Hi Everyone, this is another one that was taken on the 27 & 28 Oct, while chasing clouds around my imaging targets. You can tell it's starting to get warm up, up this way, the colour noise in the background is unavoidable at this time of year. Won't be long and the wet will be here and then I'll do a cooling mod. Next year should be a ripper.
Image details:
26x300sec @ ISO1600 with the gear in my signature.
Edit: Ok folks, after Al's reprocess and guidance with the tutorials he posted, I had another go at processing this one. I have attached it to this post. Although I do have photoshop, these days I tend to process all my images totally with pixinsight. PI doesn't have rope selection tools or the like because when you use these tools, you are manipulating the data it an unnatural way, meaning doing something to a certain structure rather than to all pixels at a particular brightness etc. (I am not criticizing anyone for using these tools, as to highlight some structures you need them). I still prefer Al's repro because he managed to bring the pinks out in the nebula's by using such tools. However I am trying my hand at staying true to the data bla bla bla, so decided not to use them. The attached reprocess is the closest I can come to Al's with my current knowledge using PI. I am sure that with more practice I will be able to get there, but for now this is it. I may have a go using PS later down the track.
Nice image Rex. Pity that it's too low for us Mexicans down south to get a decent image of it.
Geoff
Thanks Geoff, I know what u mean, there are quite a few Northern Obje ts that I would love to have a go at, but they are too far north even for here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Placidus
Very fine, Rex. It looks so close we could reach out and touch it.
Thank you Mike, I love the 3D effect this one seems to have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpal
Great data Rex,
I would love to have a go at the colours & post a picture here.
I think I could bring out more reds & blues.
cheers
Allan
Thanks Allan. I will load up a dropbox file and post a link. Please share with us exactly what you did so I can replicate it. Not just what procedures you used but also the settings. I post my pictures here to learn how to process them better so specific instructions are most helpful. I'll sort out the link and post it later this arvo. Thanks for your help.
The profanity filters on the forum both electronic and human will not allow me to convey the way I really like the image. So all I can do is say that's very very nice, well done.
I've been wanting to have a crack at this for ages, but would have to carry the scope a long way to avoid street lights and trees. One day....
The profanity filters on the forum both electronic and human will not allow me to convey the way I really like the image. So all I can do is say that's very very nice, well done.
I've been wanting to have a crack at this for ages, but would have to carry the scope a long way to avoid street lights and trees. One day....
Thank you Kevin, most appreciated. Thank you also for the laugh.
Thanks Allan. I will load up a dropbox file and post a link. Please share with us exactly what you did so I can replicate it. Not just what procedures you used but also the settings. I post my pictures here to learn how to process them better so specific instructions are most helpful. I'll sort out the link and post it later this arvo. Thanks for your help.
Hi Rex,
no need - I just had a quick go at the colours using LAB mode & blurred layer masks
to highlight various areas.
I also used selective colour to make blurred masks & played around with the sliders in Photoshop.
see the result here:
Hi Allan, mate I really like what you have done, however your explanation of what you did to achieve those results are, well, vague at best. I would really appreciate some more information so that I may try it for myself, after all the best way to learn is to practice.
Hi Allan, mate I really like what you have done, however your explanation of what you did to achieve those results are, well, vague at best. I would really appreciate some more information so that I may try it for myself, after all the best way to learn is to practice.
Basically you can select an area with the paint brush on a mask
& do whatever you want with it.
The blurring helps to blend it in to your original picture.
I also use in Photoshop: select, refine mask, to help.
Some would say that it's cheating but Ken Crawford says otherwise.
Lovely Rex, well done really like the colours coming out there, how do you encourage them? I've got a similar amount of exposure and mine is looking a bit pale, maybe I need to do another repro
Basically you can select an area with the paint brush on a mask
& do whatever you want with it.
The blurring helps to blend it in to your original picture.
I also use in Photoshop: select, refine mask, to help.
Some would say that it's cheating but Ken Crawford says otherwise.
cheers
Allan
Thanks very much Allen, quite a bit of studying to do there, hopefully will help improve what I am doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopardalis
Lovely Rex, well done really like the colours coming out there, how do you encourage them? I've got a similar amount of exposure and mine is looking a bit pale, maybe I need to do another repro
Thanks Dunk, to increase the saturation I normally use curves, PI has a saturation tab on the curves tool that I use. There is a separate saturation tool as well but I like the curves results better. I just had a look at Allens links above and Louie has some great tips there for photoshop which are very useful. Just have to modify slightly to achieve the same result in pixinsight.
Really nice work Rex. Those extra few degrees you get up north will be a boost too.
All you need to do now is find and monitor some Cepheid variables in there perhaps.
Thanks Rob, unfortunately the heat comes with the location also, neve mind, can't have everything now can we.
Yeah I could do that, I am actually a member of the AAVSO, although it has been a long while since I logged any observations, and they were all visual not photographic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phobos27
Very nice Rex! Love the clarity of the dust lanes!
Thanks Nick, I like that too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by strongmanmike
Yes an excellent M31 from Oz Rex ...and Al's repro is quite good this time
Mike
Thanks Mike, and yep Al's repro is quite good. I haven't managed to replicate it yet, but I will be trying.
really like the colours coming out there, how do you encourage them? I've got a similar amount of exposure and mine is looking a bit pale, maybe I need to do another repro 
