M31 - Andromeda Galaxy

[Paramount]

Hi
I don't normally do RGB imaging due to light pollution but I am currently waiting for my next narrow band target to clear a neighbours tree so I thought I would have a go at M31 as it was visible all night and by the time my narrow band target was available I had got carried away with M31. This is 20x5 minutes luminance and 18x5 minutes each for RGB taken with the FSQ106ED at f5 and a Starlight Xpress H36 on a Paramount ME auto guided by a Lodestar camera and OAG. I managed to get alol the data in one evening and I will be adding some Ha as soon as the next clear night coincides with a night off. I did the luminance and blue channel first as there was no moon up, but during the green and red data collection there was a quarter moon high in the sky so the gradient xterminator software had to work overtime. I have tried this subject before when I first started imaging and this early effort can be seen on the galaxy page of the image gallery on my website http://www.imagingtheheavens.co.uk (http://www.imagingtheheavens.co.uk/)
The core is a bit burnt out but hopefully I will correct this when I add the Ha data so my apologies for this as it is not something I am really used to when doing NB processing so this is relatively new to me

Here is a link to a larger higher resolution image

http://www.pbase.com/imaging_the_heavens/image/128078509/original

Thanks for looking
Best wishes
Gordon

[DavidTrap]

Very nice Gordon.

Will look forward to the updates as you add more Ha data. I think your processing skills are up to the task.

DT

[tonybarry]

Hi Gordon,

M31 is always a treat to see good images of. Unfortunately here in Sydney it rarely gets more than 15 degrees above the horizon. So your images are very welcome.

Regards,
Tony Barry

[Matt Wastell]

Great job! Looks very good to me!

[Alchemy]

Nice Gordon, wish it was higher here, would be on the must do list if it was.

[RobF]

Wonderful image Gordon. My only minor critique might be there is a very faint pinkish/redish hue to it? Pardon me though - blows away for six any effort I've ever made on this magnificent wonder.

Imagine being able to shoot it all night long!! :thumbsup:

[Paramount]

Hi Rob
I'm not sure but I think the pink/reddish hue may be due to the fact that a lot of the red data was shot while a quarter moon was high and also was finishing as the daylight was approaching so that may have added some light pollution to the red data, as I said I'm not sure as I am no expert on LRGB imaging
Best wishes
Gordon

[h0ughy]

considering the amount of time i spent on my shot of this object i think its pretty cool! well done

[p1taylor]

Wonderful detail wish I could do nearly as well.

peter

[Paramount]

Hi
I have reprocessed this to reduce the burnt out on the core and also the excessive pinkish colour in the image, I think this version is better, here is the link to the large high resolution version

http://www.pbase.com/imaging_the_heavens/image/128135115/original

Thanks for looking again
Best wishes
Gordon

[Bassnut]

Gee Gordon, given the samples weve seen elsewhere , still looking a bit duotonic and blown?.

[Octane]

Gordon,

Gotta agree with Fred on this one. The reprocess is lacking in contrast (and, this is coming from someone who doesn't necessarily agree that great quantities of contrast have to be present in an image).

Also, I think you'd be doing a service to your viewers if you changed the background of your PBase account to either a black or a neutral grey.

Cheers.

H

[Paramount]

Hi
Thanks for the comments, I am not used to RGB as the light pollution where I live is generally too bad so this was more of an experiment to see what I could do with the level of light pollution that we have here, I still haven't finished this image as I am waiting to get some Ha data to blend i and at the same time I will reprocess it. I too have seen other images of this subject and there is a lot of variance between the level of brightness in the core and with the colour balance within the image, so which one is correct? I suspect that nobody can give a definitive answer, admittedly mine has an overall pinkish tinge to it which I can only put down to the conditions which I shot the red data under. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of being too picky as to when the conditions are perfect.
As to the comments about the background on my pbase site, well I think that is being a bit picky but just to please those who find a blue background too harsh on the eyes I have changed it
Best wishes
Gordon

[Octane]

Gordon,

When I initially viewed your reprocessed Andromeda on your PBase account, I was presented with the galaxy on a stark white background. That's what I was referring to -- don't go around changing your entire site! : )

I also understand completely what you're saying re: imaging conditions. Good effort, nonetheless. I suppose I commented because I'm used to seeing you post great images. ; )

H

[Paramount]

Hi H
Don't worry about it, RGB isn't my forte. My main interest is Narrow Band, partly because I prefer it but also because of the light pollution issues. A lot of people have said that they wouldn't even have bothered imaging RGB with any moon in the sky let alone light pollution, but as I was waiting for my next NB target to clear a neighbours tree I didn't want to waste valuable imaging time so I shot this and the Iris Nebula (posted here as well). Even with no moon and no security lights we still get constant sky glow and there are street lights within 100 yards of my house so I will never get ideal conditions for RGB imaging. A lot of this image including the luminance was shot when the target was about 30 degrees so really I have been trying to make the most of a bad job.
I have changed the style sheet on the pbase web site so go back and have a look, it is a better choice for astro photos and I may consider splitting the images up into different galleries eg NB, galaxies, star clusters, RGB, etc.
Best wishes
Gordon

[Nightskystargaz]

Gordon,

:thumbsup:, nice pic. :eyepop:.

CS,KLU,

:thanx:,

Tom