NGC 2070 Tarantula Nebula Final SHO images

[Startrek]

Finally finished my first SHO image of NGC 2070 Tarantula Nebula using the 2600MM and Antlia 3nm filters.
Very happy with the result under Bortle 8 skies and Full to first quarter Moon.
It’s taken just over a month due to persistent cloudy nights but managed to put together about 5 hours of data. I only have a window of less than 2 hours on this object during the night due to my roof , my TV antenna and a big tree obstructing its ascending view.

Bortle 8 City suburban skies
Full moon to first quarter
Seeing average
8” f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon fibre Newtonian
Skywatcher EQ6-R pro mount
ZWO 2600MM cooled to -10C , Gain 100
TS Optics GPU coma corrector
ZWO EAF
ZWO EFW 7 x 2”
Antlia 3nm filters
Orion 60mm guide scope with helical focuser
ZWO 120MM guide camera
Ha 34 x 3 min dithered subs
Oiii 30 x 3 min dithered subs
Sii 29 x 3 min dithered subs
Full calibration suite ( Flats, Darks and Bias )
Tracking and Goto EQMOD and Stellarium
Captured using APT
PHD2 Multistar guiding ( guiding over all sessions was excellent, lowest numbers ever achieved on this mount in 4 years , 0.37 arc sec total rms. )
Stacked in ASTAP ( ASTAP produced a much cleaner , lower noise stacked image than with DSS )
Processed in Startools V1.8 via Compose
In colour module used various SHO matrix blends and tweaked saturation and colour bias amounts
It should be noted , this is the first image where I didn’t use any Startools gradient reduction ( Wipe module ) For only 5 hours of data I expected more noise but the stacked image was very clean before loading into Startools.
I’d certainly like to add more data and see what 10 or 12 hours would produce but by the time this cloudy weather clears this object will limit my window to less than an hour. I’ll have to wait until next year.

Link to Astrobin below for full resolution……
https://www.astrobin.com/s8umvh/

Attached 4 off SHO versions and Synthetic Luminance version in 200KB


Comments welcome
Thanks for looking

Martin

[Ant0nio]

Hi Martin,

Although I'm not a huge fan of false colour nb imaging, you're definitely making solid progress on your mono journey.
I'd love to see this DSO in HaRGB, that said well done & keep at it mate :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Tony

[Startrek]

Thanks Tony,
Appreciate your kind reply
Yes NB can get a bit out of control with colour , bordering on “pop art” , however I’ve only just dipped my toes in with Mono , still so much to learn with these NB filters.Totally different imaging and processing to my OSC 2600MC.
Broadband with Ha accents is on my list. Unfortunately in Sydney ( Bortle 8 ) LRGB is a battle even during new moon period. My luminance subs fly off the Richter scale with only 20 sec subs.
Minding grandkids these days makes getting away down south to my Dome ( dark site ) more difficult , but I wouldn’t have it any other way , it’s a joy.
Thanks again
Martin

[Nikolas]

Number 1 for me

[Ryderscope]

Nice work Martin. I vote for number 2 which has more of a natural look to it :thumbsup:

[Startrek]

Thanks Nik
Me to

[Startrek]

Thanks Rodney
I’m just stoked I produced a colour image from a bunch of filters
OSC is a snack compared to the real deal
Cheers
Martin

[Dave882]

Great work again Martin! Amazing detail and the colour is looking good too. Number 1 is my preference too I think. Good to see you got enough clear sky it’s indeed been pretty rare lately!

[croweater]

Great stuff Martin. I like how you list all your equipment and capture info with your images too.
Cheers, Richard

[Startrek]

Thanks Dave
Much appreciated mate
Yeh pretty happy with the new Mono set up so far
Yes the weather has been ordinary to say the least this last month
I don’t know about El Niño, hot dry conditions, it’s more like La Niña

Cheers
Martin

[Startrek]

Thanks Richard,
I’ve always presented a lot of detail in my posted images , doesn’t hurt and may help others with similar rigs and conditions ( even did it back in my DSLR days in Beginners section )
Other folk do it as well which is great
Hopefully makes the post a bit more interesting and informative

Cheers
Martin

[strongmanmike]

It's coming into the long LMC season, yaaay! :cool:

As usual, some great variations there Martone, hard to pick a favourite :question:...partial to just Ha/B&W I think...?

:thumbsup:

Mike

[Startrek]

Thanks Mike,
Much appreciated
Andy Warhol with the Mono rig as well
His a reprocess of version 3
I called it “Tarantula on Fire”
Absolutely no scientific value but hopefully turns heads

Cheers
Martin

[strongmanmike]

Yeah, I get what you are feeling with this version :thumbsup:...apart from the mono, of the variations you have posted, I still like No.2 though :question:...but as I said to Nik, many colour variations and overall "looks" can look good and trying to settle on one you like best, can be pretty hard and change over time :scared: :P :thumbsup:...Hey, I know!! :eyepop:... do an Andy Warhol and make a whole strip of variations so every set of eyes gets satisfied, briiilliant! :D :lol:

I'm working on my own close up high res version (got a night of FWHM down to 1.5" :D) of this arachnid at the moment (well, Full Moon and all, you know... :rolleyes:) and I am pretty sure I knew what I was looking for in how I want it to look, buuuuut I'm just waiting a day or two before posting, maybe I will tweak it..again..yet...:doh::question:

Mike