NGC2207/IC2163 galaxy interaction

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

I took this one over the last new moon period at Wiruna. Seeing was OK but not great (FWHM around 2.5"). The two galaxies are in close proximity. NGC 2207 is the larger galaxy and just behind it is the smaller galaxy IC 2163.

http://www.astrobin.com/76328/

Telescope: Plane Wave 12.5" CDK
Mount AP900
Camera: QSI540wsg
Exposure: 7.5 hours, distributed around 2.5 hours of luminance and the rest divided (more or less) equally between R,G and B.
Software: Acquisition in MaximDL, processing in PixInsight.
Cropped to about 70% of the original frame.
Geoff

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Having just completed this pair myself (see post: Cosmic Embrace in Canis Major) I can see this is a fine image Geoff well done

Mike

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Having just completed this pair myself (see post: Cosmic Embrace in Canis Major) I can see this is a fine image Geoff well done

Mike

Thanks Mike.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Actually interesting to compare our results, we both have around 12" of aperture but I am at 1120mm FL you at 2000mm (?) both were imaged under rather average seeing conditions, you had slightly darker skies but a slower system and we used about the same exposure (but no calibration, decon or grad removal on mine)...apart from our slight colour variations there ain't much difference between our efforts huh?... Corrected fast Newt vs Corrected Dall Kirkham...Interesting.

Mike

[alpal]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Actually interesting to compare our results, we both have around 12" of aperture but I am at 1120mm FL you at 2000mm (?) both were imaged under rather average seeing conditions, you had slightly darker skies but a slower system and I utilised more exposure (but no calibration, decon or grad removal)...apart from our slight colour variations there ain't much difference between our efforts huh?... Corrected fast Newt vs Corrected Dall Kirkham...Interesting.

Mike

It's a great shot from Geoff,
I think It's difficult to compare to yours Mike without seeing the original stacks
just stretched - as the processing is different.

cheers
Allan

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by alpal

It's a great shot from Geoff,
I think It's difficult to compare to yours Mike without seeing the original stacks
just stretched - as the processing is different.

cheers
Allan

Of course..and Geoffs is an excellent shot I wasn't trying to say anything else but when the magic is done it is interesting to compare results from a high quality 12" CDK with a high quality 12" fast Newt, that's all...

Mike

[gregbradley]

A very nice image Geoff. Its a very interesting target and you've handled it very well.

Greg.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

we both have around 12" of aperture but I am at 1120mm FL you at 2000mm (?) both were imaged under rather average seeing conditions, you had slightly darker skies but a slower system and I utilised more exposure (but no calibration, decon or grad removal)...

Mike

My fl is 2541mm.
Re processing: I can see the virtue in no grad removal (it's really there in the sky) and also no denoising (it's an inevitable result of the way photons behave), but calibration removes artifacts that are not present in the sky, so the case for leaving it out is much weaker IMO.
Geoff

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

My fl is 2541mm.

Ah, I see, so over twice what I have then, even more interesting. I think up in the Andes we might see a bigger difference

Re processing: I can see the virtue in no grad removal (it's really there in the sky) and also no denoising (it's an inevitable result of the way photons behave), but calibration removes artifacts that are not present in the sky, so the case for leaving it out is much weaker IMO.
Geoff

I know this but (and once I upgraded to bigger 36mm filters) I haven't seen anything really untoward in my data as yet, even with massive stretching....these Sony chips are marvellous

Mike

[Shiraz (Ray)]

very nice image Geoff - beautifully processed and plenty of detail.

[RickS (Rick)]

Nice shot, Geoff!

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Thanks Ray, Rick.
Geoff

[SkyViking (Rolf)]

Great image of this lovely pair, there have been a few images of these lately, nice! Excellent detail and beautiful colours, well done!

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by SkyViking

Great image of this lovely pair, there have been a few images of these lately, nice! Excellent detail and beautiful colours, well done!

Thanks Rolf. Yes, there was a nice APOD of this a few weeks back which may have inspired people to give it a go.
Geofg

[multiweb (Marc)]

Very cool Geoff. You got some terrific details in there. Very natural looking too.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Very cool Geoff. You got some terrific details in there. Very natural looking too.

Thanks Marc. It depends what you mean by "natural". I had a look at it through a 20" scope and I could just make out two faint blobs of the right shape. I guess that's why we do AP.
Geoff

[Stevec35 (Steve)]

Nicely done Geoff - an attractive image.

Cheers

Steve

[allan gould]

Congratulations in bringing two faint blobs to life with detail and vibrancy.
Excellent image by the way.
Allan

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Thanks Steve and Allan

[Ross G]

Great looking galaxy photo Geoff.

Very nice colours.

The new setup is working so well.

Ross.