IC5146 - Cocoon Nebula (final version)

[Paramount]

Hi
I had previously posted an image of IC5146 with red and blue channels and the green synthesized from the red an blue. Ihave finally managed to get the green data so here is the final result. It is a total of 4 hours of data per channel in 10 minute sub frames taken with an FSQ106ED at f5, Starlight Xpress SXVF H9 on a Paramount ME with auto guiding taken care of by a Lodestar and OAG. All raw frames were fully calibrated and stacked, then colour combined in Maxim DL with G2V star calibration.
Processing was two iterations of levels followed by multiple contrast curves, this was followed by two iterations of shadows/highlights to bring out some of the fainter dusty areas. Final colour balancing was done and gradients were taken care of with gradient xterminator.
The synthesized green channel version can be seen on the front page of my website http://www.imagingtheheavens.co.uk with this one for comparison and a full size high resolution version can be seen at the following link
http://www.pbase.com/imaging_the_heavens/image/137304125/original
Thanks for looking
Best wishes
Gordon

[jase]

Good work Gordon. I've never had any luck in performing a synthetic green channel. Hard to get the right balance. I found it difficult to get vibrancy back into the image. I think you get a better result performing synth green channels using Ha as red and OIII as blue compared to broadband data. Thanks for sharing your effort. Hope to see more.

[Ric]

A nice capture Gordon.

It's quite an unusual looking nebula.

[Ross G]

Hi Gordon,

A very nice photo of a striking object.

Thanks.

Ross.