M8 and M20 22.5 hours

[Paul Haese]

After John's recent image of this area I doubt that my image is of equal value but I think mine is a little different from his RGB version. This image contains SII Ha OIII and RGB data which amounts to 22.5 hours.

Essentially this is an NB image in Hubble Palette with an RGB wash over the NB data. My favourite part of the image is the Trifid. It looks a bit out of the ordinary but I quite like the look. For those interested I did not do any selective masking other than some sharpening on the detail sharpening layer. I suppose it could do with more magenta in the nebulae?

I am planning on doing some luminance data so I can do a more traditional version.

Click here (http://paulhaese.net/M8andM20.html) for the higher resolution image.

[topheart]

Innovative and interesting....I really love the outer regions of the Lagoon.....details you don't see usually.

Thanks,
Tim

[Somnium]

wow, M8 looks really different, i almost didn't recognise it. great image and wonderful framing

[Eden]

What I particularly like about this -- apart from your choice of framing -- is the way that you've managed to portray these two targets in a much more natural color than the overtly neon-esque tones that they are normally seen in (including my own meager attempts). Lovely work, Paul. :thumbsup:

[EzyStyles]

Very nice image paul! you are still around :)

[Stevec35]

Interesting stuff Paul. I like this colour scheme and the detail is exquisite.

Cheers

Steve

[multiweb]

Nice colour palette. I like the framing too. :thumbsup:

[Placidus]

A pleasing work of art. The lagoon is an oyster, and the hourglass region is a pearl. The Trifid is perhaps the moon in the sky, illuminating the lagoon.

Nice feeling of the Lagoon, Trifid, and abundant thick dust being foreground entities, with distant Milky Way stars far behind.

I struggle with the standard lolly pink of straight RGB - your blend of Hubble palette and natural colour works well, and gives something of the best of both approaches.

Cheers, Mike

[Regulus]

I think we get used to the 'Traditional Palette' and it can easily shape our opinions.
I like the colour use in this as is Paul. It has great depth to it.
Can't comment on the +magenta except to wonder if it would over power the diagonal strip of dust/stars between the two nebs. Would be interested to see it anyway :-)
Nice photo.
Trevor

[Paul Haese]

Thanks Marc and Steve for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.



Thanks Tim. I found those outer regions generally arise from longer sub exposures. I have imaged this object several times now with most being long subs and noted that on the short sub exposures it was harder to reveal the detail and luminance in the outer areas of the lagoon.




Thanks Aidan, that is sort of what I was aiming for. The NB on M8 washed over with the RGB gives it a unique look in my opinion. I did not mask that to look that way, it was a colour wash over the top of the NB data. I almost got the same effect with M20 but I think I would need a lot more colour data to make an impact.




Thanks Brett. I have been working on this look for a while now. It does not always work in my opinion. I figure the mix of the natural RGB and NB can generally work and give striking results in most cases though.



Yeah still around Eric. :) Producing better images now I think, but I plan on staying here for as long as I can.



Thank Mike. You are absolutely right, a work of art. Certainly not science, :) and I accept that.

Like you I think that RGB images can be quite lack lustre especially in detail and knowing that NB clearly shows there are emission present of different chemicals other than just hydrogen it makes sense to me that a full spectrum image should be more interesting to look at. Not saying my images are more interesting, just the possibilities are there for being more interesting.



Thanks Trevor, I will be doing a Traditional Palette on this image once I collect more luminance data. I will be blending with Ha a bit too, just to boost the look. I have never really done a deep image of the Lagoon. However, you are right the LRGB views we all grew up with have heavily influenced our mindset as to what looks acceptable.

[gregbradley]

That's a very unique look Paul and lots of detail for a 4 inch scope. There is some detail there it the hourglass nebula but perhaps more could be teased out. Marc has some tricks for doing that.

The framing has grown on me as well. I reckon if you combine some RC data for the core of the Lagoon and Trifid it could be worth the effort.

Greg.

[Paul Haese]

Thanks Greg. The RC is scheduled to image the lagoon this year so it might become a reality. I had originally planned on doing that after I had done the Eagle.

I'll take another look at the detail layer to see if I can get something more out of the core. Not sure if the resolution is there but still worth a look.

So Marc what tricks have you got for the core?

[gregbradley]

This what he posted on my Lagoon Ha image:

I have Topaz Details 2. I usually do a very light pass of micro contrast enhancement, creative details Accent and Feature Enhancement. Depends on the pic. Try different settings until you're happy with one.
If you have enough image scale, deconv will usually bring it out anyway. Startools has some cool fractal algo to enhance shock fronts and you can always use the HighPass filter technique in PS with a 5.2px setting and apply as a layer with a 60% "softlight" overlay blend. Marc.

Greg.

[DJScotty]

Another beautiful image Mr Haese.
The smoothness of the Lagoon is incrfedible...

:thumbsup:

[Shiraz]

Wasn't too sure what to make of this first off, but after coming back to it a few times, the logic of your approach is becoming more obvious. It has nice detail and is very pretty with such controlled colours - good stuff.

[jase]

Great work Paul! For narrowband, it has a real easy to consume, natural feel to it. Initially I thought, where's the saturation, but its certainly grown on me. It stands out in its own way. Enjoyed the composition too, with its super tight framing. Well done.

[Paul Haese]

Hmm interesting. CCDstack has decon and I can do some high pass filtering in PS.



Thanks Scott, with all that signal in the Lagoon it does not take much to get it really smooth. With all the Ha and OIII I took to get signal further away from both M8 and M20 the end result was a buttery smooth look to the actual Lagoon.




Thanks Ray, that is high praise, especially since you are well known for your methodology. A few years back I made the decision to incorporate NB with RGB image as much as possible. You often see images in one or the other or with some mix, but not often do you see a true incorporation. Sometimes you see NB with RGB stars, but almost never do you see all blended together. It does not always work. My recent image of NGC6188 does not really work for me and I am sure others thought similarly. It looked ok but not a stand out image. So I think this type of processing really needs objects that lend themselves to the palette. Others might not agree and I can see why you said you were not to sure what to make of it at first. Thanks for adding your comments.



Thanks Jase I really appreciate you taking the time comment. I tend to under saturate in my images and this can sometimes have the appearance overall as being under saturated. I sort of like subtle in terms of saturation.

Unfortunately the framing is about as good as it gets with this sensor and scope combination. I would like some more field of view but the use of the reducer would negate the use of a rotator. When I can afford another camera it will be quite a bit bigger.

Thanks once again for commenting.

[andyc]

Beautiful image! Creamy smooth, lovely detail and framing too. I'm not completely sold on the slightly orange tint to the outer parts of the Lagoon and the Trifid, but I appreciate it's a NB image and I need to leave my initial colour perceptions at the door! Still, a great image worth exploring at full resolution :thumbsup:

[Paul Haese]

I have taken a bit of a look at the sharpening in the hour glass area. Looks a bit better I think.



Thanks Andy. That is an interesting observation about the orange. I have reduced that and increased the red/magenta more.

[dcalleja]

A great image. I like the framing and your interpretation of the colours is unusual. A different take on these subjects

[Paul Haese]

Thanks Dan. I was aiming for a "different take", thanks for acknowledging that.:thumbsup:

[RickS]

An interesting and alternative view of a couple of old favourites, Paul. Well done!