M20 plus Bonus

[DavidTrap]

My first weekend out with my modded 350D. Thanks Chris for a great weekend. I'm very happy with the colour and detail in the red portion of the nebula

* Scope: Tak FS-102 with 0.75x reducer
* Imaging device: Baader modded 350D
* Mount: AP Mach1GTO
* Guiding: StarShoot Autoguider and PHD
* Exposure details: 10 x 450sec at ISO400
* Stacking method: Maxim DL - FITS calibrated with Darks & Flats, Median Stacked
* Summary of post processing: Stretched in Maxim - Gamma & Linear, Levels, Curves, Unsharp Mask, Shadows/Highlights, Saturation
* Darkness of imaging site: Pretty Dark (10km west of Astrofest site, but considerably less skyglow from Brisbane)
* Date(s) image taken: 12th June 2010

Larger version here (http://users.tpg.com.au/dctrap/astrophotos/DTM20.jpg) (~2Mb)

Cheers
David T

[DavidU]

That's a nice contrasty image with great color & strength.
A field flattener would top it off. Keep it up Dave !

[DavidTrap]

Thanks Dave,

The Tak Reducer is a Flattener too (Well at least that is what I was told when I bought it...)

DT

[Rigel003]

Nice shot, David. Strangely enough, I was imaging the same object with my FS-102 last night with pretty much the same field layout. Only managed the luminance frames and the clouds rolled in. That's M21 in the top right corner. Nicely composed.

[Octane]

David,

That's a great effort for a first lighter.

My suggestion would be to watch your histogram. You're dangerously close to clipping your shadows, if not already clipped.

Back the shadows triangle a bit and watch your shadows come alive.

H

[jjjnettie]

:) Glad you had a productive weekend.
It's a lovely capture.

[h0ughy]

nice looking shot there David

[DavidTrap]

Thanks all,

H - I'm a sucker for inky blavk backgrounds. I'll try a reprocess and see if I can see what I'm missing.

DT

[Octane]

I know, I know. : )

But, just try raising your background level by say, even just 5%, it'll look a bit more natural.

I like inky blackness in dark nebulas in dense golden star clusters. That, absolutely rocks being pitch black, but, with sky background, I reckon it's more aesthetically pleasing when it's not perfect blackness. Let's face it, the sky's not pure black. If anything, it's got a very, very slight blue tint. : )

H

[TrevorW]

Good result David

[multiweb]

Great shot David! Top shelf. One of the best M20 recently posted around at I reckon. Keep'em coming. :thumbsup:

[DavidTrap]

Thanks Gents,

Marc - comments like that could increase one's hat size!

ta
DT

[Hagar]

Very nice David. There have been quite a few versions of this nebula posted lately and every one has been a bit different from the rest. Interestingly we all see it that little bit different.
Well done.

[spearo]

nice shot
gotta love M20
Colors look good
I like the black backgrounds too so if you adjust it make it just a weeeeee bit of an adjustment! I think it looks good as it is
:]
cheers
frank

[iceman]

Lovely colours in the nebula, but like others a bit black clipped.
Also the stars appear to have lost all their colour during processing too.

Nice work.

[DavidTrap]

Reprocessed taking onboard the comments about black-points.

Larger version here (http://users.tpg.com.au/dctrap/astrophotos/DTM20ver2.jpg) (1Mb)

Cheers
David T

[Octane]

Dave,

That's looking better, now. However, you've now clipped the green channel.

As a result -- you've got a red cast over the image. You need to punch a little bit of green into the image to sort it out.

Look forward to the next reprocess!

H