Eye of Creator, with a guidescope

[Slawomir]

Hi all,

It has been a bit of a journey which included nearly loosing a large chunk of the data with a failed PC.

Some basic info:

-> The image is a blend of 0.55 HA_SNO + 0.1 HA_HNO + 0.35 HA_HSO. I know, not really scientific at all.

-> Integration (203 hours):

HA = 194 x 900s + 157 x 1200s
OIII = 124 x 900s
NII = 88 x 900s
SII = 167 x 900s + 22 x 1200s

-> 4" guidescope, ICX 814, coastal location 20deg South of the Equator.

-> The background looks a bit gritty, but the data is extremely stretched, since background st.dev in all masters was only about 1 ADU.

Final version: https://www.astrobin.com/full/q9xl7a/G/

Thank you for looking :hi:
Suavi

[strongmanmike]

Tough gig huh? ;)

Still, the depth is amazing :thumbsup:

Mike

[cometcatcher]

203 hours!!!

Really nice. How do you get 203 hours of sky time in Proserpine? Always cloudy here a few km south.

[Geoff45]

That is just ridiculously good Suavi. Well done--one of the best Helix pictures of all time!
A bit of gentle noise reduction might help with the grit.
Geoff

[Placidus]

Perfection and grace.

[Slawomir]

Thank you Mike. Yes, a pretty tough object to process in a different way from HOO.



Thank you Kevin. Don't know - I think it is generally drier in Proserpine than in Mackay.



Thank you Geoff. Tried gentle noise reduction, but generally I think I stretch this data too much.



You are very kind Mike and Trish :hi:

[Slawomir]

I think I will settle on this version for now:

https://www.astrobin.com/full/q9xl7a/D/?nc=user


Time to have a break from imaging (it's getting humid and cloudy), pack the camera and put those few nice eyepieces I have to some good use.

[LostInSp_ce]

Wow! That's some serious acquisition time but the results speak for themselves. Amazing!!!

[Paul Haese]

I liked version 2 also Suavi over the other two. I am sure you will go over this more with colour and luminance data too.

I also found the background a pain too when I imaged this target. It just did not want to smooth out due the amount of stretching. That aside you have an interesting depth to the image. I am sure you will find a combination your like.

Definitely the deepest image with a 4 " getting around.:thumbsup:

[Retrograde]

Fabulous depth Suavi. Great work!

[gregbradley]

That one is the best and it has shown up the various gases very clearly.

Amazing for a 105mm scope. I guess .99 strehl does mean what we all think it means.

Greg.

[Slawomir]

Glad you like it. Collecting data was quite satisfying, in particular that the gear was working flawlessly.



Thank you Paul. I used yours, Rick's, Andy's and Mike and Trish's excellent images as a guide. Not as easy path to follow processing wise for sure.




Thank you Pete.



Thank you Greg. The driver has yet a lot to learn, but the rig makes data acquisition an easy ride for sure.

[Slawomir]

And one more version before bed:

https://www.astrobin.com/full/q9xl7a/E/?nc=user

[topheart]

Very deep!
Wow!
Cheers,
Tim

[John K]

Amazing image Suavi,

A lot of work that has really paid off!!

Congrats!

John K.

[JA]

Your time has been handsomely repaid.
The layers of overlaid delicate wave-front detail in the extremities is exceptional.
Well done Suavi.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


Best
JA

[ChrisV]

Suavi, that is truly amazing. The outer nebulosity has really come out well

[vlazg]

203 hours, that is amazing.
Great depth, well done

[Slawomir]

Thank you gents for such nice encouragement :hi:

For kicks, I tried narrowband photometric colour calibration in PixInsight - attached is a screenshot of NIIHaOIII, SIIHaOIII and NIISIIOIII images.

[ChrisV]

That's cool. The new PI Release looks interesting - and a less problematic download than the last version

[ChrisV]

That's cool. Is that in the new PI Release. looks interesting - and a less problematic download than the last version

[Decimus]

Love this beautiful image, Suavi. Congrats!:thumbsup:

[rustigsmed]

congrats on the image Suavi, well worth the time - ultra deep :thumbsup:

[Slawomir]

Yes, it looks like the new version has a few new interesting developments.


Thank you Richard.


Glad you like it Russell. Had I used 5nm Ha instead of the 3nm Ha, it would have been been possible to get a higher SNR with this integration.

[Cosmic]

Absolutely amazing! Well done indeed, great detail :thumbsup:

[Slawomir]

Thank you Daniel.

[CalvinKlein]

Of the several hundred images & stories / notes I've downloaded over the last 5 years for future reference / studying / (attempted) imitating, this is without doubt one of the very best Likewise for the background story of this image on cloudynights and showing the 4 master images that make it up.

It's very, very inspirational (particularly since you setup & breakdown your equipment for every session !!)

I do have a couple of questions for you
1 - do you leave your equipment unattended if imaging for several hours ?
2 - How far away from the center of Proserpine do you live (i.e. what's your light pollution like) ?

Thanks, Kelvin

[Slawomir]

Thanks Kelvin - glad you like my attempt at the popular Helix.

As for your questions - I do have two high resolution infrared cameras and three battery powered motion detectors monitoring my backyard, plus a couple of vicious dogs ready to rip apart anything or anyone trying to jump electrically charged fence. So the rig is being very closely monitored while I might be sleeping in bed. I also have a friendly and always watchful police officer living next door.

There is some light pollution, particularly from the lit like a Christmas tree sugar mill that operates during the best astro nights and can create an extensive fume blocking the sky, depending on the wind direction.

Nontheless, the skies are significantly darker than in Rockdale in Sydney or Paddington in Brisvegas where I used to image from.

[Slawomir]

It seems that the pros also struggled with background noise in this wonderful IR image, and even got some nice fat worms too :eyepop:

http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5259-sig12-011-The-Helix-Nebula-Unraveling-at-the-Seams

[ChrisV]

Congrats - astrobin image of the day !

[Ryderscope]

Well done Suavi and double congrats on the Astrobin IOTD.

[Slawomir]

Thank you Chris and Rodney. It was a nice surprise that I didn't expect.

[Bart]

Wow!

[Slawomir]

Glad you like it :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

:eyepop: Deep alright. Best color composite of it that I've seen. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Slawomir]

Thank you Marc :hi: I think my narrowband images gradually, over the years, evolved to the current state that can be summed up as a relatively long exposure + controversial colours :lol: