Ngc300

[peter_4059]

It's been a long time since capturing anything worth posting so I've been trying to get back into PI processing. This is one of my 2016 Astrofest images that I haven't completed processing as I've had a lot of trouble with the RGB data. I thought the Lum on the other hand was looking promising.

This is 56x5 min subs using the SN10/QSI683, stacked and hist stretched in PI.

Advice welcome.

Thanks for looking.

[atalas]

Peter,looking good...lots of little galaxies in the background too :thumbsup:low surface brightness galaxies are always tough ones so well done.

[strongmanmike]

Looks good Pete, it's a magnificent galaxy even in B&W, what's the problem with the RGB?

Mike

[Atmos]

Although large it is a relatively dim galaxy, your luminance is showing it up well.

[Geoff45]

Lots to look at there Peter. I look forward to the colour version. It should be a ripper.
Geoff

[peter_4059]

Thanks for the encouragement Louie.



Cheers Mike. The RGB data was showing a lot of noise when I stretched it. I need to spend some more time re-familiarising myself with PI I think. I've recently upgraded my image processing laptop so no excuses now.



Thanks Colin.



Cheers Geoff.

[RickS]

Looks good, Peter! Like a mini M33. Bring the data to Astrofest if you're still struggling with the colour and I'm sure we can beat it into submission ;)

[peter_4059]

Finally got back to processing this - spent most of this afternoon playing with the upgraded desktop, a lot faster than the laptop! Also had to remember how to use PI as it has been a while. Luckily Warren came to the rescue :)

This data was from Astrofest 2016.
36x5min Lum
12x2min RGB
14x5min Ha

Comments welcome, thanks for looking

[peter_4059]

on looking at this on my laptop, I think I need to calibrate the monitor on the desktop!

[RickS]

Looks pretty good to me, Peter. Perhaps just a little less green would make it look closer to the "typical" NGC 300.

Cheers,
Rick.

[peter_4059]

Yes I agree. Got the monitors calibrated now. Just trying to work out the best way to reduce the green.

[RickS]

The background looks pretty neutral so I'd try a clipped luminance mask and just pull down the green a tad (or boost the red, or a combination of both) with CurvesTransformation.

[peter_4059]

OK - here's the first repro. User ColourMask to pick out the greens and then adjusted with CurvesTransformation using a and b. I think the colour of the core looks better but not so sure about the cyan in the arms.

[peter_4059]

I just made the mistake of aligning and registering this to Ray's version on Astrobin.
https://www.astrobin.com/full/276705/0/

The resolution he achieves is quite amazing. I wonder if it is optics, processing or something else?

[RickS]

I think you need to reduce the green in general, so I'd use a clipped lum mask. That should help with the cyans too (will make them bluer.)



It's probably a combination of many small improvements across all aspects of capture and processing. That's my experience, anyway. You make several barely perceptible improvements and the improved quality of the result is suddenly obvious.

Cheers,
Rick.

[peter_4059]

OK - this one with less green.

[batema]

I think it looks beautiful Peter. A stunning looking galaxy.

Mark.

[RickS]

Very nice, Peter!

[peter_4059]

And now with new Astrobin subscription...the link to the full res version...

https://www.astrobin.com/full/327114/0/?real=&mod=

[peter_4059]

Thanks for the feedback and help with PI.

Hopefully I'll get more time with it now I have it installed on the desktop. Dragging out the monitor for the laptop was becoming a good excuse to avoid processing. ;)

[RickS]

No problem, Peter. That would be an inconvenience!

I decided that my Xmas/birthday present will be a new processing workstation. Currently specing up a beefy system with an AMD Threadripper.

[peter_4059]

Based on what I saw in the PI benchmarks I reckon you won't be dissapointed with one of those. I'm enjoying the I7 7700K with 32G ram and multiple SSDs as we speak.

[RickS]

Nice!