NGC2070 - The Tarantula

[AdamJL]

Hi all

it's been ages since I last shot. Finally able to get some SII data last night on the Tarantula. I guess this is still a work in progress that I plan to "complete" over the next couple seasons as I really want to bring out that core. But, like Orion, sometimes a bright core isn't a bad thing.

So here's version 0.1 :)

NGC 2070, the mighty Tarantula. My favourite patch of the sky.

QHY268M
ZWO AM5. My first image from this great mount.
Esprit 120 + 1x FF/R
Captured with NINA, edited in PI

SII: 74 x 180
OIII: 24 x 300
Ha: 43 x 300

Larger image here (https://www.astrobin.com/full/190ydl/0/). Please do have a click and tell me what you think :)

EDIT: amended version here (https://www.astrobin.com/full/190ydl/C/)

Cheers!
Adam

[Crater101]

Loving the colour and the detail here, the image has real depth. Lovely work.

[marc4darkskies]

Oh yes! Very nice! Keep working on it Adam! Resolving that core is key. You have the makings of a really great image there! :thumbsup:
Also, suggest you lift the darker regions a bit (with a curve) to better bring out the fainter wisps = greater depth. It makes a big difference to overall impact! :thumbsup:

[Startrek]

Adam,
Great start on the Tarantula with your excellent Mono set up
Those 3nm Antlia’s certainly do the job
Love the colour too
Well done !
Not a fan of a blown out main body and core , there’s so much incredible nebulosity clouds to expose in that area
From memory, I think you have Startools ?
Just a thought, if your interested, maybe try a reprocess in ST , it will definitely tame that core and even out the detail and dynamic range , brightness across the main body using AutoDev and then HDR. The centre area you can use Shrink with a dim preset to tone it down as well
That’s how I tamed my Tarantula the other day , no layering or anything like that , it just knows what to do without special masks , curves and you can throttle the aggressiveness to taste. So easy

Looking forward to seeing your final image after you collect more data

Cheers
Martin

[Stephane]

Very nice Adam. I'm not surprised this is your favourite region, it's beautiful. Your image is packed full of colour, detail, and dynamic range. I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress with it. Keep going!

[RyanJones]

A lovely image Adam. I love the natural look and full range you’ve used. Especially as you move wider out on these bright nebulae, leaving the core naturally bright gives the image context. I’m a big fan of the region at about 4 o’clock from the core. Nice tight stars too. Well done 👍

[AdamJL]

Thanks, Warren! Glad you like it. The colours were something new to me; I learned a lot processing this one.



Wow, very nice comments, thanks Marcus. I have edited the image above to include the core a bit more. I did also do a heavier stretch that made the outside edges a bit red. I'll see if I can get some more data. I know there's a lot more hiding if I pull back with a 0.77x reducer so maybe I'll try that one day too. Thank you :)



Thanks mate :)
I've edited the image now to include more core data and have included a (low res!) image on this post. I'm not sure if I want to push it too far, as I do want some brightness there but without the data being lost as well.
Your suggestion of using StarTools is a good one. In fact, it's one I used on my Horsehead and Flame image here (https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=1546350&postcount=4)

StarTools is great at HDR, it's one of the strengths of the program. It's just difficult to then match the colours to the colours produces in PixInsight. But it's certainly a great tool to use!




Cheers Stéphane! Hope you also like the re-pro :)



Thanks Ryan! I agree with you about keeping the brightness in an image; it's just hard to figure out where the balance is between brightness and detail. Hope this reprocessed image fares a bit better in that regard.

And you're also so right! The areas around the main core are stunning. It's definitely an area I want to hit with a long focal length scope one day. Cropping into a few areas is throwing up all sorts of cool things. I can't believe how many objects are in this area.

[RyanJones]

It is a challenge. I think you sum it up when you say “ hit it with a longer focal length “. The brightness depends on the frame of reference. If you’re imaging just NGC 2070 or even tighter like the lovers loop, by all means tone it down to show the features. When you image a wider area like you have, the dynamic range is important to show context to the field. It takes skill to extract as much out of the background and not clip the highlights.

Having said that, I do like your edited version. I just feel like the first version is more “ right “.

[Stephane]

The revised version has a more detailed core, but I think too much dynamic range has been lost (my opinion only of course). Perhaps somewhere between the two versions? I'm leaning closer to the original. Regardless of what you choose though, the image will be stunning either way!

[Dave882]

Wow that’s beautiful! I think I prefer the revised version for its greater detail in the core- and in full size the colour and detail is incredible!! This is going to be stunning when you complete it!

[alpal]

Hi Adam,

Very nice image indeed.
I like the re-processed one better.
I agree with others -
more detail can be brought out in the bright areas with HDR toning
However that will cause noise in the low signal areas so
a layer mask needs to be used.
The darker areas could be boosted very slightly in curves.


cheers
Allan

[marc4darkskies]

Ah yes. The core looks much improved Adam! I agree with Stephane's comment though that you've crushed the dynamic range a bit.

I played with your revised version briefly - in Photoshop - to restore some dynamic range, lighten the shadows and reduce red in stars. I'd be happy to share before and after thumbnails, if you like, to illustrate. Otherwise, keep going! :thumbsup:

[AdamJL]

Thanks everyone. It's funny how there are so many different opinions :)

I like the last edit, but I'm always tinkering. Here's a comparison between the revised edit (left) and the newer revised edit :D (right)

@Marcus, sure thing, happy for you to post your results! Cheers

[marc4darkskies]

Hehe ... I also like to tinker ... a LOT! :lol:

Okay. Below is before and after my 10 minute tinker (based on your first tinker :) yesterday). 8 steps in PS with a bit of masking. Good enough for illustrative purposes at least.

Hopefully, this is looking deeper and balanced in terms of dynamic range (core & spider relatively brighter, keeping detail intact while making fainter wisps more visible. But, of course, how much contrast you want is personal taste as long as you don't crush the shadows. I also reduced the red in stars (but not really visible in this low res thumbnail)

Tinkering is fun! :D

[Andy01]

That's a spectacular image! :)

[AdamJL]

Oh time to tinker some more :)

Yeah I like that edit, thanks Marcus! I'll keep playing around some more. I like the stretch of the nebulosity, but did the background jump a bit too high in luminance?

[AdamJL]

Very kind of you to say, thanks Andy!

[AdamJL]

Oh cool, it got a top pick on Astrobin :)

That's a nice first for me!

[marc4darkskies]

Didn't think so but this was a quick & dirty on an 8 bit jpeg after all. Like I said, do as much contrast as you like without crushing the shadows so much you lose the faint wispy stuff. My guess is that there is very little truly black sky in this frame.

Once again, you've got a great image there Adam! :thumbsup::thumbsup: It's worth your time to get it just right.

[Stephane]

Congrats on your first top pick Adam! Well-deserved in my opinion.

[CoolhandJo]

very nice indeed!

[AdamJL]

Thanks vm, Stéphane



Cheers Paul!

[strongmanmike]

A most excellent Tarantula there Adam :thumbsup:...maybe, just maybe... I will get to take one sometime in the distant future too :(

Mike

[AdamJL]

Hey thanks for the comment, Mike!

Really looking forward to seeing images from your setup. We've been waiting so long (and you even longer :D)

[Addos]

nice shot and congrats on the top pick nom!

[AdamJL]

Cheers, thanks Adam! I'm still tinkering on it as well :D