High Resolution Keyhole Nebula - with final close up version :-)

strongmanmike (Michael) · #1 21-01-2011, 02:42 AM

While waiting to get out again after the full moon I decided to rework my Eta Carina data from 2008.

In the full frame version I went for more highlights, richer colour with more variation and a little more fine detail.

I was happy with the new high resolution version, I had cropped this same FOV from the original Ha some time ago (Peter Ward may recognise the FOV and orientation

- hey I liked it, so kept it

) and it showed good resolution but I never added the colour.

Taken with the 6" Starfire at the native 1300mm focal length and all are variations of LHaRGB = 10 20 10 10 10min - more details can be found under each image

high resolution close up

Just Eta and her Keyhole

Homunculus Nebula around Eta itself (take note of the jets eminating from Eta Carina, amazing)

Eta Carina Nebula Full Frame: Small 40% full size and Large 60% full size

Just filling in time and having fun

Mike

gregbradley · #2 21-01-2011, 06:07 AM

Very striking Mike. I see you stayed up late last night - posted at 2:42am!

Greg.

CoolhandJo (Paul) · #3 21-01-2011, 08:51 AM

Whispy fine detail! Awesome really.

SkyViking (Rolf) · #4 21-01-2011, 09:09 AM

Definitely one of the best Keyhole images I have seen Mike. Awesome subtle details everywhere, and nice to see the small streaks of nebulosity around Eta itself.

I compared with my own hi-res image of the same area from a while ago, and I noticed that while I actually seem to have captured fainter stars you have a lot more contrast and definition in the nebula itself. I would assume this is because you've worked with the nebula separately and then added the stars back in the end? I haven't experimented with that yet, but it's probably about time

Congratulations on yet another beautiful image.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #5 21-01-2011, 12:28 PM

Cheers boys

Rolf, the lack of stars is a result of letting the Ha dominate in the extraction of detail and to provide the "smallness" for the stars, the esposure is pretty low (60min total for LHaRGB) aaand it is only a 6" too and aperture governs the limiting magnitude of point sources ...

..hmm, I need a fast 12"

You are also quite right, I did add a seperate star layer

Mike

acropolite (Phil) · #6 21-01-2011, 07:57 PM

Lovely image Mike, a feast for the eyes. I particularly like the absence of diffraction spikes..

strongmanmike (Michael) · #7 22-01-2011, 10:21 AM

Well it never stops huh?

There is a complex structure of ejecta shells around the unstable star Eta Carina that usually go over exposed in most images of the area.

I remembered that I managed to squeeze the details out of the famous Eta Carina twin lobe Homunculus Nebula, that Hubble made so famous, in an image done back in 2006 with the Starfire and Starlightxpress camera using shorter exposures. So...I have incorporated it in to the image, plus added a close up of the Homunculus itself.

So now I have framings of this well imaged region from 1.6deg X 1.2deg right down to a few arc min on the side

You can see the new images in the album here

Who knows what I will find next

Mike

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #8 22-01-2011, 11:35 AM

WOW mike, magnificent work, love the close up views around the star Eta Carinae. Would be interesting to see if you can push a little more out of the homunculus with new data

Great work, keep it up.

Rob_K · #9 22-01-2011, 11:37 AM

Awesome job Mike, just stunning!

(Hehe edited what I also added, hafta check every version!!!)

Cheers -

multiweb (Marc) · #10 22-01-2011, 12:00 PM

Superb field as usual. One of the best.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #11 22-01-2011, 01:02 PM

Cheers Andrew, Rob and Marc, I'm happy with the coverage in this data set now

...only took nearly 3 years

Mike

Hagar (Doug) · #12 22-01-2011, 01:35 PM

Wonderful images Mike. I particularly like the close up image, the detail and resolution is as good as I have seen anywhere.

When does your new scope arrive? I'm looking forward to what you can do with a really big light bucket.

richardo (Rich) · #13 22-01-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Well it never stops huh?

There is a complex structure of ejecta shells around the unstable star Eta Carina that usually go over exposed in most images of the area.

Mike

I do like what you've done with the Homunculus... excellent really!!
And yes I'm very guilty of over exposing it and not worrying about short exposures to layer in to show this.
Great rework of old data..

All the best
Rich

mill (Martin) · #14 22-01-2011, 03:03 PM

The close ups you make keep amazing me Mike

Great detail and nice colors

Cant wait for pics taken with the new waterbucket

Jen · #15 22-01-2011, 03:38 PM

wow Mick you make it all look so easy very nice

strongmanmike (Michael) · #16 22-01-2011, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hagar

Wonderful images Mike. I particularly like the close up image, the detail and resolution is as good as I have seen anywhere.

When does your new scope arrive? I'm looking forward to what you can do with a really big light bucket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mill

The close ups you make keep amazing me Mike

Great detail and nice colors

Cant wait for pics taken with the new waterbucket

Cheers Dougie and Martone, as I have said time and time again between 1100 - 1500mm focal length really is the sweet spot for versatile imaging and all you need (the 6" arhem..of telescopes shall we say

) with the common pixel sizes in modern CCD's, to get fantastic resolution and still have a good sized field of view for framing so many objects

I hope the 12" F3.8 astrograph lives up to its potential

....due early Feb

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardo

I do like what you've done with the Homunculus... excellent really!!
And yes I'm very guilty of over exposing it and not worrying about short exposures to layer in to show this.
Great rework of old data..

All the best
Rich

I think this feature is small so we mostly don't bother and because few others do it then it has just not been a popular goal in an image of Eta and her nebula

- remember the trap in M42 was always over exposed, that was just how it was, now almost nobody posts an image of M42 where you can't make out the Trap

. Also it is only good optics, some focal length, the high res of a mono CCD and careful processing that shows anything of worth in the Homo

most don't bother (including us in the past it would seem )

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

wow Mick you make it all look so easy very nice

NO not easy, just have to have the will...heck speaking of making things look easy - Jason and a few others make mozaics look easy though

Mike

John Hothersall · #17 22-01-2011, 06:06 PM

Impressive homunculous neb, you have picked up much of the outer area surrounding double lobes. Nebula is actually quite bright when I imaged it but the outer stuff was difficult to see. This star is pretty unique.

John.

RobF (Rob) · #18 22-01-2011, 07:48 PM

Just stunning work Mike. Jaw dropping detail and can't believe how clear the "fickle finger" is. Clear skies for the New Year when your new baby is in order (or before

too!)

strongmanmike (Michael) · #19 22-01-2011, 08:49 PM

Cheers Rob and John

The interesting things to note in the image of the Homunculus are the jets, they look like diffraction spikes and appear to eminate from Eta Carina and continue out past the first pink shell into the outer fainter shell.

Mike

Nicola (Nicola) · #20 23-01-2011, 09:51 PM

Incredible detail and excellent color balancing, gives a sort of 3d effect..