NGC3324 Gabriela Mistral Nebula

[Doogs38]

Hi folks. I enjoyed the Xmas break and this is my final image before the working year commences ... I'll stop spamming you with images :D. After seeing the JWT and Hubble images of the 'Cosmic Cliffs' in NGC3324, I felt compelled to make my own backyard-brewed version with an 8" SCT :-) I used shorter exposures and higher gain (120sec @ 240 gain) vs what I use on my refractor (5mins @ 120 gain) - I get better stars and lose less subs. I braved an attempt at a HOO image in PI using 6hrs 40mins of OSC dual NB data - it was a drawn out learning process. PI took about 3hrs to integrate 200 subs on a recent Intel MacBook Pro, APP took considerably less time. I had three attempts at producing the HOO image using different techniques/tools: 1) Bill Blanshard's pixelmath tools ... didn't like the end result (too yellow), 2) some very new tools/scripts from Jürgen Terpe (they're excellent - definitely keepers) ... very solid result but still didn't quite hit the mark, 3) the good ol Channel Combination tool using OIII and Ha masters produced in APP ... got the result I wanted (after much editing). Seems I need both PI and APP in some instances. I also tried a new freeware stand-alone gradient removal tool called GraXPert which produced excellent results but seems to introduce extra noise so I stuck with PI's ABE.

I added 1mm of additional backfocus (total now = 106.3mm) to correct distorted stars around the periphery of images. That seems to have mostly worked but will try an additional 1mm.

I've included a 1:1 of the 'Cosmic Cliffs' from my HOO image and the Hubble image of the same area. I reckon the SCT did a reasonable job :thumbsup:

Btw, "Gabriela Mistral Nebula" is a strange name for a nebula! Thanks for looking. Alex

EdgeHD 8", 0.7 reducer
200 x 120s, 240 gain, Antlia dual NB, ASI294MC
D, F, DF. PI and PS

[oska]

Absolutely top shot Alex! I really like the colour and the detail is fantastic.
JWST needs to fix its magenta stars :lol:
Condolences, work is a four letter word; I was thinking you took the guru's advice. Take it from me mate, your images are much much better when your not working, you should sort that out ;)

[Dilsh]

Hey Alex,

I agree. You need to quit work for all your IIS fans.

Another thought provoking amazing shot.

Cheers,

Dilshan

[John W]

Excellent image Alex - well done. Shouldn't be in the beginners section.

Cheers John W.

[Startrek]

This nebula was apparently named after a Chilean Nobel prize winner for Literature.
It is supposed to resemble her ? This B&W photo on wiki is probably the closest resemblance due to her hair style

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriela_Mistral

As well as taking pretty pictures it’s nice to look into the origins , history and composition of the object your imaging.

Nice capture by the way , one of my favourites, just behind the Prawn nebula

Well done !!

Pity us coastal huggers are starved of clear nights ( only 2 nights in the past month or so )

La Niña must be lingering