Helix Nebula 29hrs

[strongmanmike]

After the break-in some time ago now...I have finally got my laptop, loaded everything on and after a few hitches I eventually got all cameras, focuser, mount control and software talking, so now I await clear skies to finally get back out with the AG12

In the mean time :D

I went back almost to scratch and combined my previous 27hrs worth on the Helix taken with the Starfire with my more recent 2hrs worth of Ha gathered by the bigger more powerful 12" F3.8 AG12.

Along with the Ha details I wanted to better reveal the unique radiating OIII spoke structures as well, so this is a new combine process using layers in PS - the only way to get both the OIII and Ha structures to show in the one image.

Here is the Result Helix Nebula (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/139565143/original)

Next image will hopefully be new data :thumbsup:

Mike

[RickS]

Shows some very interesting structure that I've only seen hints of before, Mike. How much of that came from the 2 hours of data from the AG12?

[h0ughy]

oh dear, oh dear oh dear - i will never see this the same way again

[strongmanmike]

The radiating outer spokes (not the more familiar inner cometary globules) were exclusively in the 7hrs of OIII data taken with the Starfire. The AG12 only contributed 2hrs of Ha but the larger faster optics probably equates to 6hrs with the Starfire :)

Mike

[strongmanmike]

...that's a lot of oh dear's :lol:

[allan gould]

That is just extraordinary Mike, lost for words for once.

[h0ughy]

i was having a moment Mike........ ;)

[strongmanmike]

Yeh?...cool :thumbsup: glad you like it, colours won't be everyones cup of tea :P but the structures should interest most :thumbsup:

Mike

[jjjnettie]

Must admit I lean to the more traditional colours. :)
But the detail Mike!! Amazing.
Will you be adding more to this?

[strongmanmike]

Add more..? Who knows ;)...needs much more lum (only 1hr here) and some RGB really to reveal the back ground galaxies, galactic cirrus and some more star colours...so yep probably :lol:

[dugnsuz]

That's special from Terra Firma Mike
Well done
Doug

[Osirisra]

Wowzers! nice one Mike

[bartman]

:eyepop:Awesome Mike,
Love it
bartman

[Ken Crawford]

Very nice Mike! the OIII spokes are a treat, I remember when I first saw them and thought they were a cool special light ray effect!

I really like the hybrid type image combining the data from two different systems. I do not believe there is any limit to what you can do with multi system imaging!

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Doug, both Ken's and Bart :thumbsup:

Hard to present this perennial favourite in a new light but being able to show both the Ha and OIII structures in the same image effectively had eluded me until now :)

Mike

[marc4darkskies]

Whenever I look at any "Eye of God" images, regardless of who takes them - I think of you mate! Maybe even more so Centaurus A! :help:

The original is a great image Mike - a watershed in fact, and I'm sure with yet more AG data it will keep getting better! Love the structure!!! My only very minor critique is I'd like to see the fainter stars in the core revealed better. I love stars :D.

Yeah, commisserations, if I never set up another astro laptop it will be too soon - in the final stages of commissioning my 2nd new one in 6 months!! :mad2:

Cheers, Marcus

[strongmanmike]

He he yeh the Aquarius A man - a two hit wonder :P..better than some famous bands :lol:

I agree re the stars but also the galaxies that are missing, only Lum (and RGB) can get these to show better and although there is 29hrs total image time here only 1 of that was Lum and there is no RGB :shrug:

Nice to hear from you by the way, hope the new job has settled down a bit too

Laptops...sheeesh, what with the burglary and all things added together... I have been on the imaging wagon for some 16 weeks now :sadeyes:...nearly as long as you I believe :question:

Look forward to your comeback masterpiece Marcus Aurelius

Mike

[marc4darkskies]

6 months for me! :eek::( ... :sadeyes::sadeyes: ... :mad2::mad2::mad2:

[TrevorW]

Weather has been the pits here for months it's either been a full moon or cloudy so I can share your woe, plenty of detail put like JJ, I to prefer tradional colouring and would like more definition in the background

Clear skies

[strongmanmike]

Me too... but this exercise wasn't aimed at revealing the background, I was only really able to present the object itself in a new light. The background is all galaxies and stars which are all but invisible through narrowband filters, same with galactic cirrus :sadeyes:

A few more hours of Lum and some RGB would be good to add :D...should break the 35hrs mark nicely :thumbsup:

Mike

[Tom Davis]

Super image, Mike. :thumbsup:

I loved jg's comment on the FLI Yahoo Group -- "You have distroyed valuable scientific data in the creation of that image" -- Hilarious! Call the "pure data" police :D

-Tom

[strongmanmike]

:evil: :P :thumbsup:

[vanwonky]

Damn you astrophotography types. Do you know how hard it is for us visual guys to look at things like that and just sit back and go "well that is frickin' unbelievably awesome but I don't need to do that even if I could"?

Why can't I just sit back and enjoy what you guys present without wanting to launch myself into the hard work and money pit it seems to be?

Short answer.. I don't think I can. The toys are just to shiny! :rolleyes:

Nice work Mike.

[sjastro]

Looks like a very bad case of vignetting.:lol:

Nice shot.

Regards

Steven

[Star Catcher]

An excellent rendition Mike! Love the structure in it.

Ted

[SkyViking]

Absolutely fantastic image Mike :) I love the colours and the detail. It's amazing what you are able to produce with that data.


Looking forward to it! :D

[strongmanmike]

Ha ha Dave, I feel the same way about visual or more specifically about having a big Dob, you know - one of those beautifully constructed 20" lightweight F3.7 jobs with all the bells and whistles like Argo Navis, excellent Suchting optics, Parracor, integrated filter holder, fans and heaters, nice set of Nagler and Ethos's etc that all folds away nicely for storage...but they are just too damn shiny and expensive :lol:...so I look through'em at star parties and go WOW :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Dang! ya got me ;) :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Ted, I was pleased with the details especially the OIII spokes these are rarely seen in an image of the Helix without destroyiong the equally amazing Ha structures :)



Cheers Rolf, I often get jibbed for reprocessing but I tell's ya it can pay off sometimes.



Think I may have missed the boat for this year now...a full 30hr multispectral emission line image with the wavelength-ordered palette, all taken through the AG12 would be something to aim for I recon...so stay tuned till next year :thumbsup:

Mike

[mill]

Hey big man that is a superb shot (even tho i dont like the colors).
Bloody well done :cool::cool:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Martone

He he..if you look at them long enough, the colours grow on you... like the taste of Parmesan cheese :P

[DavidU]

Oh my goodness:eyepop:

[strongmanmike]

:innocent:

[richardo]

Great repro Migel...... excellent to use all the past data and some present to construe a brillo image...

I love the colour, but then I do love NB images... perhaps I'm a little bored with conventional colour to the well trodden objects...
NB just brings out wonderful new detail from the differing wavelengths and this really shows in this image.

I love it!

Glad you've got your replacement lappy and are back on track.......

All the best
Rich

[midnight]

All it needs now is a pupil!

The detail in the spoke structure is just awesome. It's almost like as if it is indeed a real eye looking back at you - eerie:scared2: yet fascinating.

Bluddy marvellous Mike!

Darrin...

[Tandum]

I wish you'd stop posting these stunning images. Last time you posted this one I spent about 3 weeks trying to resolve those secondary loops and nebula without success :rolleyes:

Can you revisit witch head next time out? Do you have the FOV to see it all?

I've been looking at it lately with every scope available to me and see nothing but stars :shrug:

[strongmanmike]

Howsdy Richardo, I agree, the 3D detail is only possible with narrowband really and it helps here I recon, to give the Helix some depth but I ws most pleased with being able to better delineate the OIII spokes finally in the one composite image :)

The sky is looking good for tonight perhaps...I need to do something or I'll go battier...and that I'm affraid can only mean one thing...more repros :whistle:

Cheers big ears

Mike



Cheers Darrin :thumbsup:

Yes the eye appearence is most prominent in this orientation



He he, sorry Robin :thumbsup:...to repro and add to repro's is my destiny, mostly I seem to be able to get something new out of the data :P

Witchhead is on my to do list for this summer with the AG12 actually so stay tunned :)

[Stevec35]

I'm late in responding Mike but that's a great Helix you have there. Very sorry to hear about the burglary.

Cheers

Steve

[strongmanmike]

Hey not late really...only first posted it....more than 2 years ago :rofl:

Nah, this version is significantly different actually and shows more 3D depth and those elusive OIII spokes :thumbsup:

yeh the burglary was a bummer, both our laptops were snitched and the I had trouble installing the Starlightxpress...turned out to be a faulty USB2 cable..last thing I thought of :rolleyes:

Mike

[atalas]

Mike,far too much detail,too much color and the artistic interpretation is far to complicated for a simple mortals like myself to appreciate! honestly what were you thinking...I regress.

Wonderful work dude!

[gregbradley]

Fantastic result Mike. You got everything nicely worked out in that one.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

...and to think it isn't even finished yet big Louie :lol:

Appreciate the humour :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Greg, Yeh I'm quite happy with the result, I think it is a significant change from the original to have made it a worthwhile exercise :thumbsup:

Now I just need a clear night without interruptions - my wife just landed a job with NBN Co. and will be based in Sydney, so I'm back to being a partial bachelor (:sadeyes: :D) but there is a bit of organising to go with it, accommodation, moving stuff etc so I hope I can fit in getting the AG12 back out to shoot something new :)

Mike

[marco]

Nice resolution Mike, in particular on the core, very well done. I confirm my dislike for NB false palette images (with some rare exceptions) but if you add other few hours of RGB (and some luminance) I can give it even a bigger score :D

Marco

[John Hothersall]

Great outer structure, I remember the OIII you got with strong spokes which is quite unusual. Sorry to here about burglary, didn't think there was any crime in Oz we were told!

John.

[strongmanmike]

Anno prossimo Marco, Anno prossimo :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

We may be (almost) equal best place to live in the World but we still have some R soles :rolleyes:

[Leonardo70]

Absolutely fantastic image Mike.
Congratulations on this amazing result.

Leo

[strongmanmike]

Hey thanks so much Leo, I'll add to it next year :thumbsup:

Mike

[multiweb]

Awesome. Never tire of that one. :thumbsup:

[zardos123]

that is awsome!!!............hang on i,ve seen lord of the rings, that thing is the eye of sauron's first cousin !!!! well done!
regards brad

[strongmanmike]

Just as well Marc :P



Cheers Brad and yes, other people have mentioned that similarity actually :thumbsup:

Mike

[Ross G]

A great photo Mike.

The detail and colours are amazing.

Ross.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Ross, thanks for commenting :)

Mike

[CoolhandJo]

Amazing as usual!

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Paul, I think all of the amazingness goes to the object I was just an observer :thumbsup:

Mike

[bokglob]

:eyepop:Woooo.. Very cool, Its like the helix just exploded in my face! Awsome and inspiring:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

He he Darrell :thumbsup:...it was a blast processing it too :P

MIke