Full Res available (was:16 hours on the Orion loop)

[suma126 (Shane)]

just totally amazing

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

A very special image Marco, lovely colours and lots going on. There have been a few images of this field with similar composition in the last year or so and this is a very well executed version indeed!

If I may make one suggestion..? I assume you are after a reasonably true to reality image with reasonably correct colour balnce etc (as opposed to say a narrowband image)..? If so, for me the Orion Nebula (M42) is too dull, currently in the image the horsehead and even Barnards loop (a very faint structure) look as bright or brighter and this is not the case. I think lifting the brightness of M42, while maintaining the core detail) would give the image more balance and believability.

Just a suggestion as it is a fine image regardless

Mike

[starfinder (Russ)]

Congratulations Marco. Gorgeous image and a worthy recipient of IOTW. Time well spent. Russ

[marco (Marco Lorenzi)]

Thank you H, Ken, Dave, Simon, Rob, Alan, Mike, Al, Marcus, John, David, Lester, Michael, Peter, Carl, Adrian, Richardo, Allan, Greg, Shane and Russ for your very kind appreciation. I am also honored to be this week IOTW

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

If I may make one suggestion..? If so, for me the Orion Nebula (M42) is too dull, currently in the image the horsehead and even Barnards loop (a very faint structure) look as bright or brighter and this is not the case. I think lifting the brightness of M42, while maintaining the core detail) would give the image more balance and believability

Thanks to you Mike for your suggestion. Actually I know that the right point of luminosity balancing of M42 in these kind of images often rises debates on the right intensity to "assign" to the core comparing the outer parts. In another forum somebody suggested me to reduce the sharpness of M42 a bit to better blend it into the picture, I will do some tests at home and see if can in case rise it a bit to better balance the image without taking harmony out of it. Finding a sweet spot that everybody likes is not totally easy but will try out something

Clear skies
Marco

[telemarker (Keith)]

This is one of those rare images that makes you say "WOW!" beautifully executed and processed. Bigger than Ben Hur.

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by marco

In another forum somebody suggested me to reduce the sharpness of M42 a bit to better blend it into the picture

Ahh! That is what was bothering me in my original post. (#5)
I have very little practical experience with these things so wasn't 100% sure.

It is still a damn fine image!

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Exquisite detail Marco, the more I look at it...the more I see - my only question is what's the cause of the off-axis halos on the bright stars? I ask this as they often plague my images too.
Cheers
Doug

[Leonardo70 (Leonardo Orazi)]

Che bella Marco .... da restare a bocca aperta.
Absolutely amazing Marco....

Saluti
Leo

[marco (Marco Lorenzi)]

Originally Posted by telemarker

This is one of those rare images that makes you say "WOW!" beautifully executed and processed. Bigger than Ben Hur.

Thanks Keith!

Originally Posted by MrB

Ahh! That is what was bothering me in my original post. (#5)
I have very little practical experience with these things so wasn't 100% sure.

It is still a damn fine image!

Hehe, it seems I definitely have to give it a twist

Originally Posted by dugnsuz

Exquisite detail Marco, the more I look at it...the more I see - my only question is what's the cause of the off-axis halos on the bright stars? I ask this as they often plague my images too.
Cheers
Doug

These halos are due to reflections from the RGB filters or the CCD window. I should investigate it a bit further but never paid to much attention to them since they never really bothered me. They are centered or off axis depending of the position of the star respect the ccd center (i.e. optical axis center). If If you look at Alniltak for example, in my image the reflection is at right of the star since this part of the mosaic is coming from the left the left panel, while the bright star just above the Horsehead has the halo at its left because this star is already taken from the right panel image. Magic of the blending makes everything look smooth and apparently seemingless.

Clear skies
Marco

[marco (Marco Lorenzi)]

Originally Posted by Leonardo70

Che bella Marco .... da restare a bocca aperta.
Absolutely amazing Marco....

Saluti
Leo

Many thanks Leonardo!

Ciao
Marco

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

That is AWESOME ... What a shot that is .....! .

[alexch (Alex)]

That's a stunning image, Marco! Congrats with well deserved IOTW!
Alex

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by alexch

congrats with well deserved iotw!
Alex

qft!

[Ric]

Congrats Marco for a simply stunning image.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Marco,

I've been staring at this for 30 minutes, as this is what I actually wanted to do for first light with the STL/FSQ combination. But, as fate would have it, it was never to be.

The Horsehead looks so exquisite.

Congratulations, once again.

H

[Hagar (Doug)]

What can I say Marco. Simply magnificent. A 16 hour image shows real dedication or just plain stubborn need for a great image. I wish I had this sort of dedication.

Beautiful.

[Paul Haese]

Fabulous image. A joy to behold.

[steve000 (Steve)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Congratulations on a stunning view, Marco.

A beautiful image, and is this weeks IOTW.

Thanks for sharing!

This is now my desktop

damn fine picture mate!

[irwjager (Ivo)]

One of the best IOTWs I've seen. Awe inspiring.