M42 HaRGB with ASI1600

[DJScotty (Scott)]

Hi there all.

Been working on this for about a month in-between clouds.

What I don't like about it:

• The noise
• The neb colour
• Star shapes and colours
• The blown out core - I tried very hard with 3 layers per channel consisting of 5 sec, 30 sec and 2 min subs to control the trap etc, but to no avail. I really think the RGB subs could be pushed to almost 5 minutes at unity gain and 10 minute Ha subs to reeeeeealy bring out some of the darker fainter stuff

What I do like about it:

• The dark gas and overall nebulosity captured
• The detail

Anyway, technical details
AZEQ6
ASI1600MM cooled to -20
Sigma 150-500mm (app500mm for this image)

Please be kind

Thanks for looking

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

I reckon this is one of your nicest images Scott

I also like how you presented darker gas surrounding the bright hot centre of this in fact challenging target.

Keep them coming Scott!

[DJScotty (Scott)]

Thanks suavi. You're too kind!
I must admit though I tend to agree with you

[glend (Glen)]

Scott don't be too hard on yourself, you picked a very hard target in M42. Even in narrowband you can blow the core at the sub times you suggested. I have some short sub narrowband for M42 that preserves the Trap but it needs to be carefully layered and masked off, which i have on my todo list.
Good smooth detail in the clouds as i world expect from the 1600.
I believe M42 needs camera setting in the HDR level, which is 0 gain, however Gain 76 gives you the greatest pixel well depth. Try offset of 12 at Gain 76. Good start.

[DJScotty (Scott)]

Thanks for the kind words glenn.
It is a difficult target i have to agree.
I will be putting the camera onto my newtonian this week.
Might have a crack at rosette next. Try for another mosaic in HaRGB. Might try your suggested settings.

Thanks Glenn

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Nice one. It's very deep.

I would flip it left / right though. It's a mirror image at the moment.

[DJScotty (Scott)]

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

Nice one. It's very deep. .

Thanks very much.
I was trying for a deep image to see what the asi was capable of

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

Hi Scott,

I think you can recover at least some information from the central bright section of your image. I just did a quick HDR Transform in PI (and also stuffed up your colours!) for illustration. I hope you do not mind me messing with your excellent image!

[DJScotty (Scott)]

That's all good.
I might have to go back and do some selective curve manipulation and see what I can do.

Unfortunately I didn't save the layers! Just the finished image.

Have to start from scratch. Oh well, good thing I have nothing better to do!

Thanks for the inspiration good sir

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

I really think you have some good data there Scott and I look forward to seeing at least a few revisions of M42

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Yeah the trap is hard to tame Scott (I like the square blocks you created in there Suavi ... ) Some really nice details in the outer nebuloisty though

Mike

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Yeah the trap is hard to tame Scott (I like the square blocks you created in there Suavi ... ) Some really nice details in the outer nebuloisty though

Mike

Square blocks are my speciality!

It just clearly shows what jpg data compression does to your painstakingly collected space data!

[DJScotty (Scott)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Yeah the trap is hard to tame Scott (I like the square blocks you created in there Suavi ... ) Some really nice details in the outer nebuloisty though

Mike

Thanks Mike. The repro is coming soon. Just waiting for some noise reduction to take place