NGC3372 Eta Carinae Nebula

[troypiggo]

Sorry guys, I know this nebula has been done to death.

I'd really appreciate brutal critique on the processing. I'm sure the data is pretty good, just need the processing to do it justice.

This is 15 x 4min frames taken with my 40D (modded), ED80 and WO FF IV. Really liking the results from that flattener on the ED80.

I'm still working on my processing, so don't rule out a rework in the next few days. :)

EDIT: Reworked as predicted :) Much happier with the colour balance and contrast in this one. Original on left, rework on right.

Click here for a 1600px wide version, about 800kB (http://piggo.com/%7Etroy/photos/2010/2010_04_10/NGC3372.jpg).

[ozstronomer]

Troy that's a great image. The modded camera really gives the image that WOW factor, well done.

Geoff

[Tilt]

Nice one Troy, I think the WO IV flattener really works well there. I have the WO Pflat2, and it doesn't seem to be quite as good as the IV.

Michael

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. Was thinking more about this after posting. Might post a link to bigger image, and looks a little magenta instead of red like you'd expect. Will play more tomorrow.

[Octane]

Beautiful. Just beautiful. I love it just the way it is. Smooth soft contrast throughout but still sharp enough to maintain detail.

Needs more gradients, though. :tonguepoke:

H

[bmitchell82]

brutal :) hahaha, theres not too much to be brutal about, you seem to have the guiding down pat and the FF is doing its job flattening the field.

If you can guide for 4 minutes, hit 10, the difference is amazing! and the ed 80 needs that extra time open.

Processing, keep your eyes on the histogram working with levels to expand the individual channels R,G,B. and also keeping them aligned. Opening up your image the red part of the histogram was double and can be seen in the darker areas and red stars. the rework still shows those lovely blue/yellow stars but allows the other colours to come on though. if you have a look at my eta carina there is purples, pinks, reds, blues.

I call it aligning and expanding the channels it gives you powerful control over colour and saturation.

Ive added in a before and after hope that helps.

[Octane]

Brendan,

Your rework of Troy's image has rendered the background a green colour.

H

[bmitchell82]

this is interesting, im either colour blind to green or somethings going funky because i cannot see green on this computer or my eepc, i have one other friend that says he sees "funky green colours" in my images. I utilize the Spyder3 pro for colour calibration of my monitors and when i print to a colour calibrated epson photo printer at the uni they look exactly like they do on the screen. Could you look at my other images and tell me if you see funky green colours.

[jjjnettie]

I wouldn't call it "funky green" more a "British Racing Green" Brendan.:)

Troy, how can one ever tire of this nebula?
Thanks for posting.

[troypiggo]

Thanks guys and gals for the comments.

I'm aware of the red. You should have seen the unprocessed version just after stacking. I wasn't sure how to handle it, because I know there's a lot of nebulosity in this area. I set the black points at the darkest areas - top right corner and also that dark patch at 9 o'clock middle.

Thing that's really bugging me is the kind of magenta tinge. Is that the real colour? I thought it should be more red. Couldn't for the life of me get the colour balance right the way I envisaged it.

@Brendan - if you're using Photoshop, use the info window instead of eyes. Press F8 to bring it up. Hover mouse over the area you think might be black/neutral, and you can see the R, G, and B values at that point. You can set it to use a 3x3 average instead of a point, smooths out noise etc. Very handy to see colour biases using numbers.

[troypiggo]

I reworked the original and provided a link to a bigger version. Please check out the bigger one. It turned out better than I imagined possible. I'm tickled-pink right now with the results.

[ozstronomer]

Troy

That reprocessing has worked exceptionally well. That's a cracking image, you should be very happy with that one.

Geoff

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. I am stoked. It's amazing the results you can get when the clouds stay away, guiding works, dew controller keeps the dew-monsters at bay, focus doesn't shift, software generally plays along, and things go well. But how often does all that happen? :)

[TheDecepticon]

Your repo is very good! Well done. :eyepop:

[Insane Climber]

Hope you don't mind i did a repro as an experiment, i used photoshop to blend a sharpened image with more blue useing layermasks. I drew on the mask with a 20% brush to highlight the points of contrast.

[TrevorW]

Nice image Troy

now I'd leave it alone for a month or two then go back too see if it needs redoing

[troypiggo]

I don't mind, but are you sure that's my image you edited? Think you may have mixed my thread up with someone else's?



Thanks mate. This repro will do me. ;)

[multiweb]

Great shot Troy. The high-res is superb. Go the ED80 :thumbsup: I think Brendan's on the money re:color process. :)

[Insane Climber]

Woops i think i had Avandonk's image in the folder too and did his instead, sry.:lol:

[troypiggo]

Thanks again, Marc.



:lol: your repro certainly had me scratching my head :lol:

[peter_4059]

Top image Troy. I like your second repro best. Time to graduate to longer focal length!

Peter

[dugnsuz]

Very impressive image Troy.
Missed this one but stumbled on it through an "ED80 flattener " search.
The WO PFlat IV looks to be working very well. Have you needed to upgrade the stock crayford focuser on the ED80 to deal with the added weight of flattener/DSLR?
Great stuff regardless of the answer though...
Doug

[troypiggo]

Thanks Doug.

I have upgraded the stock focuser, but wasn't just due to the WO FF IV. I was finding just the DSLR was a bit too heavy for it and focus was slipping before I even bought the WO FF IV. I've put the Bintel (GSO) 10:1 Crayford Focuser (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7467)on it and it works like a charm.

[multiweb]

Hey I use the same! Works well for me too. Go GSO! Go the ED80! :lol:

[RobF]

Top shot, and wonderful FOV Troy!
You've got great data there - I think you could do repros every month for the rest of the year and keep discovering some new with what you have there. The mod'd 40D is likely to come up with more red/magenta than "normal" cams which show up the green/blue oxygen etc.

Hope the new family member is allowing you to get out from time to time too. :)

Rob

[troypiggo]

Thanks Rob! Might come back to this data when I pick up some more processing tips. Hmm, maybe like Marcus' new little tute! :)

I'm fast learning babies are not condusive to astro-imaging.



Oh yeah baby! :lol:

[bloodhound31]

Great capture Troy. I've been flicking backward and forward over the two images again and again, but I can't decide which one I like best.

On has more nebulosity out to the fainter edges, the other has better contrast in the interesting bits in the middle.

Baz.