High Resolution Keyhole Nebula - with final close up version :-)

[strongmanmike]

While waiting to get out again after the full moon I decided to rework my Eta Carina data from 2008.

In the full frame version I went for more highlights, richer colour with more variation and a little more fine detail.

I was happy with the new high resolution version, I had cropped this same FOV from the original Ha some time ago (Peter Ward may recognise the FOV and orientation :whistle: - hey I liked it, so kept it :P) and it showed good resolution but I never added the colour.

Taken with the 6" Starfire at the native 1300mm focal length and all are variations of LHaRGB = 10 20 10 10 10min - more details can be found under each image :)

high resolution close up (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/131963654/original)

Just Eta and her Keyhole (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/132090922/original)

Homunculus Nebula (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/131992798/original)around Eta itself (take note of the jets eminating from Eta Carina, amazing)

Eta Carina Nebula Full Frame: Small 40% full size (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/131963687/original) and Large 60% full size (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/131963725/original)

Just filling in time and having fun :thumbsup:

Mike

[gregbradley]

Very striking Mike. I see you stayed up late last night - posted at 2:42am!

Greg.

[CoolhandJo]

Whispy fine detail! Awesome really.

[SkyViking]

Definitely one of the best Keyhole images I have seen Mike. Awesome subtle details everywhere, and nice to see the small streaks of nebulosity around Eta itself.

I compared with my own hi-res image of the same area from a while ago, and I noticed that while I actually seem to have captured fainter stars you have a lot more contrast and definition in the nebula itself. I would assume this is because you've worked with the nebula separately and then added the stars back in the end? I haven't experimented with that yet, but it's probably about time :)
Congratulations on yet another beautiful image.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers boys :thumbsup:

Rolf, the lack of stars is a result of letting the Ha dominate in the extraction of detail and to provide the "smallness" for the stars, the esposure is pretty low (60min total for LHaRGB) aaand it is only a 6" too and aperture governs the limiting magnitude of point sources ...:question:..hmm, I need a fast 12" :whistle: You are also quite right, I did add a seperate star layer :thumbsup:

Mike

[acropolite]

Lovely image Mike, a feast for the eyes. I particularly like the absence of diffraction spikes..:thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Well it never stops huh? :lol:

There is a complex structure of ejecta shells around the unstable star Eta Carina that usually go over exposed in most images of the area.

I remembered that I managed to squeeze the details out of the famous Eta Carina twin lobe Homunculus Nebula, that Hubble made so famous, in an image done back in 2006 with the Starfire and Starlightxpress camera using shorter exposures. So...I have incorporated it in to the image, plus added a close up of the Homunculus itself.

So now I have framings of this well imaged region from 1.6deg X 1.2deg right down to a few arc min on the side :thumbsup:

You can see the new images in the album here (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/eta_carina_reprocess)

Who knows what I will find next :P

Mike

[Astroman]

WOW mike, magnificent work, love the close up views around the star Eta Carinae. Would be interesting to see if you can push a little more out of the homunculus with new data :) Great work, keep it up.

[Rob_K]

Awesome job Mike, just stunning! :thumbsup:

(Hehe edited what I also added, hafta check every version!!!)

Cheers -

[multiweb]

Superb field as usual. One of the best. :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Andrew, Rob and Marc, I'm happy with the coverage in this data set now :thumbsup:...only took nearly 3 years :eyepop:

Mike

[Hagar]

Wonderful images Mike. I particularly like the close up image, the detail and resolution is as good as I have seen anywhere.

When does your new scope arrive? I'm looking forward to what you can do with a really big light bucket.

[richardo]

I do like what you've done with the Homunculus... excellent really!!
And yes I'm very guilty of over exposing it and not worrying about short exposures to layer in to show this.
Great rework of old data..


All the best
Rich

[mill]

The close ups you make keep amazing me Mike :screwy:
Great detail and nice colors :thumbsup:
Cant wait for pics taken with the new waterbucket :rofl::rofl:

[Jen]

:eyepop: wow Mick you make it all look so easy :rolleyes: very nice :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Dougie and Martone, as I have said time and time again between 1100 - 1500mm focal length really is the sweet spot for versatile imaging and all you need (the 6" arhem..of telescopes shall we say :whistle:) with the common pixel sizes in modern CCD's, to get fantastic resolution and still have a good sized field of view for framing so many objects :thumbsup:

I hope the 12" F3.8 astrograph lives up to its potential :prey:....due early Feb



I think this feature is small so we mostly don't bother and because few others do it then it has just not been a popular goal in an image of Eta and her nebula :shrug: - remember the trap in M42 was always over exposed, that was just how it was, now almost nobody posts an image of M42 where you can't make out the Trap :). Also it is only good optics, some focal length, the high res of a mono CCD and careful processing that shows anything of worth in the Homo :P most don't bother (including us in the past it would seem )




NO not easy, just have to have the will...heck speaking of making things look easy - Jason and a few others make mozaics look easy though :eyepop::lol:

Mike

[John Hothersall]

Impressive homunculous neb, you have picked up much of the outer area surrounding double lobes. Nebula is actually quite bright when I imaged it but the outer stuff was difficult to see. This star is pretty unique.

John.

[RobF]

Just stunning work Mike. Jaw dropping detail and can't believe how clear the "fickle finger" is. Clear skies for the New Year when your new baby is in order (or before :thumbsup: too!)

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Rob and John

The interesting things to note in the image of the Homunculus are the jets, they look like diffraction spikes and appear to eminate from Eta Carina and continue out past the first pink shell into the outer fainter shell.

Mike

[Nicola]

Incredible detail and excellent color balancing, gives a sort of 3d effect..

[pgc hunter]

brilliant shot. The rude finger sticks out like a sore rude finger!

[Paul Haese]

Very interesting. Where do I start?

First, the hi res data is sharper than some Ha data I have taken with the RC. Mind you I could sharpen it a lot more yet but I doubt that my RC Ha data would equal this data.

Second, in my viewing of this object at high mag I can see the lobes and the jets. However the overwhelming colour of this material is orange. Do you think it ought to be this colour in your image? I would have thought so.

Third, this I reckon would be one of the best amateur images of this region that I have seen. Peter Wards is certainly with it but if one looks at the relative apertures of each OTA it certainly speaks volumes for the particular telescope. You might just have one of those extra freaky telescopes in your possession Mike. I have never seen sharper images from an AP than yours. It makes my Tak look positively poor (yes it is only a 4" and no comparison but Tak scopes are no slouch).

The reach of your scope is it seems limitless. Well done.

[strongmanmike]

Grazie Nicola :thumbsup:



Cheers Sab, this is from this data set too: http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/107605167/original
:D



Hi Paul

Thanks for the compliments :thumbsup:...The Starfire...yes she is a beauty indeed and as I have said many times before I am very lucky to have this beautiful telescope and I have never taken her for granted :love:. Looking through her visually (haven't done this for 4 years now :sadeyes:) she was amazing, when the Red spot junior was around on Jupiter a few years ago it was plainly visible in the Starfire and I have seen 6 stars in the trap at 75X each with a single broken diffraction ring and split 0.75" with her but it looked like she could go a little better even :)

Re the Homunculus, a little reading suggests you may be right... although as I am sure you are aware the colours obvious to the eye rarely match those seen in an image, take the inner areas of M42 as a good example. Besides, I didn't want Eta to look too out of place in the image, the fact that the brightness has to be turned down so much to see the hourglass already imparts a bit of an unnatural look - the treatment of this little feature is harder to manage than the Trap, it is hard to reveal the detail in the hourglass and have the whole image remain natural and believable, that's for sure.

Cheers Paulie

Mike

[avandonk]

Just give up Mike. You will never get a better optic than this! The resolution is what I would expect from an APO of very high Strehl ratio.

I hate to say this but this is as good as it gets Mike. From now on it is downhill!

Bert

[strongmanmike]

Give up???...dam, can't, I'm hoplessly addicted to getting every bit of detail out that I can :sadeyes:

Here is the final close up version (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/132090922/original):thumbsup:....and just Eta herself (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/131992798/original)

Mike

[Paul Haese]

Unreal detail. Amazing detail given the size of this crop.

[strongmanmike]

He he, well it would wanna have :rolleyes: - been working on this data now on and off for coming up to 3 years so it's everything I have in my processing arsenal thrown at it...hmm?..3 years..?..that's gotta be some sort of processing record? ...aaand a sad endictment on my sanity :screwy: :lol:

Mike

[h0ughy]

and here is to 3 more years Mike - love your work

[strongmanmike]

I truly think I have exausted all avenues with this particular data set now :question:... so you can breath a sigh of relief :P

Mike

[Ric]

Fascinating images Mike

The closeups are awesome.

Cheers

[Leonardo70]

Ohhhh Mike .... bellissimo !!!!!
Like Benigni usually say ....

Congrats,
Leo

[strongmanmike]

"There must be some terrible mistake, I used up all my English!"

Love him :thumbsup:

[atalas]

Spectacular!

[RobF]

Wow, just revisiting this it really is amazing work. Its just struck me how much these images show the violence of the whole area......
Makes me want to pull my head back in case its all ready to go nova!

Fantastic processing too of course. Thanks Mike.

[spearo]

from a refractor !
great detail in the closeup
frank

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Big Louie



Thanks Roberto, I love pushing the comparative match stick starfire to its limits, the bigger, longer FL RC et al guys have an easier job of it of course...I like the challenge though :thumbsup:



Cheers Frank, yes it is an intricate area when explored properly :thumbsup:

Mike