New Horsehead

Craig_L · #1 12-10-2008, 06:31 PM

Hi,

I added some new frames with the old data and thought I would post this for comments if you have time.

Canon 450D Hutech modded
Hutech LPS V3 filter
Tak 90 with flattener @ 4.5
5X10min @ ISO 1600
6X10min @ ISO 800
PHD Guiding, QHY5 camera with Williams 66 as guidescope

Seems to be still short of detail (among other things - focus for one) but maybe this is a limitation of shooting in the suburbs of a city. Would a LRGB filter set help with a DSLR?

Thanks for any comments.

Craig

strongmanmike (Michael) · #2 12-10-2008, 06:38 PM

Craig that's a very good image in opinion. Your stars are excellent and there is indeed much detail visible, you've handled Zeta Orionis very well and the framing is perfect, overall I'm very impressed

I think your colour balance may be under the influence of your light supression filter though as it appears to be kind of two tone ie red and green/blue? Try imaging without the filter, maybe shorter exposures and more of them and use really good accurate flats taken at the time of imaging, otherwise my friend, dark skies it has to be, you will find (like I do) that it is like chaulk and cheese!

Not sure you can use LRGB filters with a DSLR because they are already colour matrixed at chip level..?

Mike

Craig_L · #3 12-10-2008, 06:47 PM

Thanks for the comments Mike. No flats in this image at all. Still working on those. Used ICNR as well. Looks like a trip to a dark site to experiment. .

AlexN · #4 12-10-2008, 08:47 PM

Looks like a big improvement over the last one mate.. great detail in IC434..

You could make a synthetic luminance layer, and give that a go... I've found it helped smooth out some bits, and bring up darker details in a few of my image...

But to be frank, I wouldnt bother if I were you...

That image looks FINEEE to me!

And yes, dark site, no pollution filter!

gregbradley · #5 12-10-2008, 08:58 PM

Fabulous image, the only improvement would be to correct the red bias.
The Flame Neb is a yellowish/orange so you could handle the colour towards that end.

LRGB filters are for mono cameras and wouldn't work on a DSLR as it has a matrix of colour filters already glued to the chip.

Dark site would help a lot as this is a pretty dim target.

Also a custom white balance would also help so you don't have to fight the red bias a modded DSLR gives.

Greg.

Matty P (Matt) · #6 12-10-2008, 09:17 PM

Excellent HH Craig. The extra data has really helped to bring out the fainter areas.

Great work.

h0ughy (David) · #7 12-10-2008, 11:15 PM

great shot there. one of the regions to hit with my cooled camera again and the vixen r200SS. Strongman mike hada go of this with a terrible collimated setup at illford in 2007 SPSP. thanks for the inspiration again

Lester · #8 13-10-2008, 07:32 AM

That is a very nice image of this spectacular area of sky.

Well done.

Hagar (Doug) · #9 13-10-2008, 09:25 AM

Very nice image Craig. Flats will make a significant improvement to the image. Give them a go. Also I really think taking darks instead of ICNR does make a difference to the final product.
Lovely image though. I would be happy with that one.

Jen · #10 13-10-2008, 11:31 PM

Beautiful pic
i would love to have my very own pic of this one day great work cheers

spearo (Frank) · #11 14-10-2008, 09:29 PM

Very nce well done
I think as Mike suggests it might be a bit red, the flame neb is usually a shade less red, more orangy?
but then again the stars color balance looks fine so i agree I think its the effect of the red filter mod
maybe it can be masked with color adjustments just on the flame?
frank

Craig_L · #12 15-10-2008, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the comments Jen, HOughy, Lester and Matt. Still a long way to go with this art/science of astrophotography.

Alex, not sure how you make a synthetic luminance layer but sounds interesting.

Greg, I did try doing a custom white balance with the 18% grey but the shots seemed very green. Maybe I shouldn't have left the LPS V3 filter on when I took the CWB.

Doug I did try some flats on this but couldn't get it quite as good. Maybe have to redo my flats. Will have to try darks as well instead of ICNR so I get some more imaging in - more lights and shorter exposure.

Thanks Spearo. I have done a version with changing the colour of the flame - just feels a little like cheating though. Have to try it without the filter and maybe a dark site.

Craig

RB (Andrew) · #13 15-10-2008, 11:17 AM

It's turned out nicely Graig.
Try the CWB shot without the LPS filter.

Craig_L · #14 15-10-2008, 11:42 AM

Will do Andrew.

winensky · #15 15-10-2008, 05:05 PM

A tough area to process given the dynamic range let alone from a light polluted site. You have done very well.

spearo (Frank) · #16 15-10-2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig_L

Thanks Spearo. I have done a version with changing the colour of the flame - just feels a little like cheating though. Have to try it without the filter and maybe a dark site.

Craig

Craig ,
I know exactly what yu mean I always feel the same if/when i start isolating sections of an image and adjusting them seperately from the rest.

The image is fine as is, its also always "in the eye of the beholder" too
cheers
frank

g__day (Matthew) · #17 15-10-2008, 10:56 PM

Wow!!!