M83 - Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

[Ric]

Hi Jase, If I can achieve an image to 1/10th of what you produce I will be a very happy chappy indeed.

Your images are stunning and M83 is no exception, a truly exceptional image, I found it to be the type of image to sit back with a medium dry red and just enjoy.

I eagerly await your next image and wish you all the best with your Malin entries

Cheers

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

stunning.

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

Stunning image Jase. Beautiful detail in the dust lanes had a look at the large image .... and youve got an even bigger one

Thanks Clive. Indeed the larger image is a corker!

Originally Posted by skwinty

Hi Jase,
Absolutely awesome! Definately worthy of an award and world wide publication.
Well done and make sure we see lots more like that!

Cheers Steve. I'm not one for big noting myself. This is the only forum I post on at the moment. I use to post on the SBIG yahoo forums sometime back, but I couldn't keep up with all the posts there. May return someday. I'm not APOD calibre like the big boys.

Originally Posted by Zuts

Hi Jase

Fantastic image Jase. Even just reading the notes lets me learn something re being able to mix FL's. Just looking at it encourages me to get out there and capture some of my own images.

Paul

Thanks Paul. This comes back to a recent post I think I replied to you on regarding image registration (or I think Mike (Iceman Mike that is) mentioned it )Anyway - one word - RegiStar. Its the best US$150 you'll spend. It opens many avenues like what I've presented. Thanks again for your comments.

Originally Posted by Bassnut

Hi Jase

Tastefull colour balance on the M83, a pleasing view. The M101 is a tad blue, and looks like some blue fringing on the brighter stars. I think youll find G8 now has external guide. Ive taken flat runs at Morrook on as my task, so if you have a problem with them please advise.

Hi Fred, Indeed M101 is a tad blue (as I mentioned in the original post - colour balance was out). Was not aware G8 had external guide capabilities now. This must be very recent as imaging through the Ha filter a couple of weeks ago, I saw large guide exposures, in some cases resulted in elongated stars. Strange you mention external guiding...was in contact with a few RC owners, one a 14" and 20" - both doing external guiding. Was rather surprised that 20" could be guided externally considering the long FL. I guess if you used something around the 1000-1500mm mark you'd be ok - considering sub pixel guiding algorithms available today. Haven't given it much thought. I hope the PIR remains in the imaging train so users can continue to define the composition. Will there come a time that you'll log a users imaging run and produce flats at the same PIR angle for accuracy? I do have some qualms with the calibration library. In some cases, the calibrated data looked black clipped which gives the impression of a bad S/N ratio with the raw data. Close examination of the FITS headers looked fine. The correct calibration files were applied. I'll send you some Ha light frames of NGC6164 for your opinion. Thanks again for your comments.

Originally Posted by Ric

Hi Jase, If I can achieve an image to 1/10th of what you produce I will be a very happy chappy indeed.

Your images are stunning and M83 is no exception, a truly exceptional image, I found it to be the type of image to sit back with a medium dry red and just enjoy.

I eagerly await your next image and wish you all the best with your Malin entries

Cheers

Thanks Ric. Once in a while I hit the right note, this would be one of them. Its rather strange in that I've enjoyed my recent work, but I keep going back to my original FSQ images and get the most pleasure viewing them. As much as I like long focal length work, there has always been a keen interesting in wide field views such as sweeping shots across the galactic heart or trying to cram as many object pairings into a single frame. I'll always come back to wide field imaging. It is fun...and hey, when you're imaging at +3 arcsec/pixel, it doesn't matter how crap the seeing is...you'll still get a killer image.

Originally Posted by peter_4059

stunning.

Cheers Peter. Pleased you enjoyed it.

[montewilson (Monte)]

Train spotters will have noticed a small but obvious error in the description Jase has written for the web page of this astro-image.

No one will however have failed to notice how this is really a first class image.

Don't make me tell you all what the error is............

Well done buddy!

[dcalleja]

Jase
A brilliant image. I lost count of the background galaxies. Thanks so much as well for the detail around your processing - it really gives me some more clues as to how to improve my own.

[GrahamL]

This ..must.. be the image you mentioned last night glen

wow thats a cracker jase

[tornado33]

Excellent shot, the high res version is stunning
Scott

[Garyh]

Absolutely gorgeous Jase!
So much detail in the dust lanes and the little Ha regions throughout.
Love the colors!
Tried looking at the high res version but I could only get half a image
darn dialup for ya..
cheers Gary

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

always enjoy your images-and also your processing notes-thanks for sharing
narayan

[spearo (Frank)]

Very nice Jase
now I know what its supposed to look like!
I'll be reprocessing mine a bit i think
frank

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by montewilson

Train spotters will have noticed a small but obvious error in the description Jase has written for the web page of this astro-image.

No one will however have failed to notice how this is really a first class image.

Don't make me tell you all what the error is............

Well done buddy!

Thanks Monte!

Originally Posted by dcalleja

Jase
A brilliant image. I lost count of the background galaxies. Thanks so much as well for the detail around your processing - it really gives me some more clues as to how to improve my own.

Cheers Dan. I hope others will try this processing technique of matching different focal lengths. Considering the RGB data was only used for colouring the luminance, there is no need for it be high resolution.

Originally Posted by nightstalker

This ..must.. be the image you mentioned last night glen

wow thats a cracker jase

Thanks Graham!

Originally Posted by tornado33

Excellent shot, the high res version is stunning
Scott

Thanks Scott. Pleased you like it.

Originally Posted by Garyh

Absolutely gorgeous Jase!
So much detail in the dust lanes and the little Ha regions throughout.
Love the colors!
Tried looking at the high res version but I could only get half a image
darn dialup for ya..
cheers Gary

Cheers Gary. Its gratifying when everything comes together. Happens on rare occasions. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by seeker372011

always enjoy your images-and also your processing notes-thanks for sharing
narayan

Thanks Narayan.

Originally Posted by spearo

Very nice Jase
now I know what its supposed to look like!
I'll be reprocessing mine a bit i think
frank

Cheers Frank. Pleased you like it.

=======
Also, thanks to the folks at JCU for the emails. Much appreciated.
=======

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to view and make comment on this image. Back to capturing more photons as I've ran out of data to process!

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

A belated well done Jase - a magnificent rendition in every respect.

I'm working on my version of this now - won't be able to beat the res of an RC though

Cheers, Marcus

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

I'm working on my version of this now - won't be able to beat the res of an RC though

Cheers, Marcus

Correct me If I'm wrong, the the res in Jase's image seems to vary. On one hand the Binary on the outer arm (at 2.00 o'clock) is not cleanly split, yet the stars in the core show remarkable depth and resolution (that I have not seen in anything less than a 20") Must be those dark Gippsland skies? Fascinating !

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by jase

Darn right Gary. The workload is 20%-30% acquiring the data, 70%-80% processing it. Once you've got the data, you need to know what do to with it. Mask the defects and highlight the good detail. Sounds simple, but in practise not always easy. Don't be afraid to try something different. Once you've got a few routines that work well for you, stick with them - but then add some tasks to extend and/or challenge yourself. Thanks again for your comments.

Wonderful image. Jase. I'm interested in your comments on processing/imaging breakdown. If anything the ratio is an even split in my case (although it is hard to quantify). I throw out up to 50% of my raw data images if the results fall below a particular FWHM value. That value depends on the type of object I am imaging.

Regards

Steven
http://users.westconnect.com.au/~sjastro/small

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

A belated well done Jase - a magnificent rendition in every respect.

I'm working on my version of this now - won't be able to beat the res of an RC though

Cheers, Marcus

Thanks Marcus. Look forward to seeing your efforts!

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Correct me If I'm wrong, the the res in Jase's image seems to vary. On one hand the Binary on the outer arm (at 2.00 o'clock) is not cleanly split, yet the stars in the core show remarkable depth and resolution (that I have not seen in anything less than a 20") Must be those dark Gippsland skies? Fascinating !

That's the downside of not having a smooth transition in your processing routine Peter. How did I get such resolution I hear you say. I teased it out - Multi Stength Decon Blend (MSDB) layers from none other than Ken Crawford - http://www.rdelsol.com/Presentations.html. The transition masks could have certainly been smoother. I do blur and alter the opacity of all masks to assist in the transition, but perhaps not enough this time. You sure you don't want to give me remote access to that 14" RC of yours.

Originally Posted by sjastro

Wonderful image. Jase. I'm interested in your comments on processing/imaging breakdown. If anything the ratio is an even split in my case (although it is hard to quantify). I throw out up to 50% of my raw data images if the results fall below a particular FWHM value. That value depends on the type of object I am imaging.

Regards

Steven
http://users.westconnect.com.au/~sjastro/small

Cheers Steven. A 50% cut on your subs is pretty harsh. Certainly a low efficiency rate. I'd be trying to increase the output. Whether using AO or carefully selecting the nights where seeing is great to go deep. Its not always a bad thing to be a wide field woose and image even when seeing is woeful. Thanks for your comments.

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by jase

How did I get such resolution I hear you say. I teased it out - Multi Stength Decon Blend (MSDB) layers from none other than Ken Crawford - http://www.rdelsol.com/Presentations.html.

I suspected as much Tidy effort just the same!

Cheers
Peter

[Dennis]

Hi Jase

Well, I’m on 3rd cup of Earl Grey tea and 4th biscuit and I’m still mesmerised by this extraordinary image of M83, filling my 1600x1200 display. Actually, image is a somewhat inadequate word to use in describing this masterpiece; this is easily the best M83 portrait I have ever seen, simply breathtaking in its portrayal of this island universe.

I think that this is the only high resolution, large image scale M83 where I haven’t been aware of noise in the faint, outer regions. And the detail in the core – wow! The dust lanes, knots of stars and nebulosity are so strong and clear – no signs of any over processing. You have been very honest with the data and it clearly shows.

Move over Rob Gendler, there is a new kid on the block.

Cheers

Dennis

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by jase

Cheers Steven. A 50% cut on your subs is pretty harsh. Certainly a low efficiency rate. I'd be trying to increase the output. Whether using AO or carefully selecting the nights where seeing is great to go deep. Its not always a bad thing to be a wide field woose and image even when seeing is woeful. Thanks for your comments.

It ultimately depends on what I am imaging. Fine details in galaxy images requires a greater degree of discrimination on the quality of the raw images than say some indistinct very rarely imaged object where I might utilize all the raw data.

I don't put as much emphasis on image processing as others.

Regards

Steven

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Jase. On a second read, the info you provide on combining different FLs is very interesting indeed, and the Ken Crawford tutes are just awesome, extremely usefull and well presented. Most usefull afternoon spent just on reading all this, best waste of time ive had in months, beats work ;-).

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Fantastic Jase!!! very well compiled image undeed. I can just see your face as this was coming together

Your M83 looks quite like RJ's actually but even though RJ's is showing some remarkable structures, especially in the outer arms compared to yours, your over-all look is more natural to me and I also like your slightly wider more interesting FOV. I find as fantastic as RJ's images are they always have a science art painting look to them that I can't quite warm to 100% (bit like narrow band images actually )

http://www.cosmotography.com/images/small_m83.html

I've found combining data from different scopes rewarding for some time now. I use Astroart for much of my image processing and it's pretty easy to combine data from different scopes IMO and I am surprised more people don't do it

This was compiled from data taken with three scopes - an ED80, 12" SCT and my 6" Starfire:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...28103/original

Again, a truly excellent M83

Mike