M42 in HDR SORRY

[avandonk]

Last night I was looking for a test object even though there was about 60% Moon. There was some thin cloud to the South so M42 it was.

Full Res Image 3.9MB
http://avandonkbl.bigblog.com.au/data/2/13839/image/M42HDR4305920081209132022.jpg

Details
Canon 5DH, Meade SN10 with Paracorr PL-1106, Hutech LPR filter, 10x(7,15,30&60 sec) at 200ISO, 10x(1,2 min) at 400ISO, 2 min at 800 ISO, fridge at -10.0C.

Used EasyHDR to produce this image after the usuals with ImagesPlus and Registar.There is a reflection from the corrector plate.

With no Moon I can go a lot deeper. So far the SN10 looks like a very good performer.

Bert

[Screwdriverone]

That is a very nice image Bert, well done!

Cheers

Chris

[h0ughy]

thats a deep image Bert, fantastic, but how can most of the neb be smooth and the lower half be rough and noisy? is that because of the hdr process?

[avandonk]

Thats correct David where there is plenty of signal it swamps the noise and where there is very little or no signal you get all the lovely noise.

The HDR process gives you from noise to maximum signal all compressed logarithmically to fit into a dynamic range of 8 or 16 bits. With far longer exposures the noise will tend to decrease.

Bert

[AlexN]

Bert, Thats a fantastic M42. Your processing has created a very natural looking image, which is rare of M42... it seems equally exposed the entire way through from the dull areas of the nebula right through the trapezium...

Top Job!

Alex.

[avandonk]

Here are crops of the input images to show the variation from 7sec at 200ISO to 2min at 800ISO.
Bert

[Bassnut]

Bert

I tweaked it a bit (hope you dont mind :P)

On tweaking for some 2 mins, I think this is an exceptional pic, was a real pleasure to fiddle with, one of the best ive seen with a DSLR, well done :thumbsup:.

[avandonk]

Tweak away. I hope to get deeper data once the moon is gone and maybe even add narrow band data. You have certainly given it more punch. There is no doubt the fridge cooling the Canon 5DH in an environment of -6.0 C really cuts the noise down. The SN10 at f/4.6 really gets faint nebula data quickly. The paracorr PL-1106 is correcting very well over the whole full frame of the Canon 5DH. I have also finally got the mount tweaked to guide very well. If only the incessant cloud would go away or at least rain when it is there. If you want I can put upthe 60MB tiff for people to play with.

Bert

[Bassnut]

Well, its pretty deep the way it is, you could stretch more than the original you posted, with some noise management, and you resolved the core well. HDR is used to good advantage here. And I must say, the noise is easy to handle in the dim areas. The cooling seems to work really well.

The guiding and focus is also exceptional.

The link res was a nice, should be derigure for a DSLR of that calibre.

[AlexN]

Bert, I'd like to see the tiff if you don't mind uploading it.. I'd love to have a play with some good data (im sick of reprocessing my own data during this 3 weeks running of queensland storms)

[avandonk]

I will upload it now it will take some time as bigpong slows uploads to 125k.

Bert

[avandonk]

It took a few tries before I found out bigpong only allows jpg gif png or bmp.

So here it is 55MB as it came out of EasyHDR
http://avandonkbl.bigblog.com.au/data/2/13839/image/M42HDR3755420081210093655.png


Let us all see what you come up with.

Bert

[xelasnave]

Bert I always find your images have a very natural feel and this one is wonderful.
I was looking at M42 last night thru the 80mm binos and was surprised what I could see even with the Moon out... but this morning so clear I could see that outter band of nebulosity (I call it the fan) but my point is your image made me feel I was out there again.

alex

[avandonk]

Thanks Alex it is difficult to get the balance right with these objects. I go on what I think that they look like. There is nothing wrong with pushing contrast and colour etc to accentuate a faint feature, but I prefer a more 'natural' look whatever that is. The main thing is to keep trying and learning. Even though I know it will never be perfect. It is the journey that matters not the destination!

Bert

[AlexN]

I was wondering.. I did a bit of stretching... Did you apply flats to the images? Seems to be some vignetting thats coming out, or maybe its something with DSLR's that I dont understand.. ?? I'll post what I've got when I've finished it... but I must say, the data is fantastic fun to work with! :D

Alex.

[AlexN]

Heres my 2 attempts... With the color, I couldnt get the color balances where I wanted them... I got blues looking how I wanted, but reds/greens wouldnt play nicely (I'm red/green colorblind too, so that doesnt help.) To that end, I've also made a greyscale version.

Threw in a couple of synthetic luminance layers, stretched it a bit, tweaked at the contrast, this that and the other.. general poking and prodding that I apply to all my own images (I just keep manipulating the image untill it takes my fancy :D )

Its been nice to play with fresh data! I've done about 50 reprocesses over the past couple of weeks during this continious storm I seem to live under...

Hope you like them Bert (That said, I did not keep to your very natural looking style much at all..)

Cheers.
Alex.

[avandonk]

Alex(n) flats were applied but if you think about it in the areas where the signal is attenuated by vignetting the noise is still at the same level. So it will look more noisy comparitively. Have fun. I hope I learn something as well as I don't have all the answers.

Bert

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Bert,

Just looking at these images again and Alex's reproc, and a thought struck me, perhaps us Aussies could refer to these nebulae as the "Waratah Nebula" and the "Juggling Man" as this seems more descriptive to what is shown here?

I can certainly see a waratah flower in the main M42 area as well as the smaller blue stars around the man, almost look like juggling balls?

Anyone else see this?

Cheers

Chris

[Hagar]

Very nice rendition of this wonderful area Bert. I think you and the HDR process have done the image justice. With the huge dynamic range of this nebula I find most if not all of the images I have taken fit for the rubish bin but this one is a real keeper.
I wonder how long it has taken you to get this image to this stage with capture and processing. May well enlighten some of the newer astrophotographers and give them some idea of the work involved in capturing and processing a truely lovely image.
Very nice, well done.
No need to be sorry it is very pleasurable to see this caliber of image.

[tornado33]

Great work, I also note the field is well corrected, the paracorr does well. Does it raise the focal ratio at all?
Scott

[jase]

Wow Bert! Not much more I can add that hasn't already been said. Certainly a tribute to the HDR process. You've been persistent with this for sometime and your effort has paid off with this fantastic image. Don't think I've seen a DSLR image carry the bit depth/range so well. Very nicely done.

[avandonk]

Thanks Jase there is a 16bit png you can download and do your best with. Hagar I am just an old guy who has been at it a lot longer. I do not have all the answers. The ones I have would fill a book. I do not put up my results as the final answer to show anybody else up. Astrophotography is the most demanding of any real imaging pursuit. If it was easy we would all be doing it. I have always put up enough information so anyone else can try it.

Scott the PLU-1106 has a slight 'barlow' designed 'in' so there is no problems with to much in focus. The factor X 1.15. The lenses are also far bigger than an MPCC so there is very little vignetting even with a full frame camera or the larger CCD's.

All we can all do is keep at it!

Bert

[Garyh]

What are you sorry about Bert! that is a very nice M42 there. It sure is hard not to do this gem every year. More longer subs with no moon should smooth the darker areas out for you.
cheers Gary

[avandonk]

Here is my best shot processing the data from the 55MB png.

Full resolution 5.5MB
http://avandonkbl.bigblog.com.au/data/2/13839/image/m42sn10p4411520081218091604.jpg

I will collect more and deeper data. Might even do a new target as well.

Bert