Finally imaging again!!! ... after a long hiatus associated with camera, observatory building and weather. This is also first imaging light from my new obs!
Alas, I was at the tail end of 1365's imaging season so the windows were short. But I've been wanting to target it since October - so I persevered!
Taken over 3 nights (over 3 weeks because of the weather), I managed LRGB (150, 65, 65, 65). Not sure I've squeazed the best out of the data yet but it looks ok for now. Depending on the feedback I get I may give processing another shot. One thing though, processing galaxies sure is hard!
F/11.7! What were your sub exposure times with the 11k? Suspect 15 to 20min subs to get good signal. Perhaps 10min 2x2 RGB subs. Nice details. As previously mentioned, stars aren't round. This looks like a image resizing or jpeg issue. I suspect this may also be compounding some of the details. Well done.
Yes, stars have a bright star-like artifact in them - makes them look squarish. Jase is spot on too - should have gone for longer subs (10mins was never going to be enough at that FL - doh! ). Consequently, noise reduction had to be pretty heavy so that's where I think the star imperfections are coming from - haven't pin pointed the exact culprit yet though.
Boy, imaging and processing is NOT like riding a bike! If you're away from it too long (and you're not already an expert) you forget stuff! . Maybe I'm just going senile!
I'll give it another shot and repost. I could just overlay some clean stars but I think I can squeaze even more detail out of the data - wish me luck!
The stars do like being the victims of a jpeg compression. The galaxy also looks too yellow. You might want to increase the amount of blue in the colour balance.
What are you using to focus? I can't see a stepper motor in the image of your set-up. I don't trust my fingers!
Will you be coming to the SPSP? I'd like to meet you if you are. Generators are allowed now at the house area.
Just the finger tips - takes me a while to get the focus right though. Unfortunately, for one set of subs I neglected to focus properly . I think one day I'll get myself a PDF - or at least a 10 to 1 microfocuser.
Yep - wild horses coudn't keep me away from SPSP. See you there!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sjastro
That's a good image Marcus.
The stars do like being the victims of a jpeg compression. The galaxy also looks too yellow. You might want to increase the amount of blue in the colour balance.
Regards
Steven
Thanks Steven. No, not compression artifacts - I think it's a combination of the minimum filter I'm using to de-bloat and the high pass filter I'm using to enhance the detail (got to remember to mask off the stars!!). I fixed them - still not perfect but much better. I toned the yellow down a little bit too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starkler
Yes I cant help getting the impression that you have clipped out the fainter parts of those spiral arms. Worth another try for sure
Tried reprocessing today to get more detail and depth. Can't do it - subs are too short. I tweaked the curves a bit to bring out the arms a little better though.
We just purchased a house in Newcatsle.... with no bloody sky access (I gave in to the wifes love of trees ) so I am now thinking of seting up at a dark site somewhere or I'll never get to image and a Sirius dome setup like yours is a possibility?
We just purchased a house in Newcatsle.... with no bloody sky access (I gave in to the wifes love of trees ) so I am now thinking of seting up at a dark site somewhere or I'll never get to image
Commiserations mate! That's a bugger! Thankfully, my story is different. After my wife and I attended the 2005 SPSP she practically insisted I buy a scope. Then, not long before I took delivery in 06 she said "let's move, otherwise when are you going to be able to use it?". We lived in a house where there was zero sky access too. Now I live with practically all-sky access! . I'm a lucky man!
I did some more processing (I find it hard to stop). I found some more dust lane detail and de-processed the core a bit to remove the fluro look. I also reduced the yellowness near the core and some of the noise in the dim parts of the arms.
Before on the left, after on the right - what do you think?
... after a long hiatus associated with camera, observatory building and weather. This is also first imaging light from my new obs! 
). Consequently, noise reduction had to be pretty heavy so that's where I think the star imperfections are coming from - haven't pin pointed the exact culprit yet though.
. Maybe I'm just going senile! 
. I think one day I'll get myself a PDF - or at least a 10 to 1 microfocuser.
or I'll never get to image 
and a Sirius dome setup like yours is a possibility?
. I'm a lucky man!
