M8, 11hours in 3nm Ha

[Bassnut]

Hi Guys

Part one in a mega data project. Im sick of processing artifacts, so the only way to avoid that is........better (more) data :P.

When the moon goes away, it will proceed (moon doesnt bother Ha, but RGB suffers).

This image is a total of 11hours, 33 off 20min exposures on an LX200R OTA at 3050mm FL f10, wobbly G11 and ST10XME, taken in Sydney with a very nearby full moon.

Minimal processing. Some deconvolute and a bit of sharpenig.

The narrow 3nm Ha filter rendered nice small stars, and on referencing a few top RC (albiet lower exposure time) efforts in Lum, I recon the LX200R cuts it.

Mega data sure helps in reducing noise, its the cheap scopes secret weapon to achieving image nirvana :D.

http://fredsastro.googlepages.com/home

[davewaldo]

VERY nice! Great depth to the image!

Your a trooper... 11 hours! :thumbsup:

[Bassnut]

hehe, an auto close Obs helps

[jase]

Marvellous Fred. Really enjoy the elegant ripples of nebulosity. Smooth processing. Some of the stars are a little strange looking, but at a 3 metre focal length on a G11, what does one expect.:) I eagerly await an RGB blend.;)

You need more data...punk:D

[[1ponders]]

Wow, really nice Fred! Your tempting me to try my straight 8 OTA on my G11. Have you modded or tweeked your G11 at all?

I hope my poor little steppers are up to it :lol:

[Bassnut]

yeah, I noticed that, 2 big ones caused me much grief (sigh, couldnt avoid the healing tool, blooming etc), the rest are .....I dont know, colimation or decon artifacts, hard to fix then. I must say, stars are really hard to fix, its my achilies heal at the mo.

[Bassnut]

Paul

Nope, not even PEC. This my friend, is where mega data allows (if needed) much processing to overcome mount problems and processing. Eggy stars are easy fixed in PS with, select all, copy, paste (now you have 2 layers), select darken blending and then the move tool, move to make the stars round and merge down. Decon and sharpening (again, if required) can be done with creative freedom, before noise rears its ugly head.

G11 with an 8 inch?, its a doddle, the lighter load will improve guiding, and the shorter FL will make errors less obvious.

Truly, if you have the patience for megadata, it overcomes many rig short commings.

[[1ponders]]

Thanks for the heads up fixits Fred. Look out :)

[strongmanmike]

Whoa!!! Yah know?.. at first I thought it was a close up luna panorama :eyepop:

But haven't you already done this region in narrow band with the Meade and G11?

http://fredsastro.googlepages.com/M8finalDmed.jpg/M8finalDmed-full.jpg

I assume you are hoping for a better result in the end?

Nice going and I agree with Jase....you need more data punk! :lol:

Mike

[Bassnut]

Hi Mike

Bugger me, what, 330 hrs :P.... punk :thumbsup:. (and, id do it if it wasnt for the rapidly diminishng returns you get doing that)

Well, the 1st effort was with an ST8XME and upscaling, its sure nice not having to do that with the ST10XME (but without a reducer).Yes I hope I can do better, and the 3nm flilter is very nice.

OK, its a same-as-do-again object, but the 4 * powermate I just got off Rob will kick off some REAL narrowfield work, here come some planetary nebs :D:D, begone you wide field woozes :scared:.

I pity you guys with portable set ups and no sleep (without a permanent pier auto-close-5hrs-after-you-go-to-bed gear :D)

[Ric]

MMMM Ha, a fine looking image Fred. The large image is revealing a fantastic amount of folds and twists within the nebulosity and there is a real depth to it as well.

I am looking forward to seeing the RGB added to this project.

Cheers

[Zuts]

Hi Fred,

Great detail and the Ha even lets you see the stars in the core which are usually blown out. This sort of image makes me want to go out and give my 5nm Astronomic Ha a real flogging :)

Paul

[tornado33]

Gee the detail around the Hourglass is stunning.
Scott

[2020BC]

Very special.:thumbsup:

[Garyh]

Top result Fred!
I would love to see this when the RGB is added! :)
So much to see in such a small FOV! :thumbsup:

[RB]

Stunning Fred, simply stunning !

LOL it looks like you were trying to photograph the full moon on a cloudy night.

[Bassnut]

Thanks Ric, I think ill go RGB this time instead of SII OIII.



Absolutely Paul, very narrow Ha really brings out neb stucture. Needs longer exposures than Lum, but IMO far superior for Nebulae.



Thanks Scott. Id really like to get up close to the hrglass one day, and image just that :).



Thanks Bill



RGB comming. Its when the FOV gets small thats theres MORE to see :thumbsup:



Cheers Andrew, id sure get a lot more opportunities to image the moon in the cloud :P

[leon]

I know I'm a bit late Fred, but that is a hell of an image, 11 hours :eyepop:

No I understand what you have told me in your PM, thank You.

Leon :thumbsup: