Helix Nebula in 3nm HA

[avandonk]

Just a test to see how many frames are needed to bring up all the dim outer stuff. As usual more is always better.

Exposures 14x16 min in 3nm HA.

Large image here 11MB

http://d1355990.i49.quadrahosting.co.../HELIXN_HA.jpg


Full res 16 bit tiff here to play with. 14MB

http://d1355990.i49.quadrahosting.co.../HELIXN_HA.zip


Looks a bit lonely. At least now the star field is good to the corners with the new rings. There is a tiny bit of flexure still.


Bert

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

When stretched it's all there Berto, just needs about 4 or 5 X as much exposure to smooth it out a bit

Amazing to think just a few years ago revealing the bright bridge like arc was considered a bench mark for a deep Helix image, those outer faint envelopes were not even on peoples radar let alone considered reachable

Mike

[LewisM]

Nice one Bert.

I didn't push it too far - sacrificed extreme detail for a little aesthetic quality.

[avandonk]

Try binning Lewis.

You would be surprised what turns up. see image bekow.

Bert

[LewisM]

I did Bert, but losing the central star is an issue to me as this to me is mainly what the PN is about - showing what is causing the nebulosity. Plus stretching it further introduces horrible space noise, like in what you just showed. Like I said - a balance of aesthetic vs detail

[LewisM]

Taken a touch further

[avandonk]

Lewis the binning tells me how many more and longer frames I need to collect to show the reall faint stuff at full resolution. It looks like a lot!

Bert

[LewisM]

This is if I really back off on stretching and concentrate more on finery

Lovely data

[LewisM]

Indeed Bert. I can also see the flex in the image - not just in the edges.

[avandonk]

Originally Posted by LewisM

This is if I really back off on stretching and concentrate more on finery

Lovely data

Yes that looks much nicer than my noisy version.

I hope to hit it hard and long with NII, HA and OIII as well as RGB. It all depends on weather.

I still have slight flexure between the camera and RH200 due to gravity. It manifests as a slow creep in translation.

Bert

[LewisM]

Bert,

Is this the flex you are referring to, or a tracking issue?