Rho Ophiuchus Nebulae Complex

[MrB (Simon)]

yeah, it's ok I spose.

[MrB (Simon)]

haha, just kidding!
Mate, it's *&$#*ing amazing.

Just been swimming around in the 3726x4905 version.... never realised there are TWO(3?) globs in that region!

[Octane (Humayun)]

Jase,

Also, thanks for the trip down memory lane -- I clicked the link you provided. Wow, how far imaging has come in just 2 years (comparing my own work to other DSLR users and not professional CCD). I am really desperate to get out there.

Once again, your image is remarkable.

Regards,
Humayun

[h0ughy (David)]

i so love this area, beautiful image. this is one part of the sky i would dearly love to image to come close to what you have achieved. Simply amazing

[coldspace]

Just stunning,

The amount of hours put into this makes it wothwhile when you can look at something like this

Regards Matt.

[DavidU (Dave)]

Oh my gawd !
How good is that !

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

You've raised the bar a tad with this one jase!!
Simply stunning
Doug

[Lester]

Beautiful to the max. Good on ya Jase.

That image is showing stuff I have not seen before in this region.

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Breath taking!

Thanks Jeanette. Pleased you like it!

Originally Posted by troypiggo

Holy snapping duck-crap. I'm only new to this sport, and I've still seen some pretty impressive images of that region. This one seems to have a slightly different feel to it than the others, and it's certainly very appealing and top of the list. Love the dust and colours and detail and scale and composition and focus and ...

Thanks for your comments Troy. The area certainly has rather diverse nebulosity types which makes it an interesting scene to image.

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Lovely work Jase. Fantastic colours and very smooooth.

Cheers Paul. Yes, the colours took a little extra work. I used PS colour filtering technique using a warming photo filter that was selectively introduced to areas. Seems to have worked quite well, so will probably use it again in future images. Thanks for your comments.

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

One of the best renditions of this area I've seen Jase. Vibrant, balanced colour and fantastic detail for this wide a field.

Cheers, Marcus

There's a few good ones out there Marcus, but very few (if any) cover the same FOV with comparable resolution. If you've got the time, mosaics will push you to your processing limits. I'm looking forward to processing a single frame image again as there's much less to worry about! Appreciate your comments.

Originally Posted by Octane

Jase,

Bravo, bravo. *round of applause*

That is one of the most beautiful images I've ever seen. *gobsmacked*

I was waiting for this piece from you and I'm so happy to finally see it.

Congratulations.

Regards,
Humayun

Originally Posted by Octane

Jase,

Also, thanks for the trip down memory lane -- I clicked the link you provided. Wow, how far imaging has come in just 2 years (comparing my own work to other DSLR users and not professional CCD). I am really desperate to get out there.

Once again, your image is remarkable.

Regards,
Humayun

Thanks Humayun. To date, I've not come across a similar DSLR image of the region as your original has portrayed. Yes, equipment plays part of the role, but to make the most of the equipment, you need to have a sound understanding of what do with the data you get from the gear. Your image is a great example of what can be achieved. Now get out there and collect more data - time waits for no-one.

Originally Posted by Bassnut

Wouldve creamed DM, juuusstt too late

Ah Fred...even if the image was ready I probably wouldn't have entered it. As you're aware, I didn't enter this year, so maybe next. The DM's are a mind game in which at times I'm personally not certain of what it proves other than some recognition that ultimately can be found in many alternate ways.

Originally Posted by multiweb

Truely awesome! I really like the framing and the way you've provided for the extensions going all the way down. The brown lanes really standout against the star background and the blues really pop. Must have been a real challenge to blend the panels and match the seams with that many stars in the overlap areas. Inspirational both in term of acquisition and processing. That's the kind of stuff that makes me wanna do better

Thanks Marc. The dusty extensions where planned using TheSky (as per the attached plan in the original post. Sure, I could have simply nailed the top as a four panel mosaic, but it doesn't capture the environment. Anyone can point a camera to the sky and take a picture, but if you're looking to produce something memorable it requires some planning and thoughtful execution. There was approximately 10% overlap between the frames which is easy to work with. I've tried 5% and it's living on the edge. Frame misalignments aren't fun especially when you need to go back and shoot more data to fill in the gaps. Telescope pointing accuracy is obviously critical for this to all come together. Pleased it has provided some inspiration. Now get out there an produce some images!

Originally Posted by Paul K

A beautiful image !!

Thanks Paul. Appreciated.

Originally Posted by MrB

haha, just kidding!
Mate, it's *&$#*ing amazing.

Just been swimming around in the 3726x4905 version.... never realised there are TWO(3?) globs in that region!

Cheers Simon. The original is double those dimensions so should make a fine print - once I get a chance that is. Yes, three globular clusters are present. The most common two are to the right. M80 is the third at left of frame.

Originally Posted by h0ughy

i so love this area, beautiful image. this is one part of the sky i would dearly love to image to come close to what you have achieved. Simply amazing

Appreciate the kind words Houghy. Thanks.

Originally Posted by coldspace

Just stunning,

The amount of hours put into this makes it wothwhile when you can look at something like this

Regards Matt.

Cheers Matt. Its a labour of love.

Originally Posted by DavidU

Oh my gawd !
How good is that !

Thanks for checking it out David and making comment.

Originally Posted by dugnsuz

You've raised the bar a tad with this one jase!!
Simply stunning
Doug

Cheers Doug. I'm only trying to out-do myself and push the boundaries. Appreciate the kind words.

Originally Posted by Lester

Beautiful to the max. Good on ya Jase.

That image is showing stuff I have not seen before in this region.

Thanks Lester. There's plenty of stuff not regularly imaged on display. Gives me a few ideas for some future long focal length work that's for sure. Pleased you liked it.

=======
Thanks all. Will see what the next image brings. This interest (hobby) is full of possibilities, limited only by ones mind (or perhaps the skies the limit - pun intended).
Cheers

[iceman (Mike)]

Well I don't think it gets any better than this.

That's just stunning. Thanks Jase, I enjoyed that immensely.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Amazing image Jase - there's a lot of work in that one and it pays off. Great work.

Peter

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Well I don't think it gets any better than this.

That's just stunning. Thanks Jase, I enjoyed that immensely.

I concur! WOW!

Al.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by jase

... Now get out there an produce some images!

Wish I could. Too much work at the moment... and rain

[Benny L (Ben)]

nice work Jase!! been chasing this region for a while myself although for me i think its cursed haha! if its not the weather, its air traffic, if its not that its something else lol..

verry impressive mate

[gregbradley]

Man that is really gorgeous. A lot of hard work and planning has gone into this beauty.

Greg.

[jase (Jason)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Well I don't think it gets any better than this.

That's just stunning. Thanks Jase, I enjoyed that immensely.

Pleased you liked it Mike. A methodical approach worked well. Thanks for your comments.

Originally Posted by peter_4059

Amazing image Jase - there's a lot of work in that one and it pays off. Great work.

Peter

Thanks Peter. Always rewarding when a plan comes together. Sometimes images just "click", this was one of those moments despite wrestling with the RGB data over a few days.

Originally Posted by sheeny

I concur! WOW!

Al.

Cheers Al.

Originally Posted by multiweb

Wish I could. Too much work at the moment... and rain

Yeah, I hear you Marc. Weather and work commitments has driven me to now take a different approach. I've decided to go "hardcore" and finish setting up my observatory for autonomous data acquisition. At present, everything other than opening the observatory shutters and monitoring the weather is automated (focusing, guiding, pointing, dome slaving etc are all done without assistance). I'm waiting delivery of Sirius motorised shutters (should be here this week) and cloud sensor (in three weeks). This will finish the project, hopefully introducing major efficiencies given I can control the observatory located 160km's under darks rural skies from the city and also on "school nights" when I need to work the following day. Just what I need for these multi-panel mosaics. The road ahead is fraught with danger, but extended insurance will cover it.

Originally Posted by Benny L

nice work Jase!! been chasing this region for a while myself although for me i think its cursed haha! if its not the weather, its air traffic, if its not that its something else lol..

verry impressive mate

Cheers Benny. Weather can't be controlled, but air traffic such as planes and ufo's are easy to deal with using data rejection. Don't let them get in the way of having a shot at the lovely region of the sky. At least before its the end of the Rho season - there's still time.

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Man that is really gorgeous. A lot of hard work and planning has gone into this beauty.

Greg.

Thanks Greg. Pleased you like it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

======
Thanks all.

[Rob_K]

Truly remarkable Jase, one of those very rare & special images that imprints on the senses and will be remembered! Only wish I had a giant monitor to view the high-res - the impact of the low-res when it first opened was.... lost for words...

Cheers -

[bloodhound31]

Jase, I just can't get the words out. There is so much going on in that image!

Beautiful is as good a word as any as sometimes I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe such work.

Baz.

[Tamtarn]

The composition is what makes your image so special Jase.

The dark lanes streaming from the main nebula region the detail and subtle colour make a spectacular image.

The hours spent capturing the data creating the mosaic and many more hours of processing has produced something very special.

[Dennis]

Hi Jase

Well, now that I have picked myself up off the floor and dusted myself down, let’s put pen to paper! This truly wonderful cosmic scene really impacts the viewer on so many levels.

Attempting such a daunting project sends a clear message that here is a person who is not intimidated by the magnitude of the challenge; they are confident of their visioning, planning, execution, processing and presentation capabilities.

It takes a prodigious talent and bucket full’s of experience to master the technical complexity that lies behind this masterpiece and for that I applaud you.

The presentation and processing is beyond my ability to meaningfully critique so I am left with the inadequate words of bravo, well done and congratulations for pulling this off. The 3726x4905 version is stunning in the variety of objects it reveals, how wonderfully it reveals them, the seamless stitching, the data smoothness and the in your face beauty of this remarkable region.

I’m really not too sure where you can go from here, but I am certain you will find another impossible peak to climb!

Cheers

Dennis