M42 sid *Updated*

[multiweb]

After looking at all the M42 great repros posted around and learning from Louie's wonderful video tuts (http://www.atalas.net/index.php?option=com_expose&Itemid=4)it prompted me to do something about my latest shot last night. Current weather helping too of course :P

I did a bit of noise reduction with Louie's masking technique (http://atalas.businesscatalyst.com/Masks_for_Photoshop.html), and also increased the core saturation and contrast ( from his tutorials (http://atalas.businesscatalyst.com/Masks_for_Photoshop.html)also so you can blame him ;) ). I think it actually works really well and I like this version better.

Bigger version here (http://www.astropic.net/Messier/M42_ff_b.jpg). [1.8MB]

Hope you enjoy the shot, M42 is the new M8 I hear. :thumbsup:

PS: Got rid of green cast.

[atalas]

Hi Marc

That's a really nice shot with nice detail and color and I just love those bright stars! couple of things to take care of though.

When your pushing the color in the stars you've got to keep an eye out for those little ones embedded in nebulosity cause they get ugly saturation spill over from the color boost....protect the stars better.

Take care of that green.....It spoils your image and don't belong there !

Also something crazy going on in the channels by looking It but I can't say what It is.....maybe some adjustments and filters have kicked the crap out of It,hard to say.

Hey,although I picked on It I think It's still a great looking image believe It or not! well done dude.

Oh,forgot to ask Marc...what was the exposure detail on this one?

[multiweb]

Hey thanks for the feedback and tips Louie. I knew you'd drop by :)

You're right. Never thought about it this way. Will keep that in mind in the future. :thumbsup:

No worries - will run one pass of HLVG.


Probably cumulative processing. I got about 1h of data tops on this shot and I pushed the outside hard to get the brown stuff out. Noise has been an issue. Shows more in the various channels as moire pattern. Not so much in the RGB final.



Thanks - no problem. That's how I learn. Much appreciated. :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

10x5min, 10x60s and 10x15s for the inner areas. I have an earlier process here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=654407&postcount=1).

[h0ughy]

I like it - show my effort as being poooor

[strongmanmike]

Looks excellent Mac, one of your best images I recon..?

Now, Marc's Movember challenge - to get an image of the Lagoon :thumbsup: :rolleyes: :scared:

Mike

[multiweb]

No way. Easier data to work with I reckon, that's all. Yours was taken from the burbs so you're still in front. :thumbsup:


Thanks Mike. :thumbsup: Probably my best M42 to date. Pretty happy with it. re:M8: did you check the weather lately? I reckon it's a sign. The man's upstairs is just sick of my incessant lagoon bashing. ;)

[richardo]

Very nice effort Marc!
Glad you were able to get some breaks in the weather....

Now what was the setup you/ re using here?
Noticing quite a bit of coma, what corrector are you using?
Just interested..

And Louies tutorials are definitely making you use all the data you have... great!

All the best
Rich

[multiweb]

Thanks Rich. :thumbsup: Old data. Not recent. Yeah will always have a bit of coma. That's my small 5" newt. Will never get rid of it completely. Maybe one day in a fit of insanity I'll get an FSQ106.

[Tom Davis]

Really nice, Marc! Wonderful FOV and great detail all the way around!

Tom

[DavidU]

I love this one Marc. VERY nice.

[mill]

Very nice and pleasant picture to look at Marc.
It looks like the light comes from within the nebula (what it does duhhh :) you know what i mean ).
Still a tiny bit of noise but that is only at the outer edges in the dark portions.

[multiweb]

Thanks for the kind comments Tom. :thumbsup:


Thanks David. Glad you like it. :thumbsup:



Thanks Martin. :thumbsup: Yeah, more data would have been good. Considering it's only 1h the noise is still relatively low compared to other shots I took previously. Would have been a beaute if I had a couple of hours on it and 900s subs. :P

I was reading something interesting about OSC cameras. Apparently the microlensing on the chip is optimized for photons falling in the wells square to the CCD surface, so if you have field curvature (like we all do to some extent), no matter how well the chip surface is uniformely lit you will always get some kind of vignetting on the edges. M42 being very bright and in the center of the FOV I guess it makes the faint stuff on the edges even worse to get out. :question:

[allan gould]

Nice shot Marc, its come together really nice. There's so muchbto see in this field that I never get tired of it.
Allan

[multiweb]

Thanks for looking Allan. :thumbsup:

[Yoddha]

Superb image Marc! A lot of thanks for the tutorial links!

[Peter Ward]

Nothing meanigful to add, other than :very nicely done. :thumbsup:

[TheDecepticon]

Very nice job, Marc! Might have to give Louie's tut's a go, too!:thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Great rendition of a tough target Marc - nice colour with good depth & dynamic range. Well done!

Cheers, Marcus

[gregbradley]

A very nice M42 Marc. One for the trophy room.

Greg.

[Ross G]

Hi Marc,

It looks great!
I also love the surrounding stars.

Ross.

[multiweb]

No worries - thanks mate. :thumbsup:


Thanks Peter. :thumbsup:


Thanks Grey. Yeah pretty cool tuts. :thumbsup:


Thanks Marcus - glad you liked it. :thumbsup:


Thanks Greg. :thumbsup: Can't wait to see the color on your shot.

Thanks Ross. Catch up soon. :thumbsup:

[Hagar]

Nice one Marc, not quite as gaudy as my version. Makes me think I should tone it down a bit.

[multiweb]

Thanks Doug. :thumbsup: I actually like yours better. Colors in your core are unreal. Personal preferences.

[RB]

Check out all that dusty nebulosity !

Lovely rendition Marc.

[multiweb]

Thank you very much Andrew. :thumbsup: