M8 in Ha

[DavidTrap]

The start of a project (that may take some time to complete!)

I managed to take 3 x 15min subs of M8 in Ha from my backyard the other night before the clouds rolled in.

I've been fiddling in PixInsight (Father's Day present!) and have subjected this to a Histogram stretch, HDR Wavelets and ACDNR. Certainly a steep learning curve for this software!

I am quite happy with this flattness of this image. I have fiddled with the focuser again on my Tak scope and the curvature map in CCD inspector is better.

Needs more data, but it's at least a start!

Comments welcome - still finding my way with Ha data...

DT

[Mighty_oz]

Your off to a ripper of a start there :) Be really good to look at the finished product.

[DavidTrap]

Thanks MightyOz. M8 is transiting in the early evening, so further data collection might have to wait until next year, especially if I want to get some Luminence from darker skies!

I have some RGB data already. I merged everything in PixInsight as an LRGBCombine, but the salmon pink result was horrible!

I'll try work out how to merge it as HaR-RGB - have had better success with that previously in PhotoShop, as long as you like your nebulae red!

DT

[ozstronomer]

David

you have some nice detail in that image for such a short amount of exposure, well done. Maybe you can capture some RGB at the next 10ch night :)

[DavidTrap]

Thanks Geoff,

I've got 50mins per channel for RGB already (10x5min subs), but I'd really need to add some Luminance. I might be able to get some more Ha over the next two weekend - I'm on call for both, so I'll be stuck in Brisbane...

DT

[RickS]

Nice detail in that Ha, David. I look forward to the completed project!

Cheers,
Rick.

[strongmanmike]

Ah the Charging Rhinoceros Nebula :P

Looking good so far Dave :thumbsup:

Mike

[DavidTrap]

What the?

Can I have a half-dose of whatever you're on to come up with these names - it sounds like fun stuff!! Ta Mike.

I find the Ha hard to process and maintain contrast in the image. Very easy to end up with a uniform grey blob when I try to tone down a bright "core". PixInsight HDRwavelets function did a reasonable job of bringing back some detail in the core. Any tips anyone?

DT

[strongmanmike]

Wha you don't see it :eyepop:...it's as plain as day :P

[Octane]

Off to a great start, David!

I know exactly what you mean about transiting early. My Rho Ophiuchus mosaic is officially on hiatus until next year. I'm really annoyed about it, but, them's the breaks.

Look forward to seeing your combine.

H

[p1taylor]

That is getting in to a really good image.

peter

[DavidTrap]

Don't know how I missed that Mike!!! My work colleagues think you should go by the name of "Mr Squiggle"

Thanks H & Peter. My backyard view is from the zenith to the western horizon, so I can really only shoot objects on the way down. This lends to shooting RGB earlier in the season from a dark site and adding the Ha later in the season.

DT

[strongmanmike]

Yes miss Jane...hurry up hurry up...(That was my blackboard)

[jjjnettie]

Looking good David.

[DavidTrap]

Ta JJJ - hope the weather begins to oblige for us in SEQld. Saw something in the paper over the weekend predicting a wet summer again...

DT

[multiweb]

That's a cool Ha shot David. Focus and guiding are spot on. Good stuff. :thumbsup:

[DavidTrap]

Ta Marc,

I value the comments of a frequent Ha imager. Any suggestions about managing contrast in these images?

I'll fiddle tonight and post a high res version.

DT

[multiweb]

To get the dark stuff darker and the light stuff lighter you need to keep the dynamic range as wide as possible without clipping the ends. Shadows/Highlights tool is alright but it will flatten your image to some extent if you go hard. All I can say is experiment and stretch bit by bit, slowly. Iterate through small stretches, then contrast enhance, then do it again until you get to something you like visually. Mask if needed.

[DavidTrap]

Thanks Marc.

I'll try small iterations of stretching and see how that goes. The flat image tends to be boring and lose any depth.

Here (http://users.tpg.com.au/dctrap/astrophotos/M8_Ha_900.jpg) is a high-res version.

Ta
DT

[Ross G]

Great detail and sharpness David.

Good luck with the venture.


Ross.