The Pleiades

[topheart]

Hi,

A very common subject....but ah well!!

Not a mysterious new planetary this one!

I found I need to re-calibrate my monitor....sigh...

BRC 250 + PL16803, taken from Savannah Skies.

Cheers,
Tim

[Geoff45]

Nice rendition of the surrounding nebulosity Tim

[sjastro]

Nice image Tim.

Do you have a larger resolution available?

Steven

[topheart]

Thanks Guys!!

Medium size file available here: https://www.sendspace.com/file/32ouj6

Cheers,
Tim

[strongmanmike]

You have the perfect scope and camera for this one Tim and the result is very good indeed, with plenty of details, well done :thumbsup:

I have looked at this image a few times today and really checked it out and I think it has the potential to be one of the really great images of M45 :thumbsup:....so if I can give some feedback and just my opinion based on other images I have seen of it? For me, the image is a tad flat again, not sure if you have used shadow highlights again and/or High Pass filter but I see this in some other shots of M45, I suspect in an effort to reveal the inner details in the bright nebulosity areas?.. but in doing so the blue hues get unnaturally darkened and comparatively over saturated in the bright areas including around the bright sisters and they get over dimmed. M45 is such a grand bright object I think it benefits from keeping the main nebula clumps and associated stars bright to give the cluster depth and respect the light.

Again and putting the above low key musings aside, t'is a lovely result and since I have never imaged M45 and I would imagine it a very challenging target to process, you have done much better than I ever have with it :P :thumbsup:

Mike

[multiweb]

That looks great Tim. Stacks of nebulosity and super sharp. It's not an easy field with all those bright stars in the mix. Top shelf. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
You've even picked up that small side on galaxy at 2 o'clock.

[topheart]

You've even picked up that small side on galaxy at 2 o'clock.
Thanks Marc, yes, A little sliver of light!!

For me, the image is a tad flat again, not sure if you have used shadow highlights again and/or High Pass filter but I see this in some other shots of M45, I suspect in an effort to reveal the inner details in the bright nebulosity areas?.. but in doing so the blue hues get unnaturally darkened and comparatively over saturated in the bright areas including around the bright sisters and they get over dimmed.

Mike

Thanks so much Mike. I appreciate you taking the time and for your thoughtful comments. This one didn't respond for me with shadow highlights....In fact with this, I kept the processing minimal ....A G2V star calibration to get the colour balance, then kept the RGB data completely balanced throughout to try and maintain colour integrity, a masked stretch, a bit of masked sharpening and contrast enhancement, a mild saturation boost.....

I will definitely, try to add a bit more sparkle to the field.....as you say, let the light shine more...??:question:

Thanks again !!

Tim

[strongmanmike]

Well and perhaps surprisingly :P, I wasn't suggesting it needed more saturation or sparkle, just more brightness and depth.

The best example of what I am talking about is what the great Rob Gendler has done in his version HERE (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120903.html). Of course he is Rob Gendler after all, so this is as good as it gets really but I recon if you brighten the neb around your bright stars and reduce the saturation (did I just say that :question:) you will be on a real winner :thumbsup:

Mike

[topheart]

Thanks Mike, now I understand!

Will see what I can do. I will post Version 2 soon....

Cheers,
Tim

[Rex]

Nice one Tim. Lovely pleasing image with plenty of fine tendrils and whispy nebulosity. Great result.

[Placidus]

Hi Tim,

A pleasing shot with lots of fine sharp detail. How long was the exposure?

Truly excellent work, but possibly the blues have become oversaturated. You might like to have a peek at this
APOD by David Lane (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140225.html) which has a very different take.

Very best,
Mike

[topheart]

Thanks Mike,

Thanks for the link to the David Lane shot. Very very interesting, especially as I stretch the data I have harder, then I get a similar result with lots of pale nebula streaks across the whole field..... I think I am comfortable with something less extreme....I am still working on it, but as I am out of town for the next week, I only have a laptop to work with, and I have found it is not good enough for final processing.

The exposure was 10 minute subs x 12 for RGB and x 20 for L.

Cheers,
Tim

[Paul Haese]

Excellent detail Tim, with good star colour but as has been pointed out a bit too much saturation for my tastes. Overall a pleasing image in my opinion.

[topheart]

Thanks Paul!
Cheers,
Tim

[topheart]

Hi,

I have posted a repro. I hope I have gone down the track suggested by Mike and others.

Please advise,
Thanks very much!

Tim

[strongmanmike]

Excellent improvement Tim you have brightened the image where it should be bright and the sisters look like nice bright stars, nice job :thumbsup:

But dude...you have a some incredible kit, at an incredible observatory and under incredible skies, so you need somewhere to display your incredible work better :prey: :thumbsup:

Mike

[topheart]

Thank you very much Mike!

Yes, I do need to get the Savannah Skies website sorted out ASAP. I might just upload images to astrophoto.com.au in the short term (Jewel Box Observatory) rather than create a PBase or Flickr account just for a short time....:question:

All the very best,

Tim

:thanx:

[Rex]

WOW Tim, it was a great image before, now it's simply breathtaking. Great job on the reprocess. I agree with Mike, you need somewhere to display your incredible work. Top job :thumbsup:

[RickS]

Hard to judge from the crunchy little attachment but looks like a great image, Tim! It's a darker blue than many I've seen and this suits the subject very well.

Cheers,
Rick.

[topheart]

Thanks Rick!!

Cheers,
Tim