I swear, I am not posting this data again after this.. M42 HaRGB.

[AlexN]

I've posted this data set 3 times now with varying levels of processing applied..

This time I think its as good as its going to get without a more experienced image processor having a stab at it... I cant do any more to it without making it worse...

Im actually pretty impressed... I personally like the coloring, the red in the background is a problem, however I didnt know how to boost the red in the Ha areas without making the sky background too red... that being said.. HaRGB might be half the reason. Any input? ?

As before.. 8x600sec + 13x30sec Ha and 17x240sec + 10x30sec color images...

Stacked each set individually, processed each set individually.. masked the cores in both the Ha and RGB data seperately, then used the completed Ha image as Lum, the Ha : Color ratio is about 50:50... (again, any input??)

All coments and ideas on further bettering the image are welcome... More to the point, they are encouraged..

Well... For the last time (I hope.. )
My M42 HaRGB blend.
I hope to do a small galaxy next.. I think its time to introduce the QHY8 to the C11 again...

Thanks for reading my little story..

1st image is the current version... 2nd is the previous attempt.

Alex.

[multiweb]

Typical case of M42itis. I prescribe sun glasses and moon observing for the next 15 days. :lol: Great repro. I like the new version. :thumbsup:

[prokyon]

It´s an improvement, no doubt. Well done, I like it!

werner

[strongmanmike]

Well Alex except for the trap region the latest version has a very nice colour balance. The Core is very hard to get natural but it doesn't look too bad in your latest version. You will lokk back at this image each season and hopefully you will notice improvement that you didn't realise was happening :)

And please, no apology necessary regarding reprocesses, as far as I am concerned this is not a forum just for grand "I now present" reputation on the line releases only. We all love this stuff we do so I don't see why we shouldn't all enjoy reprocesses and comment on them :thumbsup:

Mike

[marc4darkskies]

Looking good Alex! :thumbsup: Colour is more "natural" and the stars tighter. Have you tried Rob Gendler's Ha blending technique? http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/HARGB.html

I agree with Mike - no apologies required for perfectionism ;).



Is the background too red? There's a lot of nebulosity in this area - be careful not to remove real information from your image. In any case, assuming you're using Photoshop, there are a few ways you can fix a red background. A curves adjustment layer can work (working mostly at the black end of the red channel). A colour balance layer or even a levels layer (or some combination of these) will also work. Always use layer masks though when you want to selectively alter an image. If you want to work on darker areas only, use an inverse layer mask (ie using a negative image in the mask). If you want to work on the brighter areas, use a positive layer mask (a positive image in the mask). Another trickier way to create a mask on the area you want to adjust is to use the colour selection tool (adjusting the fuzziness appropriately) and then create an adjustment layer. The seleced areas become the white areas in the mask (the areas that will be affected by the adjustment). If you want to NOT affect the selected areas, simply invert the mask. Careful though, you can wreck the colour balance if not done carefully.

BTW, I won't tell you how many times I have to tweak an image before I get it just right. Even after I post an image, I usually have to do a bunch of subtle changes. I guess it's part of the artist in every astro-imager! :shrug:

Cheers, Marcus

[Omaroo]

Agreed Mike - seeing sequential processing iterations is what it's all about Id've though too. It's great to see a learning process in full swing because we can all get something from it.

Well done Alex. Lookin' good :thumbsup:

[atalas]

An improvement in some ways Alex .....no new data keep playing with old data !

[AlexN]

yeah the flats didnt seem to work so well with the data as they are the first flats I've taken... I think that they were too bright...

I think the nebula's luminance is better in the new image, but the core blending could be better.. its really hard to judge one against the other as they both have their merits...

Purely aesthetically speaking, the newer one is nicer in my eyes.

[Hagar]

Hi Alex. I have to agree with Mike. Thats a new one for me isn't it Mike. I for one hang the reprocessing a bit but am just as guilty as the next bloke. Who cares anyway. If we weren't interested we wouldn't look.
As for this image it is looking pretty good.
A little thing I found in nebulosity which may be of interest is the menu item which allows you to keep only the Lum data and discard the colour data from an image. Thus you can make a true Lum layer from a Ha RGB image easily.

Keep at it

[TrevorW]

Alex well done now before we need to get the straight jacket out move on, accept this is as good as you'll get before you cut an ear off.:painting:

[ejcruz]

Alex, great work on both images, everytime I redo my M42 I see something new it's like a never ending story, I'm now thinking of getting HA and SII filter (already have the OIII) and then give M42 another shot.

Cheers
Eddie

[AlexN]

from what I've seen SII doesn't do a lot for M42. OIII and Ha do make some nice additions to the data though...

doing R+Ha G B+OIII seeeems to give nice results..

[spearo]

well done
keep at it,
re-processsing is how we learn too!
I dont do enough of it!
frank

[AlexN]

Thanks Frank, you rarely have to reprocess in my opinion! :)

[Bassnut]

Theres some kind of semi circular banding effect at the bottom, whats going on there Alex?.

[RobF]

LOL! - Alex Nicholas - Van Gogh of the Southern Heavens!!!

Looks pretty damned good to me too Alex. Dunno if its what you had on the big screen the other day, but that was gobsmacking for size/detail. :thumbsup: :)

[AlexN]

Rob, This is a repro of that same data you saw on the screen the other day.. (lol, and the image you saw was about 12~15% of full image size)

This one at full res is very impressive for me.. I'm very happy with it indeed.

It may even be my best image... either this or my Eta Carine.. Not sure.. I like M42 more, because it was the first DSO I ever saw through a scope.. However the Eta image is perhaps better... Hard to say, but im happy nonetheless..

Thanks for the comments everyone, Very encouraging!

[Screwdriverone]

Veeeeery nice Mr N,

Looks pretty damn good to me! I wouldnt mind a hi res version so it could graduate to my desktop if you could be so kind, that's a cracker!

I like it......a lot!

Well done mate!

Cheers

Chris

[Octane]

Alex,

Onya, mate. I'm as curious as Fred, though, about the green circular banding. :shrug:

Regards,
Humayun

[AlexN]

Fred & H -I think its come from the flats to be honest... it was my first time shooting flats, and I think they may have been too bright... I'll have to give them another go....