Carina Nebula

[SB]

Hi All,
Going through some of my data from last year as the sky has been unkind for ages!

I find it really hard to get consistent colour results even processing the same data from scratch. What do others experience in getting consistent colour balance? Reminds me of the old NTSC colour format for video ( Never The Same Colour Twice)

Here is the Carina Nebula. Used Quattro 800, ASI 183 MM H S and O filters.

Chris.

[Leo.G]

Beautiful image!

Which software are you using to process the data?
I can't remember whether it's DSS or Registax (probably both) but there are colour gradient filters or something I can't remember the name of which you can use to automatically balance the captured data or manually adjust it to your own liking.
As someone with red green colour blindness my images always end up with a certain blue tinge to them but thankfully I have a son with excellent sight and he corrects my imbalance for me.


A few links I didn't yet read which may be a little helpful (and later to me too hopefully):


https://astrophotographyexpert.com/essential-post-processing-techniques-for-astrophotography/


https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/imaging-foundations-richard-wright/finding-your-color-balance/


https://www.stevenrobinsonpictures.com/deep-sky-astro-processing-tutorial

[Startrek]

Chris,
What’s the exposure totals of your data set
Ha = hrs ?
Oiii = hrs ?
Sii = hrs ?

If your data set and weightings are fairly balanced ( within 10% to 15% ) then to create a HST palette with those golden hues ( dominant ) and blue hues , you just load Sii into R channel , Ha into Green channel and Oiii into Blue channel ( typical SHO Hubble palette).Depending on which software you use you may have adjust the the channels ( back off the Green and/ or Blue to bring out the golden hues. Alternatively you could try a HSO palette which should also bring out those golden hues and less Blue / Green Cyan.

I use Startools which automatically maps your data set based on weighting and selected presets in SHO , HSO etc… very intuitive and effective. Once you jump into the colour module all the leg work in the background is done and you can select endless narrowband blends which can be tweaked to taste.

https://www.startools.org/modules/composite

https://www.startools.org/modules/color

Cheers
Martin

[AdamJL]

What software are you using?
Once you've stretched and combined your images to RGB (SHO), in PixInsight, download a script called NarrowbandNormalisation and it can help you get the right colour balance for narrowband images. Then play with curves. Using masks definitely helps with curves.

Great image

[SB]

Thanks Leo, Martin and Adam for your feedback and interesting links.

The Exposure was 30 X 300 Seconds, H, S and O.

My methodology:

Stack in DSS
Import into Affinity
Assign Colour to respective filters and set each to same saturation and lightness
Denoise and remove background
Align by Stars and merge SHO layers
Create starless and Stars only layer
Process starless layer - reduce green, increase cyan and red - Sharpen - Curves - Contrast
Reduce star layer magenta.
Combine Star and Starless Layers