garyh]

Hi Adrian, Nice shot to start with!! Actually prefer your first pic. More natural looking to me...but I`m just a beginner myself. You can try a program called neatimage as well, gives you lots of options for noise reduction but the free version will only let you save as jpg..Cheers and CS Gary

[JohnG]

Hi Adrian

That second shot would look great in Greyscale, you have brought out a lot more detail.

I may have mislead you in my first post, leave the green channel in the shot, try and reduce the reds, they seem to have overpowered the first shot, you will find the end result more natural.

With the unmodded 350D, you will find that it is sensitive to O111, that is what the green in your shots are. After a bit more practice and getting used to the camera, try shooting in RAW's and converting.

Google up, say, "Astrophotography with a DSLR" or similar and you will get a lot of information on using a DSLR, also try something like "Astrophotography and Photoshop" and you will also get a lot of hits and there are a number of sites that have short video's on using PS.

Anyway, your off to a great start. :thumbsup:

Cheers

JohnG

[Adrian-H]

thanks gary,

john

im using a hutech modded 350d

i will go raw on my next imaging session, and i will get some dark frames too,

i made a mask but i dont know how to apply it properly as the guide i was reading has an old version of photoshop

thanks for the help john really appricate it

time to rejuvinate, must get some sleep now:)

[JohnG]

Sorry, I didn't realise that you had a modded camera, that accounts for the red.

I just use PS 7.01 myself.

Cheers

JohnG

[Adrian-H]

no worries. i learnt alot today. thanks john, off to sleep i go

Thanks

Adrian.

[spearo]

Hi and well done on the Tarantula! One of my favorites.

I would suggest that to make your life a bit easier, perhaps consider using registax for stacking the images? it's freeware.

well done and I look forward to seeing more shots from your setup!
cheers
frank

[Adrian-H]

thanks spearo,

i got registax, but i dont understand how to use it :lol:

i did another version, i tired to keep the colors natural, and bring out more detail like i did on my second attempt

[spearo]

Nice,
I like it.

Registax can be used minimally or in expert hands accomplish all sorts of wonderful things.
I use it minimally....click select, go to your folder of stored images, select all the ones you want to stack (using control click) when done click open
this will load the pics in registacks
if it asks these seem to be in color process in color? go yes.
the make sure you click the checkbox for processsing automatic,
click a reasonably big size for the alignment box, say 128 and the zoom checkbox.

now just pick a nice star, line it up perfectly with the zoom window and left click on it

then go to top left of the screen and left click on "Align" button,

sit back have a nice warm drink,
eventually after it has processed everything you can manipulate the image (i skip that bit myself mainly due to inexperience)
click on the tab "final"
then lower left corner click on "save"

select Tiff or whatever you like

and work that saved image with photoshop or whatever you use for image processing

hope that wasnt too confusing

hope it didnt offend any of the real artists here who can really play with registax.

I just use it basically to line up and stack images.

you can adjust the "lowest quality" setting at the top in quality estimate box to something like 85% to "cull" the less similar images, the higher the number the closer matching to one another the pics will have to be to be stacked.

I often use 85 or 90

best of luck

cheers
frank

[Lester]

Hi Adrian,

very nice image of the Tarantula. I am learning the Dso imaging too, so reading your thread is very informative.

All the best.

[Adrian-H]

thanks frank got it working, hm, never realised it was that simple :)
its much faster too yes you are right.

thanks lester, its fun isnt it!

[ving]

great stuff for a starter! :)

keep up the hard work :D

[iceman]

The last version is great!

[RB]

I agree that last one is terrific.
Well done Adrian.

[JohnG]

It is great to see you off to an excellent start, there is still a long road ahead but you will handle it OK.

Don't forget, we are here to help you.

Cheers

JohnG

[spearo]

Wll said JohnG.
I've never come across a web community like this one where people are so willing and able to help.

frank

[Adrian-H]

thanks , you are all so kind!

VING!! MoOOOOOOooO