Sculptor Galaxy Repro

[swannies1983]

I now understand how important it is to spend just as much time processing your images as you do capturing those elusive photons. After doing a lot of reading and watching video tutorials, I am now quite happy with my reprocessed Sculptor Galaxy

Details
Scope: 8" Newt
Mount: EQ6
Camera: unmodded canon 400D
ISO800
Exposure: 4hrs worth of data @ 5 min subs
Stacked in DSS and processing using Photoshop CS3

Picture here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47268787@N05/6963672875/)

Any further processing tips certainly welcome :)

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Hi Dan,

That's an awsome image of the silver coin!
Those dust lanes really stand out, hope I can get something this good.

Cheers,

Justin.

[alpal]

That's quite a good photo.
It's certainly better than I was able to do from my light polluted driveway.
Was it from a dark site?

[swannies1983]

Thanks Justin. I'm quite happy with the dust lanes, particularly given they are only 5min subs.



Cheers :thumbsup:. Nope, not a dark site. Just in my backyard. I did use a light pollution filter tough.

[CoolhandJo]

loads of detail. nice

[Ross G]

So sharp.

So detailed.

A great photo Dan.


Ross.

[alpal]

Dan,


I used an ALP too but didn't achieve anywhere near your results.
I was using ISO 1600, 122 s subframes.
You did well.

[swannies1983]

Cheers.




Ta Ross. Certainly is my best picture to date.




While I did use a light pollution filter, my sky is relatively dark, at least for suburbia. I'm about 30km south of the city. Anywhere but the northern sky is okish.

Processing has a big impact. Just look at my previous attempts here http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=83703 I think I have come a long way :)

[Stevec35]

Loads of nice sharp detail there. Looks a little dark though and I notice you did it from your back yard. Rather than use a light pollution filter it might be better to experiment with gradient reduction software to get rid of the light pollution gradients.

Cheers

Steve

[swannies1983]

Thanks Steve. Yes, the background is on the darkish side. I had it a touch lighter but there was some banding (due to stacking) that I wasn't happy with so I made it darker than what I normally do.

Re light pollution filter: yeah it's something I could do. I can get up to 10 minutes @ ISO800 without skyfog being a problem. Without the filter, i would be lucky to get above 5 minutes. What's the benefit of not using the filter?

[Stevec35]

In the old days they weren't recommended for photography because they can lead to unexpected colour shifts and also block stuff that you might want to capture. I suspect the current LPR filters are probably better designed now so if a LPR filter works for you I would say go ahead and use it.

Cheers

Steve

[swannies1983]

Have now increased brightness a touch. Some banding in the background though. Anyone know how to get rid of it?

Picture here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47268787@N05/6968044187/in/photostream/)

[swannies1983]

Added a bit of red colour to the core and tried to boost star colour.

What do you think? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47268787@N05/6822777618/)

[TrevorW]

Of all I like the first one the most

[Rigel003]

Very true. Nice repro, Dan. Maybe still a bit dark. I do like the fact that you're pretty subtle with your processing steps.Nothing is overstated.

[swannies1983]

How's this? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47268787@N05/6825596490/in/photostream/)