More Spiders... (new improved with added RGB)

[Andy01]

Seems crazy I know but even though this image recently got an Astrobin IOTD, I've reprocessed it from scratch and added RGB stars and some more NB data. :screwy:

This time around I tried out the new Star Xterminator plug in for PS and it's a big improvement over Starnet++, much cleaner and lightning fast!
I also had a play with the latest version of Topaz denoise 3.3.2 that offers heaps more control and selective masking, so you don't have to worry about generating any artificial artifacts.

I've also been working on getting better "natural" star colours from my Bortle 6/7 backyard. Seems the solution is to take lots and lots and lots of short subs! :D

Most of the NB data though was shot under a full moon.

Aah, the joy of living in the world's longest lockdown with too much time on my hands... :whistle:

it's here on ASTROBIN (https://www.astrobin.com/full/ppgdfl/0/)

[Bassnut]

wow, even more excellent Andy!. And yes, Star Exterminator is so much easier to use (and better results) than Starnet, it has overall slashed star processing time generally from painfully time consuming to a trivial step.
(Could we get commission for this kind of advertising ;-)

[strongmanmike]

Yeah sliiiightly more colour in the stars perhaps??..but nup, sorry, overall (granted, not much in it)...I like the original better Andy :)

Mike

[Andy01]

Thanks Fred, Very happy that you noticed the additional processing efforts.
As to adversing? I dunno mate- lots of mixed opinions here lately, might be a tough sell :lol:



Thanks Mike. Interesting comment, on my calibrated monitor I had to desaturate the RGB stars a bit as I had too much colour and they were looking a tad artificial, but here on my phone they show very little.
Might be a ‘phone thing :question:
Lots more detail in the new one too. :D

[strongmanmike]

Blinking between them it's hard to decide, as I said, not much in it..?..can you do a 50/50 blend :P

Mike

[Nikolas]

Love it

[gregbradley]

Looks great. Stars are very muted colours though, perhaps that is accurate but I imagine the colour could be a bit more saturated - you know you have to keep your reputation up for colour!!:rofl:

Don't go all conservative now.

Greg.

[Andy01]

Your command is my wish. :lol:



Thanks Nick! :)



No worries Gents - here we go - fully saturated stars as suggested. :D
ASTROBIN (https://www.astrobin.com/full/ppgdfl/C/)

[AdamJL]

How short, pray tell? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Placidus]

Absolutely delicious. I especially love the faint wispy arcs toward the bottom.

How in broad outlines (not what packages, but what mechanisms) do you use to add the RGB stars?

Do you for example produce a starless NB version, a stars-only RGB version, and add them?

Or do you make a star mask out of the RGB version?

[Andy01]

:thumbsup:

Hi Adam, with my CCD, max 120 sec subs for RGB seem to be working ok, about an hours worth for each. I've also been experimenting with 5 min subs for LUM, but I suspect these might be getting affected too much by LP, so might cut these back a bit too. :)



Hi M&T, many thanks for the kind comments. :thumbsup:

I process the NB masters and remove the stars - this time with star Xterminator.
I then blink between star & starless layers in PS to see if anything unnatural was removed or added and then rectify as required with the history brush prior to further post production.

RGB stars are then exposed for around 1hour per colour and combined to create a seperate layer.
Due to my location in suburbia, this usually needs colour tweaks to compensate for the LP. Converting this to LAB colour mode and using curves helps!
I then convert this back to RGB colour & lay this over the NB stacks in Lighten blend mode.

I then use the original Ha layer with stars intact as an additional LUM layer over the top of this stack, at 50-100%.

Hope that's useful. :D

[AdamJL]

Thanks Andy! Any tips from the master is super helpful.




This sounds almost like a PS workflow... you only work in PS? That gives me so much hope!!

[markas]

As before, but more so:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Mark

[Andy01]

Thanks Adam & Mark for your support and kind comments. :D

Adam, your are correct - I use APP for stacking and PS for post production with various plug-ins as required. :thumbsup:

[LKD]

looks great, awesome field so much detail to look at.

[Benjamin]

Wonderful image and a joy to wander through in high res: so many gorgeous detailed and colourful features

[willik]

Not much to say about this spider image but it is
A1 Andy:thumbsup:

[Andy01]

Thanks LKD, Ben & Willik for you positive and encouraging comments. :thanx:
Time to move along to the next one now. :D

[topheart]

Spectacular Andy!
Cheers,
Tim

[CoolhandJo]

Ok - so that's how its supposed to look! :thumbsup: Its got everything in it. Very nicely done

[Andy01]

Thanks very much again Tim & Paul - currently working on a new target, fingers crossed for clearer skies to get it done soon. :D

[pkinchington]

Fantastic Image! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Peter Ward]

False colour... hummm...I still struggle with it.
Lord knows, I've done a few, some crashed and burned, others did pretty darn well.

But would HaLRGB be better :question: .

How do we define better? Is astrophotography art? Or is there an art to astrophotography?

Your rendition is colourful in spades. The question I'd also ask, what physical process is being revealed here?

(BTW I also like the StarX plugin. :thumbsup:)

Anyway I'm probably being obtuse, as there are so many things I like about this rendition. Yet still, something seems lost to me...when I work it out I'll let you know.

Regardless of my ruminations, a tip o' the hat for this excellent rendition :thumbsup:

[Andy01]

Thanks Kanga. :)



Thanks Peter, HaLRGB is possible, but most of this data was captured under Melbourne's full moon. Not making excuses, but clear skies seem to happen only when the moon is full lately. Also Bortle 6/7 LP yada yada yada....

As to physical processes? Should be straightforward enough to determine as the colours are assigned to Ha, O3 & S2 - nothing especially tricky there other than perhaps an eye for a harmonious colour palette. ;)

And as to the 'Art & Astrophotography' discussion? We've already been down that road so many times on this forum that the resulting flame wars, bullying and spiteful comments (not yours) have become so tiresome that I couldn't be bothered engaging with them further online here.

However, when we next meet face to face, I'd be delighted to shout us both a decent bottle of red and discuss the topic like civilised people! :D

[multiweb]

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Drac0]

Very nice - hoping to capture this tonight if I've got my angles right & it's between the trees & not in them! Don't expect to get anywhere near this great result.