Ic2118

[Martin Pugh]

Hello all
from a processing point of view, this has been my most difficult image to date. I have been imaging it for 2 seasons now because it passes between 2 trees and is very low, not getting higher than 39degs in altitude. Consequently, every single frame had a problem with it, and the colour was just ridiculously bad.

Anyway, personally, I am delighted with the result given the very low quality data, length of time to get it, and the multitude of problems I had to deal with.

In the end, this was LRGB, with Lum made up of 3 hours regular luminance and 3 hours of synthethic luminance. RGB was 2:3:3 hours, so about 14 hours all round.

http://tinyurl.com/38bhaug (7mB)

thanks for looking and comments welcome.

cheers
Martin

[multiweb]

Wow! That is really nice indeed. Those little galaxies everywhere add to the overall picture. Very well done. :thumbsup:

[Hans Tucker]

Fantastic result Martin given that it was a difficult target. I notice on some of the bright stars in the top of the image that there is a shadow at the 2 & 8 O'clock positions...is this normal effect? Spotted this whilst the image was down loading.

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks Marc/Hans

Yes Hans, those shadows are reflections of the clips that hold the objective in place on the FSQ106N. Nothing can be done about it. The FSQ106ED does not have this.

cheers
Martin

[Hans Tucker]

People imaging with the WO 132 reported the same effect.

Pardon my ignorance but what is synthethic luminance?

[Martin Pugh]

Hans

its the technique where you combine all of your colour frames in a manner to add to the overall luminance frame.

cheers
Martin

[allan gould]

Martin
congratulations on another great photograph. Your determination has been rewarded with another excellent shot and I admire your persistence to get the data.

[Peter Ward]

Very smooth. Superb as usual.

[marc4darkskies]

Lovely Martin, as always! Well worth your perserverance! :thumbsup:

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul Haese]

Lovely noise free image and I am really stoked with the views of the galaxies up in the top of the image. Cracking image. Man I have to get my water cooling sorted, cooler temps give this sort of lovely imaging.

[Ric]

A wonderful image Martin, very stunning.

The detail you've captured in the background galaxies are a great bonus as well.

Cheers

[Bolts_Tweed]

Nice Martin. Detailed yet retains that subtlety or ethereal look that doesn't overpower the star field. Great image mate - the battle plan does the job again.

I heard a little rumour you may be back in Aus later this year (any truth?). If you are going to be around in July can you pm me? I know a bunch of Aussies that would be really interested in the Pugh battle plan (or order - i forget) at an Aussie Conference in July.

Mark Bolton

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks all
yes, those galaxies are a real treat to this image.

Hey Mark - good to see you at AIC. I spotted in another forum that you are gearing up to host a similar event in Australia. Should be great.

The rumours are part correct. I do come to Australia next month on business, but I do not return home until Jan 2012.

Indeed, the 'Battle Rhythm' was in full swing during this image.

cheers
Martin

[CoolhandJo]

Nice image.

[Stevec35]

Extremely nice as always Martin

Cheers

Steve

[TrevorW]

Smooth

[Octane]

Looks like bubblegum icecream, or something.

The softness evokes a dream-like quality to the image. I totally dig it.

As always, a pleasure, Martin. : )

H

[gregbradley]

Great image Martin. Beautiful and smooth, great colour, lovely round stars great processing. What's not to like?

Those bands are caused by the lens clips? I was told be someone else Roland Christen thought they were vignetting. I wasn't sure how that could be but the Petsval design is prone to vignetting. Hence Tak does a good job getting it all together and why others haven't attempted it apart from Televue.

Greg.

[Martin Pugh]

Thanks all
Greg - that's an interesting view, someone on the Tak forum told me this sometime ago, and I think it was someone from TNR.

Still, cant do anything about it which is a bit unfortunate.

cheers
Martin

[zipdrive]

WoW! beautiful! I love how it's sprinkled with tiny galaxies.
Never new they were there before. Thanks for sharing.

[bartman]

:eyepop:Awesome Martin,
Love the little galaxies all over the pic! So clear!
Bartman

[gregbradley]

You can Photoshop the effect out. Tricky, but it can be done.
There are still benefits to the 106N model though. The focuser is more reliable for heavy weight loads. the focuser lock is superior. The lens coatings I believe are superior. But the 106ED has the optics fully sorted out to the next level. The 106N can, like all the Tak FS series fluorite lenses, be weak in blue focus. Perhaps the latest 106EDX 111 version has the focuser issues sorted/improved. Mine is fine but I have read several who have had flex with heavy image trains. As the FSQ is ideal for the large chip cameras then this is not ideal. There is an adjustment that can be done to the 106ED focuser to tighten it up - the 2 small screws in the body underneath that are glued in place.

Greg.

[Martin Pugh]

Hi Greg.

It is true that the FS series scopes had issue with blue, but those typically are doublets. The FSQ is a quadruplet apochromat, and has no issues in blue at all.

There are far too many of those artefacts in a 4deg x 4deg FOV, so I wont be pursuing that!

I do not use the drawtube or focusser on my FSQ - it is racked all the way in and locked.

cheers
Martin

[richardo]

Always a great reward when a difficultly collected image comes together.
You've handled it all very well considering the problems you've described.

If anything with the low position of it, extinction with the blue channel would have been hard to over come (blue subs would have been noisie) other than collecting, as you have, a fair to large amount of data.
The delicate balance this image exhibits shows the faint but prominent wisps of reflection that dominates this area entwined by the very faint but noticeable presence of emission.

Jeez, almost getting poetic:lol:

I guess this was taken with the Q ??

Lovely Martin...:thumbsup:

All the best
Rich

[pgc hunter]

Awesome! Get a load of all those tiny galaxies!

[renormalised]

As per usual, great piccie :)

[starfinder]

Hi Martin. Excellent image. An example of perserverence paying off. The extra exposure time has made a great difference cf my version. Love those little galaxies too. Keep up the good work :thumbsup:.

[Leonardo70]

Congratulations Martin,

superb image with a incredible work around and see galaxies on background with their colours is very very great ... outstanding

Ciao,
Leo

[spearo]

That's beautiful, love the smoothness and the small galaxies in the upper part of the image

razor sharp focus and perfect tracking as the spirals are evident in the galaxies.

Top work!
well done
frank

[Martin Pugh]

Thank you very much.

It makes the effort all the more worthwhile when folk post comments such as these.

I appreciate it very much!!!

take care, clear skies
Martin