Processing colour balance with LPS-P2-48 filter

[swannies1983]

Could someone please give me advice as to what's the best way to go about correcting colour balance in the processing stage for images taken with a LPS-P2-48 filter?

Take my first attempt of the Tarantula Nebula. (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=789221&postcount=1) Is this roughly what it should look like with an unmodded dslr camera? It still appears too aqua for me. My processing skills are rather basic at this stage and all I have done is pretty much aligned the RGB channels. Any advice would be appreciated.

[RobF]

Hi Dan

I think you got it pretty right myself. There must be OIII in the tarantula. My effort a few years ago with an unmodded 450D is here (although hardly any kind of serious reference:))
https://picasaweb.google.com/UserRobF/Nebulae#5273689617865958914

The IDAS filters are reknowned for being relatively straightforward to colour process. I usually find myself cutting the blues, a bit of green and perhaps a slight red boost. Ultimately you should approx aim to balance the histogram, as you've done. It looks like you've succeeded in starting to bring out surrounding pink Hydrogen too. Many prefer the most "honest" colours from an unmodded camera, albeit with reduced sensitivity. M42 is bound to come out with more green and blue too, but I found for a lot of other targets it really didn't matter too much (obviously doesn't apply to objects composed primarily of hydrogen glowing pink).

It's surprising really just how good filtered images can be from the 'burbs. Certainly you see a lot more than you'll see visually in a mid-sized telescope.

[swannies1983]

Thanks for that Rob. It's good to know that I'm on the right track.

I thought the actual nebula would be blue but I was more concerned with the surrounding stars. I wasn't sure if the star colours were off.

[LightningNZ]

Never tried imaging the Tarantula but I know from visual with O3 filter there is a ton of it there. Looks amazing in a big scope (16+ inches) with such a filter. Really 3D looking.