The Fighting Dragons of Ara - AG12

[Doomsayer]

Really like the aesthetics of that composition and the textures/colours. Getting steady air around Newcastle is a challenge, let alone persistent coastal cloud - I just moved my 12"RC way inland to try and improve things. Even so, the Newcastle sky off the coast can still seem amazingly dark when the air is 'clear' and transparency up. Getting your AG to a dark location with steady air might tell a different story, as you would be contemplating no doubt.
guy

[Paul Haese]

Just found this.

Fantastic colours (despite NB). Tonally fantastic (perhaps I am a becoming an NB fan ), with georgous detail.

Probably your best image ever I think. I often gaze at your images and wonder how I can get even close to these. This is I feel another step up from some of your previous wonderous images. Nice benchmark and I would suggest this scope is looking the goods.

Stunning image and I would expect to see that at DM awards.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Tandum

Stunning image mike and all in one night. I've been plugging away at this one as well, after doug's post and when weather permits, with a 102mm F6 refractor and 20min binned x2 subs are short on data You've got me looking at low F reflectors again

Cheers Robin

Yeh mine was 5min subs bin 1X1 so the aperture and speed certainly makes a difference ..low F reflectors have there place

Mike

Originally Posted by Doomsayer

Really like the aesthetics of that composition and the textures/colours. Getting steady air around Newcastle is a challenge, let alone persistent coastal cloud - I just moved my 12"RC way inland to try and improve things. Even so, the Newcastle sky off the coast can still seem amazingly dark when the air is 'clear' and transparency up. Getting your AG to a dark location with steady air might tell a different story, as you would be contemplating no doubt.
guy

Cheers Guy

Is the 12" RC up and running yet?

Hmmm?..I have to say, even with the light pollution and ordinary to poor seeing it seems to experience, it will certainly be hard to leave my mums backyard....I have kinda got used to the narrwoband stuff...aaaand the TV and hot soup in the microwave at midnight and the three steps to the garage to packup..not to mention 5min drive home

Mike

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Just found this.

Fantastic colours (despite NB). Tonally fantastic (perhaps I am a becoming an NB fan ), with georgous detail.

Probably your best image ever I think. I often gaze at your images and wonder how I can get even close to these. This is I feel another step up from some of your previous wonderous images. Nice benchmark and I would suggest this scope is looking the goods.

Stunning image and I would expect to see that at DM awards.

Well Paulie...you have just made my day! thankyou

As for the DM's. well, my Orions Sword didn't rate even a distant secondary note of reference by DM last year but then went on to nearly win the Eureka's, was second at SPSP, is my No.1 selling image to people from around the World, has made me half the value of the AG12 back already and is now going to hang in Canberra at the National Science Centre...so, as we have discussed before, nothing is a given in this game of ours..beauty is in the eye of the beholder ..and I am perfectly cool with that

Mike

[Doomsayer]

RC is nearly there. Much to do with a remote controlled rig - mind you, my partner in crime is the main one doing the techie work at the moment. I have also gotten used to having the armchair setup in the backyard, which I still have, plus the remote one in development.
g

[venus (Lydia)]

Gee I'm glad I wandered onto this site today it's made my day.
Amazing image genius!

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Hi Mike,

Absolutely stunning image.

Whilst I quite often take a peek at the astro images posted, I rarely comment as I don't image myself and really don't know much about it, other than how to waste rolls of Kodak Ektachrome through an Olympus OM-1. It's a whole new world these days and I don't have enough time to scratch my butt, let alone spend hours processing images, hence I am happy with a dob and an eyepiece.

I do know quality when I see it and everything you do is excellent. This image IMO is just something exceptional and takes things to the next level. Congrats on an absolute cracker.

Cheers,
John B

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by venus

Gee I'm glad I wandered onto this site today it's made my day.
Amazing image genius!

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Hi Mike,

Absolutely stunning image.

Whilst I quite often take a peek at the astro images posted, I rarely comment as I don't image myself and really don't know much about it, other than how to waste rolls of Kodak Ektachrome through an Olympus OM-1. It's a whole new world these days and I don't have enough time to scratch my butt, let alone spend hours processing images, hence I am happy with a dob and an eyepiece.

I do know quality when I see it and everything you do is excellent. This image IMO is just something exceptional and takes things to the next level. Congrats on an absolute cracker.

Cheers,
John B

Lydia and John

I am so happy that you enjoyed the image so much, the hours spent capturing and compiling images like this one is well worth the effort when people enjoy them so much, it's a great feeling, thankyou

John, I used an Olympus OM1 and Ektachrome myself...ah sigh..they were the days ...and I would LOVE a decent dob, I miss viewing and often when I am capturing my image data I have nothing to do, a nice dob nearby would be just the ticket

Mike

[Stevec35 (Steve)]

That's a stunner Mike! One of your best ever I would think.

Cheers

Steve

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Stevec35

That's a stunner Mike! One of your best ever I would think.

Cheers

Steve

Cheers Steve, yes it's seeming that way

Still have a soft spot for my Cen A though ...started the repro revolution

Mike

[Ken Crawford (KenC)]

Very nice Mike, I have always believed that NB rules and 6 filter images produce the most stunning results. The dynamic range of that type of data is huge and really shows structures and details as well as amazing depth of field.

On the color blend side the only personal point is I do like to make sure there is no weakly supported Ha that results in green nebula. There is lots of discussion about this and other points in the US Narrowband processing forums. Narrowband images will continue to be the source of great debates as it allows so much freedom of processing choices. That is why we call it technical art!

This image shows all the marks of a well planned and processed 6 filter NB image.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Thanks for the comments Ken

Re the colour pallet, in my opinion the colour pallets pioneered by Richard Crisp et al are the most sound scientifically, unfortunately they are not as aesthetic as other combinations so the argument about what colour pallet is the best comes down to semantics and personal prefference...like discussing a new carpet for the lounge with your wife

Mike

[Ken Crawford (KenC)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Thanks for the comments Ken

Re the colour pallet, in my opinion the colour pallets pioneered by Richard Crisp et al are the most sound scientifically, unfortunately they are not as aesthetic as other combinations so the argument about what colour pallet is the best comes down to semantics and personal prefference...like discussing a new carpet for the lounge with your wife

Mike

Understood .. .

At AIC we had the top Hubble image processors a couple of times and of course they were doing NB well before any amature renderings. Their approch to this is if you are purely doing science then we would not introduce RGB and we have to watch how we stretch each frame as well as the combine strengths.


Many times when I do narrow band I will send my results to Zolt Levay and Dr. Travis Rector for their professional thoughts as I know I push the limits of color with my data. It is always interesting to hear their advice on what tweaks they would make. I always find kind attention to their own personal tastes. It is important to have mentors and friends who can give heart felt advice.

Forums like this are a great place to test the waters with images to understand how others see our work. These types of discussions are very useful and it is one of great part of our hobby. That is were the technical art comes in and as you say, personal taste and the goals of the presenation becomes the front of mind in processing choices.

Keep up the great work Mike, your passion for your work shows and it is infectious to all . . .

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Ken Crawford

Understood .. .

At AIC we had the top Hubble image processors a couple of times and of course they were doing NB well before any amature renderings. Their approch to this is if you are purely doing science then we would not introduce RGB and we have to watch how we stretch each frame as well as the combine strengths.


Many times when I do narrow band I will send my results to Zolt Levay and Dr. Travis Rector for their professional thoughts as I know I push the limits of color with my data. It is always interesting to hear their advice on what tweaks they would make. I always find kind attention to their own personal tastes. It is important to have mentors and friends who can give heart felt advice.

Forums like this are a great place to test the waters with images to understand how others see our work. These types of discussions are very useful and it is one of great part of our hobby. That is were the technical art comes in and as you say, personal taste and the goals of the presenation becomes the front of mind in processing choices.

Keep up the great work Mike, your passion for your work shows and it is infectious to all . . .

HST imagers huh? ..be good to get that level of feedback Ken, noice .

You covering narrowband at AAIC?

Mike

[Higbyrichard (Richard)]

You are a bloody worry Mike.

It's an exquisite wide field image like this through a new scope that reminds me there is no excuse having a portable setup. Your persistent dedication on cold nights shines through leaving me and others in your wake. I need to try harder.

Cheers

Richard.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Higbyrichard

You are a bloody worry Mike.

It's an exquisite wide field image like this through a new scope that reminds me there is no excuse having a portable setup. Your persistent dedication on cold nights shines through leaving me and others in your wake. I need to try harder.

Cheers

Richard.

He he, on ya Richard, thanks for the kind sentiments

... yes it is a challenge at times being portable, just this Friday gone was a good case in point. I knocked off work early to get all setup before dark, it takes a while to set everything up, especially, as you say, becasue I have a new yet to be standaradised outfit. After all the setup darkness fell...in came the cloud, took a couple of test exposures and cloud became 100% then in the beam of my headlamp I saw fine water particles..fuuuuuuuuu. Now picture a 300lb astronomer charging around, shutting down computers, inplugging, unwrapping, unwinding, unscrewing, unfriggin everythinging cables tied together, trying to make sure I didn't try and remove anything before unpluging it first, thinking what do I least want to get wet...aaarggggg

I litteral just made it, packed up in record time, a solid spit had started as I removed the OTA from its cradle and rain came as I was covering the mount. maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan...friggin close, huffing and puffing I stood dumbfounded and sweating in my mums garage saying fu fu fu!!!

You guys with an observatory are soooo lucky out there

Mike