Witches Head Nebula

[Hagar]

This is a compilation of 10 X 15 minute exposures of this area.

A dificult faint target to frame let alone capture.

Captured using QHY8Pro, Takahashi FSQ106ED.

I have included a couple of versions here for you to comment on. I was very interested in the small Galaxy cluster in the top left corner although I seem to have some aberation in this area which is evident in each frame.

Hope you enjoy.

[bmitchell82]

You bugger doug! i have been trying to hunt this baby down! but had very little luck but if your capturing it with 15 min subs this gives me great hope.

your focus is nice and framing, but the image looks very yellow. I thought it was ment to be a blue reflection nebula illuminated by Rigel? other than that nice job on a tough as target.!

[mexhunter]

Hello Doug:
Difficult object.
10 x 15 minutes and as soon as one is… but, you have there it. Congratulations!
The last year I tried it, without good results.
Many greetings
Cesar

[Jeffkop]

Now thats a faint area all right Doug, probably why you dont see it very often. Your off to a great start though assuming this is a work in progress.
I Like the composition and the target.

[suma126]

WELL DONE IT LOOKS AWESOME . :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[lacad01]

Looks mighty fine to me for something that's pretty difficult to image :thumbsup:

[sadia]

I like them all :). Will you be adding more data to it?

[renormalised]

Witchy-poo's looking good:D:D

Great shots, Doug:D

If anything, there might be a little bit of field curvature, or maybe a slight misalignment from flexure in the top corner. It's hardly noticeable.

[TheDecepticon]

Nice 1!! I can never get this to show up. If I tried any longer exposures, the only thing to show up will be my periodic error and poor guiding!!:lol:

All of them are good, but number 3 for me.:D

[Hagar]

After a couple of comments about the colour and an email from a mate I decided to try a repro on this target. Interestingly I don't seem to be able to replicate the traditional blue hue to the nebula. What I do find interesting is the faint Ha/ red nebula in the top of the nebula and the redish areas around the red stars in the nebula itself.

Cloudy as hell here tonight but when it clears I will have another go to add some more data to the image and I might even spend a little time with a Ha filter over this area and see what shows up.

I have added another image to the list which is heavily leaning towards the blue chanel. See what you think.:thanx:

[bmitchell82]

hey doug are you using the OSC? or mono? ive added a ref picture that i generally use for a good idea what the colours are while im imaging

[seeker372011]

nice capture doug

[Hagar]

Yes a one shot colour camera.

I know what you are saying Brendan. I was also of the opinion that the entire nebula was verging on the blue to white. I also know that my camera is very good when it comes to colour. The areas of red are definitely there and even the browner dust near the top of the image is also there. The thing that I find hard to grasp, andI have found it to be true with a number ofimages I looked at was the lack of colour in the images. Even star colour is almost missing. I really don't know what is correct with the coour balance. The very top of the image sees to have quite a bit of very faint red, I gather emmission nebula. Perhaps I need to do a mosaic on this area and see what turns up above the current nebula.

:thanx: Thanks Everyone for the comments. This is a hard one to work out.:thanx:

[bmitchell82]

interesting... the faint objects are always the hardest to match a colour correctly. Ive got a few new bits and bobs, and will be out at tammin soon so im going to have another crack at this and see what the 10 can pull out with the 40d lets hope! :)

[Hagar]

Good luck with it Brendan.

[coldspace]

Very interesting object, I always like seeing this one done, one day in about 10 years:lol: I might be able to capture it.

Matt.

[Hagar]

Work at it Matt, It's not that hard.

I have done another workup on this image (Sidonio), I think it s a little better colour wise.
Added to the first set of images also.

[coldspace]

I will ,getting more addicted now.
Next year when I get my new camera I will get more into it, then the questions will come for you guys.BTW the repo is great.

Matt.

[jase]

Great imaging Doug. The last image you posted presents the most accurate colour. This is a reflection neb after all so a dominate blue hue is to be expected. I recall when I imaged this a couple of years back I ended up using the blue channel as the luminance. In hindsight I think I'd do it quite different today. You've extracted the dusty tones well. Top work, keep it going!

[atalas]

Doug you last repro looks great! congrats...drop the green channel a very slight touch and re adjust levels for bias and your there! awesome dude!

[bmitchell82]

thats definately coming up the goods doug, i guess more data harder stretch :) hehehe.

[Robbie]

I love that shot great colour, good guiding

[zipdrive]

great capture! well done.

[mill]

The last repro looks good Doug but i would go for 25 to 30 Minutes on that faint sucker.
If it stay's clear tonight i will have a go at it too because this is one of the many i did not do yet (will see if 30 Minutes will get it).

[bmitchell82]

hey doug whats the name of the star just to the LHS of the image

[kinetic]

Beautiful Doug!

Just beautiful! I'm glad you're getting some good skies at last.
Your original plus a Cartes overlay with NGCs and mags listed.
Click back and forth with the left hand margin images.

Steve

[CoolhandJo]

I can only imagine how dificult this is to image. Well done.

[Hagar]

Thanks Guys, It is a hard one to capture for sure but it gave me more worries trying to process it. I'm in two minds about the finished results. I sort of like the more dusty appearance of the first few images but know it should have the blue reflection from Rigel.
Personal choise I suppose.