NGC 3372 - Eta: 2.5 hours - high res.

[RB]

I'd like to present my first image from last week's session.

It's a total of 2.5 hours worth of data using the 20Da at 400 ISO through the TOA-130 guided with PHD and the Orion StarShoot AG and Short Tube 80.
Various exposures used from 10 min down to 1 min with darks, flats and bias frames applied.
This was the first time I used my EL Panel light box to create my flats and I'm very happy with the results.

Link: NGC 3372 - The Eta Carinae Nebula region. (http://www.astro-image.org/page/ds/eta.htm)

This is the high resolution version, 1600x1052 and nearly 1.5MB in size.
Be sure to scroll around the image.

EDIT: Added the Full Res version Below (2MB):
http://www.astro-image.org/page/ds/etafullframe.htm

Thanks for looking and as always comments most welcome.

[h0ughy]

lovely mate, very nice. its amazing how much a 60mm DS scope will produce. I love the subtle colour changes

[Dennis]

Hi Andrew

Wow – that is a breathtaking and beautiful image of this stunning region! I’m very glad that I have a 1600x1200 monitor and by using F11 in the browser, I got to see this in all its glory.

Strangely enough, I preferred it rotated 90 degrees in Portrait mode?

The subtle tones and colours give the image great depth with the patterns of twisting gas clouds reminding me of those 3D relief maps of mountain ranges, showing curving ridges and hollowed out sheer faces.

Top stuff mate!

Cheers

Dennis

[iceman]

Wow that is really beautiful. And with a samsung point and shoot camera too!

Nicely done.

[renormalised]

Great piece of work...good job:D:D

[Octane]

Needs more purple. :P

Seriously, nice work.

I'd like a bit more contrast in it, though.

Lovely work. Bet you're glad to have posted. :)

Regards,
Humayun

[sheeny]

Superb image, RB! I like it!

Al.

[madwayne]

Hi ya RB.

This image rocks mate - well done. Seriously though 2.5 hours, could have done with more data :whistle:.

Wayne

[peeb61]

Holy dooley Andrew!
That is just nice......

Paul

[richardo]

Top image here Andrew..
Looks like the TOA scope handles CA very well.
Don't mind your colour rendition, guess the slight greenish/blueish areas represent OIII.
I'm a bit with Humayun that it could stand a tad more contrast. This would really bring out the dark nebulous areas.

Other than that, this is really a good show case for your setup and what can be achieved.

Good stuff!

All the best
Rich

[Quark]

A really lovely job Andrew, on a stunning target, you must be very proud of this effort.

An image to really get lost in, the fine structure and intricate detail is just so impressive as is the sharpness and resolution of the star images.
Wondered what it would look like with the sky a tad darker, I am only just getting into this and don't feel remotely qualified to comment on the technical aspects of your image.

It looks amazing as is but would the contrast of a darker background help or hinder the overall look?

Regards
Trevor

[Octane]

Andrew,

You've got some amazing data there.

I hope you don't mind, but, I had a very, very quick play with this and came up with this (http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/eta.jpg). It might look too red thanks to my red-deficient notebook screen.

Any chance I could get my hands on the RAW data? ;)

Regards,
Humayun

[leon]

Nice one Andrew, I reckon the colours and details are just spot on, beautifully captured.

Leon

[strongmanmike]

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate :eyepop:
Nice job, showcases what that cheap Chinese plate glass achromat can do very nicely :P

Perhaps the colours aren't all that attractive..? but it is still a quality image for sure. Not sure I like what Humi did to it though :doh:(sorry Humi, still love ya work :D). I would love to see a full res version or some close up crops to get a btter idea of the resolution you are getting with that 5" plastic lens :whistle: and the bayer matrix infested chip. Even though you are still using a DSLR I recon the res wouldn't be too shabby...? :confuse3:

Mike
now, YOU have Guinness ma boy! :drink:

[RB]

Thanks for your feedback guys, much appreciated and glad you like it.
I've adjusted the contrast slightly and you can view the new version below:

http://www.astro-image.org/page/ds/etav2.htm

That's one problem I need to deal with more carefully because my monitor has such a wide gamut and what looks fine on my screen may not look right on another.

I've included a screen capture of the corresponding images to show the difference in the histograms:
First is the original.
Next is the new version.

I do like my images to have a slightly brighter background (as can be seen from the histogram not starting at around zero), it's just a personal preference and that's what I pass on to others too when asked for advice.
As you know this avoids clipping the black point.

I also like the colours as they turned out, slight salmon hues and hints of greenish/blueish areas like Rich said, just a slightly different feel to a very popular target like Eta.
It's actually fairly close to how the "colour ratio" was from the camera. :shrug:

Anyway thanks again for your feedback, just what I was after because you tend to go cross-eyed after looking at your own image for such a long time when processing, it's good to have other's opinions.

:thumbsup:

[RB]

Mike :lol:

Sorry I was writing my reply while you posted yours.
Thanks mate glad you liked it, I'll see what I can do for some 100% crops.

Yep still learning about colour.....a little off probably because of the cheap glass and infested bayer matrix or because Mike Brady says so :lol:


Cheers mate, off to have a beer.

[StarScream]

Spooky. I was looking at Eta Carina for the first time on Saturday night ..... and here you have a glorious photo of it.

Well done.

[RB]

H !

Magenta rules baby !!:lol:

[Bassnut]

Very nice Andrew, tight as. Nice to see you have the balls to post a DSLR pic in hi res, and it deserves it.

[RB]

Thank you StarScream, glad you liked it.

:)


LOL Fred thanks champ !

[Hagar]

Very nice Andrew, I think I like the second version. A bit more contrasty which lifts the Nebula a lot more.

Nice work.

[alan meehan]

Andrew truly a champion effort amazing detail,well worth the 2.5 hrs spent
well done.

[cookie8]

You don't post your images very often Andrew but every time you posted it was an eye-opener. Incredable image!!:eyepop:

[beren]

Yes agree you don't post enough of your work RB :) Awesome image :eyepop: congrats, the talent is unleashed

[RobF]

What a stunner! You know you're looking at a great image when you see a whole host of details you didn't realise were there before. I love the dark tendrils in your image Andrew. Showing my ignorance, but I had thought many of the darker patches in this area were holes in the neb!

[Matty P]

It has been a while Andrew. Lovely image. :)

I'd like it a bit more red but it really shows the beauty of Eta.

Nice work. :thumbsup:

[Screwdriverone]

Nice one Eliminator!

Very, very nice to me.....well worth the wait at a measly 64 painful kb per sec since the kids blew my data cap in the holidays....

Top stuff, could stare at it for hours! Well done.

Cheers

Chris

[multiweb]

:eyepop: That's awesome Andrew. Love the colors and details. Nice. :thumbsup:

[bluescope]

Nice job Andrew ... I adjusted Humayan's pic a little ... couldn't save yours from the site to mess with.

It's very compressed ... 20% web image so not good quality at all ... I'm just bored mate .... 40 degrees here today so it's a/c and internet weather.

:thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Fantastic image Andrew. You put in the hours and reaped the rewards.

You're making that TOA sing. I think Canon never went past the 20Da myself. It'd be nice if they made a 5Da Mk11!

Greg.

[RB]

Many thanks for all your replies everyone, I really do appreciate it and makes all the hard work worthwhile.
I know I don't post much in Deep Sky, a very hectic workload and household keeps me very busy at times.

As requested, here is the Full Res (3504 pixel) version at 2MB.
http://www.astro-image.org/page/ds/etafullframe.htm

Hope you enjoy scrolling around the image.

:)

[Rodstar]

Just a little more detail than one might normally see under suburban skies.........

.....absolute ripper, RB!

Makes a man feel weak in the knees, seeing Carina showing off like that...

[RB]

Glad you liked it Rod.

:)

[JohnG]

Nice work there, RB :thumbsup:

Makes it all worthwhile when it comes together like that, you should be happy :)

Cheers mate