Ngc 55

[Geoff45]

I must admit that I don't really like this galaxy. A long irregular smudge with nothing much going for it IMO. Its saving graces are its size, allowing quite a lot of detail to show through, and some colourful regions.
Anyway, here it is
http://www.astrobin.com/213327/0/
Higher res here http://www.astrobin.com/full/213327/0/

Details:
Telescope: Plane Wave 12.5" CDK
Mount: AP 900
Camera: FLI Proline 16803
Exposure: 90 min L and R, 80 min B and G for a total of 5h 40m.
FOV: 40' x 35'
Date: Weekend of 11-13 September
Geoff

[RickS]

You're really cranking out the images, Geoff! I wouldn't be so hard on NGC 55. I think it looks great :) Lovely colours and interesting structure.

Cheers,
Rick.

[Geoff45]

Thanks Rick. The cranking is about to stop until the next new moon.
Geoff

[Ryderscope]

I agree with Rick, there is a lot to explore in this image. Has a kind of glow about it with interesting structures in the shape of the galaxy. Wikipedia refers to it as a barred spiral galaxy. Obviously edge on from our perspective but has an interesting bulge near the bright core and seems to have lost a bit of galaxy from the lower left. Most interesting.

[Placidus]

Masterful, Geoff!

The colour contrasts are rich and superb and meaningful. Lots of very sharp detail.

Nicely done!

[Geoff45]

Thanks Rodney. It really is a very peculiar galaxy. Perhaps I was a bit harsh on its merits.


Thanks M&T. Yes, I was quite pleased with the detail and colour I got. It's just that it's a messy sort of galaxy that I don't find particularly attractive.
Geoff

[strongmanmike]

I agree with you about this galaxy, it always seems a little on the boring side to bother spending lots of precious dark sky time on but still, I agree with what Mike and Trish have said there, a lovely result Geoff :thumbsup:

Mike

[Geoff45]

Thanks Mike.

[Paul Haese]

I like the colour and detail level is good Geoff. I actually don't mind how this galaxy looks. There is some interesting looking dust lanes and knots of star formation. Yet another shape we see with galaxies as far as I am concerned.

[Geoff45]

Thanks Paul. I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the noise level. After looking at quite a few really good pics it's obvious that skimping on the exposure is not the way to go. I'm really going to have to do fewer objects and spend more time on each one.
Geoff

[Paul Haese]

There is noise there, but never bothered to mention it as I assumed you knew. You could double your time spent on capture and reduce this noise and it would be a magnificent image.

[strongmanmike]

Probably simply because it is not at an objectionable level in this image :shrug: the image still looks good :thumbsup:. Besides, I would much prefer to see slight background noise to obvious selective sharpening and decon/wavelets induced thin bright worms or dot like pseudo detail ;)

Mike
The Decon Police

[Shiraz]

that's very beautiful Geoff - looks like an opal. Plenty of detail and the noise is not objectionable - nice.

[Geoff45]

Thanks Paul. May be worth a try taking a longer xposure.

Thanks Mike. I take your point about obvious decon sharpening--easy to get carried away. Decon is there and it is useful, but lately I've been leaning towards backing off and keeping it unobtrusive. Same comments about noise REDUCTION not noise elimination. Once the noise gets above a certain level, it's probably best to leave it alone rather than butchering the image with artefacts.


Thanks Ray. I was a bit surprised by all the positive comments this image got.

[gregbradley]

Very nice Geoff and I agree about the processing choices you have made. It has a nice natural look which I want to get more of in my own images.

Tracking is a tad off. Do you use Protrack, done a Pempro PEC curve?

Greg.

[topheart]

G'Day Geoff,

Nice colour preservation, nice detail. Noise in the background doesn't detract. I thought the tracking was OK.....??

Anyway - well done!

Cheers,
Tim

[Geoff45]

Not sure why, but there was a slight problem with this one. All the other images I took that weekend were pretty spot on, but this one was different.
Geoff