My first LRGB image - NGC253 - 27.2 hours

[rmuhlack]

This is my first attempt at a LRGB image, captured with my newly acquired SBIG ST10XE. This camera has a NABG KAF3200 sensor, and so after some trial and error, sub times of 5 mins were used to limit blooming. I did capture some shorter 30s subs but could not successfully blend into the 5 min luminance stack (I wasn't too concerned about this as I don't find the blooming to be too distracting in this case).

Capture details:
LRGB = 820:265:255:295 (5min subs)
Telescope = Vixen VC200L with f6.4 reducer
Mount = NEQ6

Processed with PixInsight

Hi res: http://www.astrobin.com/213571/

Comments and feedback most appreciated :thumbsup:

[Somnium]

very nicely done

[Rod771]

Looks like a very good start, Richard! Nice work! :thumbsup:

[Slawomir]

A nice camera Richard and a very nice image :thumbsup:

I would not worry about blooming at all - you can still show the DSO and that's what's the most important aspect of an astro-photo. I actually find blooming quite interesting... I know I know...I am a weirdo :lol:

[alpal]

Hi Richard,
that's very good indeed -
certainly a lot better than I ever did.

cheers
Allan

[codemonkey]

Awesome work, and doubly so when taking into consideration that this is a first attempt at LRGB. Well done!

[raymo]

As the old saying goes, that's a ripper.
raymo

[RickS]

A fantastic first LRGB image, Richard. Colours are great. At full res it looks just a little soft?

Cheers,
Rick.

[astronobob]

Grouse one in my books Richards, ive never done LRGB and if I did, I wouldn't even come up with anything let lone a very nice result like this, awesome & a great success !!!

[rmuhlack]

Thanks folks. Could be a little soft Rick, have recently changed my focus motor and controller, and am still tuning the auto focus routine.

[Stevec35]

That's very nice for a first LRGB Richard. I wish my first LRGB would have been as good but it does look slightly soft though. With regard to the blooming, I find that debloomer gives good results:

http://www.newastro.com/downloads/products.html

Cheers

Steve

[nebulosity.]

Beautiful image Richard.

Cheers
Jo

[Paul Haese]

Not a bad attempt for your first LRGB. I think the colour is a little magenta skewed; addressing that will make for a better looking image. Like Rick I think it is just a little soft on focus but you could try further sharpening to see if that resolves the softness.

Nice lot of hours and it was similar to what I was going to attempt on it but in the end I went with 14 hours.

Seeing down Strath/Clayton of late has been pretty good.

[rustigsmed]

very nice Richard, how have you found the transition?
will you still be using a cooled dslr on the other mount?

cheers

russ

[Octane]

Well done, mate. My first LRGBHa was just 10 hours by comparison. But, back then, that was considered a decent amount of time. Nowadays, nothing below 20 hours, lol!

Agreed, re: colour, if you can tune the levels and add a bit of selective unsharp masking, you'll be on to a winner.

Try this one again in a year's time and see how you fare then. :)

H

[AlexN]

Looks great Richard. Well done mate.

[gregbradley]

Mega data Richard we should call you. As I recall you did those super long exposure DSLR images last year.

A great first LRGB. I think you've got plenty of data there and it would be worthwhile looking up some sharpening techniques. I am sure it would sharpen up nicely. Multiscale deconvolution by Ken Crawford (free video tutorial) would be a good one for this.

Greg.

[topheart]

Well done - especially for the first LRGB shot!

Regards,
Tim

[Shiraz]

this is a very effective first LRGB Richard - hit the ground running. the blooming is not disturbing at all and the resolution is good. Compared to others, the colour seems a bit red maybe, but it brings out the Ha regions very nicely. Overall :thumbsup:

[akiil]

Awesome Silver Dollar mate. even if it is a bit magenta ;p