I have applied selective NR, selective sharpening, fixed the dark haloes around the original RGB stars, minimized artifacts, and used Selective Luminance layering from my original and re-composited versions. After umpteen iterations and variations I have finally arrived at this result.
I hope you like it, I've sure learned heaps from everyone doing this one, and all the constructive input is very much appreciated!
The final repro is hugely, hugely better than the original. For me, the biggest problem with the original was the mysterious posterizing, causing loss of detail and subtlety. That is gone. The fine detail now visible in the wonderful wispy stuff at the top of the image adds greatly, and puts the main nebula in context.
The final repro is hugely, hugely better than the original. For me, the biggest problem with the original was the mysterious posterizing, causing loss of detail and subtlety. That is gone. The fine detail now visible in the wonderful wispy stuff at the top of the image adds greatly, and puts the main nebula in context.
Best,
Mike
Thanks Mike - I learned heaps doing this one - glad you like it
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley
Yeah you nailed it now. Awesome.
The stars are perfect. Is that from the OAG? Is the mount that good as well?
Greg.
Thanks Greg - they're only 2min subs - with no LP filter from my suburban backyard too - the OAG made a heck of a difference to my guiding, now just need to hypertune the EQ6 and get the remaining slop out of the RA drive!
Job for a weekend out at my place perhaps? Get a big bench into the garage to strip it down and lay it out for cleaning, tweaking and re assembly.
And the image really looks great now. Funny enough, I recall the "Face" being much easier to pick out in the early test shot though, there is so much detail there now that it is harder to see, you just get lost looking at the image.
the image really looks great now. Funny enough, I recall the "Face" being much easier to pick out in the early test shot though, there is so much detail there now that it is harder to see, you just get lost looking at the image.
Cool - might be the framing orientation as well creating that effect
Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb
Well that's the money shot. Another one for the poolroom now.
I like the framing so much I reckon I'll do my next one like yours.
Thanks Marc, I really appreciated your input into creating this final result, cheers
Hi Andy,
it's still not quite right.
When I take a small crop & split the channels
you can see that:
slightly in Green & strongly in Blue
that it looks like it's over sharpened.
It also looks like the Red has overpowered the picture.
Did you stretch the 32 bit FITS stacks with 32 bit stretching software such as NASA FITS Liberator?
It looks like especially Red could be stretched to reveal more contrast.
What is the true balance of colours when the efficiency of the detector is allowed for?
Anyway - it's still a vast improvement.
Hi Andy,
it's still not quite right.
When I take a small crop & split the channels
you can see that:
slightly in Green & strongly in Blue
that it looks like it's over sharpened.
It also looks like the Red has overpowered the picture.
Did you stretch the 32 bit FITS stacks with 32 bit stretching software such as NASA FITS Liberator?
It looks like especially Red could be stretched to reveal more contrast.
What is the true balance of colours when the efficiency of the detector is allowed for?
Anyway - it's still a vast improvement.
cheers
Allan
Gee you're a tough man Allan. I'm glad you don't split my channels. You wouldn't sleep at night.
Hi Andy,
it's still not quite right.
When I take a small crop & split the channels
you can see that:
slightly in Green & strongly in Blue
that it looks like it's over sharpened.
It also looks like the Red has overpowered the picture.
Did you stretch the 32 bit FITS stacks with 32 bit stretching software such as NASA FITS Liberator?
It looks like especially Red could be stretched to reveal more contrast.
What is the true balance of colours when the efficiency of the detector is allowed for?
Anyway - it's still a vast improvement.
cheers
Allan
Allan,
that's an interesting way of analyzing an image, but this is a NB composite with colour balance upto one's taste. so saying that Red is too strong isn't really applicable here.
it also depends on the DSO's composition and palette used to map them. so if the object is strong in Ha, that channel would obviously be stronger than the other.
I'm not sure of the method Andy used for sharpening and whether it was each channel, but its very interesting to see the blue channel, probably S2 and its probably weak so it shows up easily when you split.
This is a KAF8300 sensor so the QE at around 550nm would be the highest.
Cheers
Alistair
Last edited by alistairsam; 13-02-2015 at 10:53 PM.
Hi Andy,
it's still not quite right.
When I take a small crop & split the channels
you can see that:
slightly in Green & strongly in Blue
that it looks like it's over sharpened.
It also looks like the Red has overpowered the picture.
Did you stretch the 32 bit FITS stacks with 32 bit stretching software such as NASA FITS Liberator?
It looks like especially Red could be stretched to reveal more contrast.
What is the true balance of colours when the efficiency of the detector is allowed for?
Anyway - it's still a vast improvement.
cheers
Allan
...well, I recon that split shows it is quite excellent data .....
Bit like Sodium and Chlorine, when split they are each deadly but combined they are great on your fish mmmmmm
I have international award winning images that when split into RGB channels in PS some of the individual colour channels look like crap ...put together?...different story
...well, I recon that split shows it is quite excellent data .....
Bit like Sodium and Chlorine, when split they are each deadly but combined they are great on your fish mmmmmm
I have international award winning images that when split into RGB channels in PS some of the individual colour channels look like crap ...put together?...different story
Mike
... and that's why we all love you Mike
Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb
Gee you're a tough man Allan. I'm glad you don't split my channels. You wouldn't sleep at night.
Lol Marc, some of us need to get out more
Quote:
Originally Posted by alistairsam
Allan,
that's an interesting way of analyzing an image, but this is a NB composite with colour balance up to one's taste. so saying that Red is too strong isn't really applicable here.
it also depends on the DSO's composition and palette used to map them. so if the object is strong in Ha, that channel would obviously be stronger than the other.
I'm not sure of the method Andy used for sharpening and whether it was each channel, but its very interesting to see the blue channel, probably S2 and its probably weak so it shows up easily when you split.
This is a KAF8300 sensor so the QE at around 550nm would be the highest.
Cheers
Alistair
Onya Al - whatever that all meant, couldn't have said it better myself!
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpal
Alright Mike & Alistair - I said
I take it all back.
cheers
Allan
All is forgiven Al, you can come home again now, lol
Seriously, thanks everyone - I appreciate ALL the feedback
I would like to say that this is a fine image. I had the pleasure of meeting Andy recently, and I was a little taken aback when he said that my image of this object was an inspiration to him. He's done a fine job, and in true NB style it's been Sidonio'd a couple of times, maybe that's why Mike likes it as well.
Gee you're a tough man Allan. I'm glad you don't split my channels. You wouldn't sleep at night. 
...well, I recon that split shows it is quite excellent data 
.....
but combined they are great on your fish mmmmmm
