M31 Final

[xelasnave]

I was somewhat disappointed with my M31 efforts when I compared my results with the excellent images presented by other members and I thought I would have a final attempt to try and bring out more data and push all the processing.

Besides the difficulties my ankle presented which put me off my game a bit I feel I do think certain factors worked against me which I believe was probably due to not using a mask to focus and I do think the smoke haze perhaps played a role in making collection of sharp data perhaps came into play as well. Also I really donot have a clue when it comes to merging the various channels and perhaps I have still turned out purple where the blue should be.

This is how I approached trying to do better.

First I stacked every image I had to create a master luminance which met I had to abandon the 3 times drizzle and opted for no drizzle so I could stack a huge luminance.

I don't know if it had any effect but I loaded my blue subs and after those were in DSS went into the folder and renamed all the blue subs so I could load two sets of blue, so double subs. I also did this for green...I really don't no if that had the effect of increasing exposure time or the quality of the stack.

I estimate that all up I took my exposure time up to maybe 7 hours both by creating a luminance using everything and the blue and green double up.


Processed each stack in Startools and merged the 4 in photo shop.

I merged the red and the green first rationalising that would be brownish and less likely to go purple when I added the blue...I did this in the van so I have not showed my daughter for a comment if I have a blue or purple outcome...


I worked hard when all were merged with the dodge and burn tools in photoshop to maximise detail contrast.. In GIMP I blew the image up to maximum and applied the erode filter in the hope that the stars would seem a little smaller and coloured in a few in photo shop using a solid layer colour and the rubber tool to give a hint of colour to some stars as they just seemed colourless and I hoped that it would not be too noticeable but if you look I may have created some red giants out of some main sequence stars:D.

And I rotated the image until I was happy with the presentation I feel it just looked better from an artistic point of view...I anyone asks I will blame the optics inverting etc...and it is only a pretty picture approach after all.

I also took some time with the haze removal tool in photo shop..usually I just run the image thru of the standard setting but with a little care one adjustement seemed the best.

So how purple is it:D:question:


Edit...second final attempt added

alex

[Startrek]

Alex
Personally I think your first M31 was an excellent image and didn’t need anything done to it
This one looks a bit overdone and colours look a bit wishy washy but that’s only my opinion ( a beginners opinion at that )
Martin

[xelasnave]

So perhaps it is not my final after all.

Thanks Martin for your input I certainly appreciate your input...but is it purple?

I really should take my daughter's advice..she says work on them for a while and leave it and look at it the next day.

And as a beginner you are way ahead of me my friend.

Alex

[Startrek]

I’m not way ahead of anyone Alex , only myself at time’s
Your M31 spiral arms are purplish and the core is a lime green colour , but you have lost some fine detail in this image compared to the first one ??

[xelasnave]

Thanks Martin I appreciate you input re colour.
Back to the drawing board.
Alex

[xelasnave]

I had another try and added the second attempt above.
My daughter helped and said this is about as good as we can get it but I suspect she lost interest an hour ago... she gets annoyed when I ask "is this yellow?"... but I want to be sure because I thought I was using yellow yesterday and it was green....It is such a slow process for me … most of my time has been spent taking a photo of the colour I plan to use and then getting a colour analysis ap to tell me exactly what could it is....and I am learning that I am more colour blind than I realised....anyways I can get there using the app but its real slow.
Still its a long way from the Meade LPI and small pulled apart digital cameras riding in a balsawood box...I just wish I was forced to give it up all those years ago.

Please say this one is better but only if that is the truth...there is no point in kidding myself if I am to improve.


alex
Edit ...I just now showed my daughter the first image and told me the first one on this monitor the core is yellow to her but close to green (and she seems too be real good at colour in so far as see sees variations in colour that others can not and she is into art stuff.. really into detail to the point of obsessive perfection which no doubt she got from her mother who I believe is the best human on the planet) and my daughter suggests that different monitors perhaps show slightly different colours... and the first one although close was not purple on my monitor...so I am now happy with yesterdays effort for as at least on my screen I was correct on the colour which means my merging approach has worked...but I like the one from today it just looks better from where I am sitting.

alex

[Nikolas]

Second one is too yellow/Green, first one way better

[xelasnave]

Thanks Nik.Do you mean the first one here or the very first one which was no colour at all???

Interesting you also see green as here all agree there is no green...I must look on my desk top when I get back to the city as it certainly seems maybe something with the way my monitor is calibrated.


I know..... I will look at it on my phone and tablet and also ask the others what the colours they see there...maybe cause we are in a green place we don't see green as well...anyways I was happy to reprocess as I learn a little each time I process even if its effectively a re run.


Thanks again Nik I really appreciate your input greatly:thumbsup:.
alex


edit...downloaded to phone and sure enough they could see green and some yellow...cant try the tablet but I expect similar...mmm...now what to do about it?????

[Nikolas]

first one here

I'm on a high resolution Mac cinema display which does show true colours very well if that helps. Didnt you mention once you are colour blind?

When you calibrate your monitor use your phone as a reference

[xelasnave]

I have said many times that I am colour blind. Earlier in this thread even.

That is why I was happy that on my monitor at least the colour was ok.

I will look on my tablet and desk top as indications are that the lappy might be a big part of my problem.

I was told it needed Cali rating some time ago here and I did set out to do something but never competed the job..can't remember why.
Thanks you have been most helpful.
Alex