SMC and Friends

[Ryderscope]

I've dusted off the Canon F2.8 200mm prime lens and will be giving it a run on the QSI 683-WS8. This image of SMC includes 47 Tuc and NGC 362. Took a little work in processing to keep the core of 47 Tuc from blowing out.
Acquisition: RGB 20 @ 300s / Ha 20 @ 900s. Calibration, stacking and processing in Pixinsight 1.8.

Link to Astrobin image here. (http://astrob.in/full/211976/B/)

Comments and critique welcome.

[RickS]

Nice work, Rodney! A very cool composition.

You didn't use HDR in the end?

Cheers,
Rick.

[Ryderscope]

Well spotted Rick. No and there were two reasons for this. One was that I found it unnecessary as I could tease out the globular detail by alternating range masks and gentle stretches. The second was that the HDR Combo process did not perform as I expected it to as it did not pick up the bright core of the GC. I intend to revist this as I want the HDR Combo process to work for me as it looks to be a powerful tool.

[DJScotty]

That's a nice image. Love the colours and detail. I notice you use the EQ8. That's a serious piece of kit there! :thumbsup:

[Ryderscope]

Thanks Scott. The EQ8 is certainly a good robust mount. Mine is lightly loaded at the moment with only the guide scope and QSI / Lens combination.

[Octane]

That is fantastic, Rodney!

I'm working on a four panel mosaic of this at the moment. :)

H

[Ryderscope]

Looking forward to the mosaic. Should work nicely on this area.

[Placidus]

Lovely. You've got those HII regions really standing out. The two globulars add to the excitement.

[Ryderscope]

Thanks guys.
R

[MortonH]

Fantastic. Love the Ha regions.

[Geoff45]

Really nice Rodney. There's a lot to be said for these wide field views. There's a whole universe out there. Why look at it through a straw?
Geoff

[Ryderscope]

Thanks for that Morton.



Thanks Geoff. I see a challenge now. Image the whole universe one straw field of view at a time :D

[strongmanmike]

Sorry for the late reply on this really good image, great framing and overall look, the HII regions stand out nicely for an RGB image and getting the two globs in the frame completes the shot I recon :thumbsup:

Edit: ah oops, you did use Ha, that explains it

Mike

[Ryderscope]

Thanks for the positive feedback Mike.
R

[Stevec35]

I've got some issue with the nebula colour Rodney - to me they seem too red but overall it's a very tidy well composed picture of the SMC with great detail.

Cheers

Steve

[sjastro]

Nice image Rodney.

Steven

[Ryderscope]

Thanks for the feedback Steve and Steven.

[Paul Haese]

I really like the field of view and the composition of this image. Nice colour too.