M45 From the Qld Astrofest

[firstlight]

I wanted to have another go of this cluster after I mucked up the framing the previous morning, the only thing was the fog was starting to roll in. I set up to have a go through the mist when it suddenly vanished and I was able to get an hour and 45 minutes. I though I over did it shooting at ISO 800 and 15 minute frames because when DSS spat it out it was nearly white. Levels and curves in Photoshop really brought out the nebulosity. I'm not an accomplished astroimager and stand in awe of the posts here, but this is my best shot and one I'm most proud of.


M45 (the Pleiades Cluster, the Seven Sisters, Subaru) in Taurus from the Queensland Astrofest on 16/08/2012. NEQ6 mount, Williams Optics 110mm Megrez @ f4.76, fl 523mm, Canon Modded 450D (Baader IR/UV cut filter), Cold Box (20° below ambient, ~-20°), 7 x 15 minute sub-frames (1 hour 45 minutes total), ISO 800. Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker with 5 Dark frames, 20 Flat Fields, and 20 Bias frames, levels and curves processed in PhotoShop CS5, cropped 20%.

[RobF]

WTG Tony! That's a really decent shot. Might be worth tweaking the saturation up a bit more is the only suggestion I can make. You must be happy with that one.

[firstlight]

I didn't want to push it too much in case I over did it. How does this look, or over done?

[h0ughy]

nice work Tony - you must have been taking that while we were chatting ;)

[DavidTrap]

Very nice effort - definitely better with the extra saturation.

DT

[jjjnettie]

The second shot is just lovely :)
So smooth with great detail.
Congrats.

[RB]

Agreed, the second version is lovely.

Andrew

[RickS]

Very nice, Tony, and definitely not overcooked.

Cheers,
Rick.

[firstlight]

Yes, that's about right, it was a great morning... you were a bit of a zombie though :lol:



Thanks David, I was a bit scared to over do it, but it is definitely more pleasing.



Thanks JJJ, pretty chuffed.



Thanks Andrew



So it would seem. I will have to purchase Pixinsight and see what else I can extract from it.

[multiweb]

That's a beaute. Well done indeed. :thumbsup:

[firstlight]

Thanks Marc, I appreciate your coments.

[strongmanmike]

That's an excellent M45 Tony, well done!

I like the first one actually, the second looks to have spread the blue to the sky between the dust as well :question:. Try using the colour range tool in PS so that just the darker spaces between the neb and dust are selected and then invert it, now adjust the saturation on just the neb and dust :thumbsup:

Mike

[firstlight]

Thanks for the advice Mike, although I'm not sure I can see much difference. What do you think?

[strongmanmike]

No not a lot but you did a good job there on the repro :thumbsup: it's a really good image.

Mike

[Ross G]

A great looking photo Tony.

I really like the colour in the second version.


Ross.

[firstlight]

Thanks Ross, Mike gave me a tip as well which is now another tool in process toolbox.

[h0ughy]

which tip was that - the LAB colour tip or the secret Mike rip your arms off if you tell trick

[firstlight]

I think you know :P

[RobF]

I'm a bit green with jealousy over this one. M45 keeps eluding me. Had hoped to get a bit of CCD/80mm data this year. Another fine effort from the Gemini Twin Telescope and control room installation ;)