M20 - Trifid Nebula and M16 - Eagle Nebula

[bluescope]

Hi All

Latest images from my 200mm F5 Newt and ST2000XCM with IDAS LPS 2 and Baader UV/IR. 40 minute total exposures of 300sec subs at -18 degrees. Not much in the way of processing.

:thumbsup:

p.s. Just added M16 from same session.

[peeb61]

Great shots Bluescope, just love the M16 shot a little bit more, this is one of my targets and I'm waiting for it!!!

Paul

:thumbsup:

[browndog]

Hi Steve - Nice images with plenty of detail :thumbsup:. well done.

There does seem to be a light gradient from left to right though??? Have you tried to remove this in processing?

[Ric]

Great images Steve, a lot of nice detail in these images.

A fine effort.

Cheers

[EzyStyles]

nice one steve. your images are getting better and better all the time. just slightly out of focus with the triffid.

[spearo]

very nice
well done nice and crisp a bit of gradient in M20 but very good stuff !
great camera that!
frank

[Garyh]

Nice colors there Steve, just have to get rid of that gradient like mentioned.
It will look much sweeter! :thumbsup:
cheers

[jase]

Making great progress Steve. Certainly an improvement over your last. You may wish to investigate in some gradient removal tools in time. You're on the right track. Well done.

[bluescope]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments.

Any recommendations as regards gradient removal software .... preferably freeware/shareware ..... ?

:thumbsup:

[iceman]

Wow Steve, they're coming along very very nicely. Improving rapidly now!

Agree with the gradients, it really detracts from the trifid image.

I use GradientXTerminator.

[iceman]

You might also want to look at getting the Baader MPCC to reduce the coma and flatten the field.

[bluescope]

Thanks Mike, is GradientXTerminator a freeware program. Where can I get it from ? Light gradients are my main problem consistently due to my location !

:thumbsup:

[iceman]

It's not free but it's not that expensive. And it's a great tool, well worth it.

http://www.rc-astro.com/resources/GradientXTerminator/purchase.php

[bluescope]

I have an MPCC already but have been waiting for spacers to arrive in the mail in order to get distance from sensor correct for the ST2000. The spacers arrived yesterday and so did the clouds and rain so it might be a couple of days before I can use it again !

:thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Thanks for the link Mike !

:thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Ah Russell Croman ay ..... does great stuff ..... have many of his images in my collection to inspire me. Would love to have his remote setup .... rich ... bar steward ! ;) I believe he had something to do with developing FM radio in mobile phones or some such like ..... smart cookie !

I haven't checked his site for a while so thanks !

:thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Hi Mike

I just donwloaded trial version of GradientXTerminator and here is the result on M20. Wow .... works good ! Looks like I'm spending another US$50.

Cheers !

:thumbsup:

Here are the 2 versions for comparison for anyone else interested.

Note : I have applied the filter to the reduced 800x600 image and have yet to try it with full res 1600x1200 file. I suspect it will have a slightly different effect on non compressed TIFF image.

[Tamtarn]

Two really good images Steve.

You seem to have things sorted out now. Certainly can see the improvement with each new post. :thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Thanks David

I have reposted the M20 image with a slightly better gradient removal.

:thumbsup:

[richardo]

Hey good stuff Steve,
now your going great guns!!!
Your processing looks real good imo!

Now, just the next step, concentrate on your focus.
It's just not quite there in both shots I noticed.

I generally wait till my optics are well cooled to the ambient, then spend about 15 minutes getting focus right. Even with auto focus.
I always do short tests shots to ensure the smaller stars are nice little pin pricks.

When I was manually focusing, some times it would take me a while, but the end result was well worth the effort.

These test shots also help to see how the object is framed to get the best out what your imaging with surrounding features.

Other than that, your leaping and bounding ahead.

Cheers
Rich

[bluescope]

Thanks Rich

I just bought a Shoestring FCUSB plus adapter cable, literally 10 minutes ago to control my skywatcher electric focuser. Only thing is that the focuser is on my 10 inch Newt and I took these images with my 8 inch just for a change, so I focused by hand. Never mind I can always get another elec focuser. ;)

Glad you like the images and thanks for the encouragement. It all takes time ay but I feel like I'm getting there bit by bit !

Cheers

:thumbsup: