Here is the colour version of the Luminance image I posted last week. Saturday was a great night - zero clouds all night long and seeing quite good after midnight. In fact, I can't remember a night in the last 8 months where clouds haven't dogged me at some point! Anyway, I managed to get 80 mins each for RGB (binned 2x2) on top of the 2 hrs Luminance for a total of 6 hours of data. I went 2x2 because I was at F11.7.
My processing was inspired by Rob Gendler's version. I like seeing vivid colours in a galaxy image. The halo turned out a treat too I think - so quite pleased overall.
Nice! The dust lanes in this galaxy look pretty full on. Heaps of colors
Quote:
Originally Posted by kinetic
That is just SOOO beautiful Marcus.
Awesome!.
Steve
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Haese
Superb image Marcus, so smooth rich colour. Great work.
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Originally Posted by allan gould
Really, really nice. Great shot and colour is excellent
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Originally Posted by RobF
Wow. That's beautiful Marcus
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Originally Posted by Craig_L
Stunning Marcus, the dust lanes standing out so well against those delicate colours.
Thanks Marc, Steve, Paul, Allan, Rob & Craig. Glad you liked it! This galaxy wasn't on my radar until recently and I went for it because of it's vibrant colour & riot of dust lanes. The extent of the halo was an unexpected bonus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Ward
This is an excellent image Marcus.
Sure, with better seeing, bigger 'scope, ( preferably in low earth-orbit) you could do better.
Gotta be happy with that.
Thanks a lot Peter. Yep, a few moonless nights of sub arcsec seeing would be nice! I live in hope. Bigger scope? - maybe one day. I do occassionally daydream of owning a 14.5" RCOS'. I am amazed what a mere 5.9" scope will do though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by strongmanmike
Excellent job Marcus
It's an awesome galaxy
It does look a bit close up to me, like I wish I could zoom it out a bit to take it in properly and hide the processing a bit..?
Wha tha? Too closeup????? I can see Freds startled face now
MIke
Cheers Mike - appreciate that! Waaa?? ......... too CLOSE UP!!!! Ya just can't please some folks can ya!! Seriously though, I'm not a big fan of the small-galaxy-in-a-large-featureless-star-field look unless it's a cluster.
Hide the PROCESSING!!!!! Here, look below, I've attached the completely unprocessed RGB frame (initial stretch only, 50% scale & massively compressed) for your enjoyment
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolhandJo
What a difference a bit of colour makes!
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Originally Posted by atalas
Top work Marc!
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Originally Posted by bluescope
Looks like it's on fire Marcus ... nice work !
Quote:
Originally Posted by Garyh
Excellent Marcus! I love those strong colors as well in galaxy shots!
cheers Gary
Thanks guys. It does kind of look like it's on fire, I think it's the inferno-like look of Rob Gendler's rendition (see here) that I liked.
WOW Marc, VERY impressive, perfect composition, awesome detail, brilliant colour, the "Mike likes it that way" WF is woefull by comparison. Best image Ive seen in a long while, top work.
WOW Marc, VERY impressive, perfect composition, awesome detail, brilliant colour, the "Mike likes it that way" WF is woefull by comparison. Best image Ive seen in a long while, top work.
Hey thanks Fred - glowing praise indeed - much appreciated!!
Ok it needs some work - gradients, coax out the outer halo a tad etc but the full frame version is quite natural looking. I think you could crop it a bit but just not as much as the version you presented IMO. Might be nice to see a couple'a different versions even?
Ok it needs some work - gradients, coax out the outer halo a tad etc but the full frame version is quite natural looking. I think you could crop it a bit but just not as much as the version you presented IMO. Might be nice to see a couple'a different versions even?
Still, either way, nice work
Mike
Thanks again Mike - but I only processed the crop on this one. The full frame is on the cutting room floor where it belongs. Besides, Rembrandt only ever painted one version of his pictures, right?
I agree with Fred one of the best images for ages. Super well done!
Roland Christen remarked several months ago about the virtues of
barlowing up an APO to get maximum resolution. You are really showing that to be an excellent way to go.
You would be very hard pressed to better that result even with a large RC.
You are showing an excellent APO has real real depth potential. Not everyone likes the diffraction spikes of compound scopes.
Thanks Marc, Steve, Paul, Allan, Rob & Craig. Glad you liked it! This galaxy wasn't on my radar until recently and I went for it because of it's vibrant colour & riot of dust lanes. The extent of the halo was an unexpected bonus.
Ya just can't please some folks can ya!! 
Seriously though, I'm not a big fan of the small-galaxy-in-a-large-featureless-star-field look unless it's a cluster. 
Here, look below, I've attached the completely unprocessed RGB frame (initial stretch only, 50% scale & massively compressed) for your enjoyment 
