200mm lens Orion Complex - now in Technicolour

[strongmanmike]

Given there is likely no RGB coming from me with the 200mm lens, at
least in the near future, I looked for a suitable colour image of
this region that I might be able to use to colour my Halpha.

After searching the web for a colour image of this region, that both
covered my field of view and that I thought was a good colour
bnalance, I remembered Jon Christensens beauty from end of last year -
ah perfect! :thumbsup:

I asked Jon if it was ok to use his image for my RGB and he agreed,
here is the result:

100K:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70444471/large (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70444471/large)

500K:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70444471/original (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70444471/original)

I surprised at the clarity and deffinition this non ED circa 1985 lens has achieved :)

Quite a difficult job in the end and I'm a little dissapointed that I
couldn't maintain the star colours :sadeyes:

Mike

[iceman]

Wow, stunning!

What software do you use to combine them?

[RB]

Wow, very nice Mike.

[strongmanmike]

AsStroart3 and Photoshop - nothing unusual.

The main problem was that in the LRGB combine the L (or in this case Ha) is the dominant channel so star size matching is difficult as is controlling the matching of the faint stuff. The star sizes in Jons image were huge when coregistered in AA3 to match mine so I had to reduce them and remove major blue halos inherent in the STL11000 that Jon uses. Given Jons images was deeper than mine and used clear Lum not Ha, slight colouration accurs in areas of my image where there wasn't any Lum to match Jons buuuut overall I think the outcome is still quite pleasing? Getting star colour was tricky too and the final composite is lacking in this department.

Mike

[Striker]

truely amazing image Mike.

I have a much geater respect for you CCD guys now.

Its much tuffer then I first thought.

[ving]

:jawdrop:

nuff said!

[tornado33]

I love how such a huge dynamic range has been captured. I shudder to think how many stops brighter the centre of the trapezium is, compared to the faint background stuff.
Scott

[cactus]

Now that is amazing. Love the colour and the smoke-like detail!
Michael

[atalas]

Nice shot Mike.

[PhotonCollector]

gobsmacked and speechless, that's all I can so.

Paul M

[2020BC]

That really is beautiful.:thumbsup:

[seeker372011]

omigosh

the nebulosity goes on and on and on

[iceman]

Hey the RGB data of your image made APOD, Mike! :)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061120.html

[strongmanmike]

Well Sir post a lot...of course it did! I only associate with high society data

Count Sidonio :D

[Lester]

Astronomical Mike (out of this world)

[Ric]

Hi Mike, that's awesome, the Ha and RGB images on their own are fantastic.
but together they have produced a truly stunning image.

I'm off for another look, cant get enough of that one :)

[Octane]

Mike,

Wow. Beautiful.

Regards,
Humayun

[Garyh]

Now thats more like it!!!!!
Beautiful!!!
Cheers Gary