NGC253 - the Sculptor Galaxy

[RickS (Rick)]

A repro of my data from early September, using some additional Ha data, new processing techniques and slightly improved aesthetic taste?
LRGB data captured over two nights in early September at the AAQ Dark Sky Observing weekend at Glen Aplin. Ha is from (light polluted) home.

Scope: Ceravolo C300 @ f/9 = 2760mm FL, Atlas focuser
Mount: AP900
Camera: U16M
Filters: Astrodon E series Gen 2 LRGB, Astrodon 3nm Ha
Guiding: Lodestar / MMOAG
Image scale: 0.67 arcsec/pixel
Exposures: 7x900s R, 7x900s G, 7x900s B, 30x600s Lum, 31x900s Ha (10.5 hours LRGB, 7.75 hours Ha)

I think this is a significant improvement over my previous attempt although the halo isn't as pronounced. Still not 100% happy, of course

High res version here: http://www.astrobin.com/70355/

Constructive criticism is appreciated...

Cheers,
Rick.

[batema (Mark)]

Beautiful Rick, just beautiful.

[Screwdriverone (Chris)]

Very nice Rick,

The Ha really makes this one POP!

Quite lovely

Cheers

Chris

[RickS (Rick)]

Thanks Mark & Chris!

[alpal]

Hi Rick,
That looks great - so much detail & so bright.
I couldn't find the older version to see the difference that Ha made.

cheers
Allan

[IanP]

Luv Ha.
Very nice repro ..

[allan gould]

Very tidy Rick and IMPRESSIVE image
Allan

[gregbradley]

Very nicely done Rick. You've added that Ha very well, it can easily be overdone.

Overall a spectacular image.

Greg.

[Rod771 (Rod)]

Very nice Rick

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by alpal

Hi Rick,
That looks great - so much detail & so bright.
I couldn't find the older version to see the difference that Ha made.

Thanks, Allan. I don't know that the Ha made as big a difference as the improved processing chops but the old version is here: www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=112010

Originally Posted by IanP

Luv Ha.
Very nice repro ..

Thanks, Ian!

Originally Posted by allan gould

Very tidy Rick and IMPRESSIVE image
Allan

Thanks, Allan! Hope you're working on some interesting new targets.

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Very nicely done Rick. You've added that Ha very well, it can easily be overdone.

Overall a spectacular image.

Greg.

Thanks very much, Greg. I feel like I'm getting to the stage where I can push the processing in the direction I want rather than just ending up at a random destination and starting again if I don't like it

Originally Posted by Rod771

Very nice Rick

Thanks, Rod!

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Ah, yes, good to see NGC 253 so far out of season.

Quite a grand result Rick, deep too T'is an amazing galaxy that one huh?...she's just sooo BIG and bewdiful

Mike

[RickS (Rick)]

Thanks, Mike. Yep, NGC 253 is certainly a galaxy with gravitas

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by RickS

Thanks, Mike. Yep, NGC 253 is certainly a galaxy with gravitas

Would love to image this from a site with true sub arc sec seeing...would be amazing, just think, from some of the observatories in Chile our 12" scopes wouldn't be able to resolve the seeing, can you imagine what that would look like can only imagine what the guide star plot would look like from such places

Mike

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Would love to image this from a site with true sub arc sec seeing...would be amazing, just think, from some of the observatories in Chile our 12" scopes wouldn't be able to resolve the seeing, can you imagine what that would look like can only imagine what the guide star plot would look like from such places

Mike

Have you seen this, Mike? http://www.chart32.de/index.php/object-list/ngc-253 Big scope and great seeing. Makes me jealous

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by RickS

Have you seen this, Mike? http://www.chart32.de/index.php/object-list/ngc-253 Big scope and great seeing. Makes me jealous

Of course, I've spent many hours staring at those images....

Ah well, can't have it all....

[pvelez (Pete)]

Amazing - just amazing work

No criticism - constructive or otherwise - from me

Pete

[astronobob (Bob)]

Nothing short of Spectacular Rick, Very realistic to the point of thought provocation, thinking it be the Milkyway and a little Earth in there - so insignificant in the scheme of things ! !
Amaizing proccessing and the rest of it

[alocky (Andrew lockwood)]

Superb, I love those structures that seem to stick up out of the plane of the main disk. The detail in the dust lanes is mesmerising.
Nice!
Andrew.

[Andy01 (Andy)]

Sensational! Bravo
You've raised the bar even higher with that result.

[stevous67 (Steve M)]

The detail in the dust sections is very fine. In most cases these would be blurred into a smug. Especially the central core. Well done.

By the way, we're all subs 1x1?

Steve