M81/M82

[Carole]

This has been a bit of a pig to process.  I lost half my data because of a ?? meridian flip while I was away from the mount.  The trouble was I found every time I went to check on how things were going the vibration on the ground (I presume) I got a guiding jump and so it wasted a sub, so was trying to stay away as much as possible.

Have I got any IFN here, or is it just bad gradients and wishful thinking?

I did a mixture of luminance in order to try to get the IFN and also to try to stop the galaxy core burning out.

Luminance:
900 x 4
600 x 6
300 x 3

RGB 3 x 150 secs binned (each)
Ha 3 x 900secs

Skywatcher 130PDS & Atik460EX, HEQ5

[Mac]

Nice image,

makes me want to strip everything down and get it all up and working again.

[Carole]

You should Mac, shame to have all that kit and not use it.  You should come to another DSC as well.

Carole

[Mac]

plans are afoot for another DSC with James.

Its just getting one that doesn't clash.

Mac

[Carole]

Have you got all the dates for this year, I think they are on another thread but it may be behind the scenes.

Carole

[MarkS]

That's a great image Carole!

Yes, you definitely have some IFN there - it's faint but definitely there. 

You were lucky with the sky quality that night - it's normally very difficult to get IFN on an average night, even with a fast scope like my Tak Epsilon.

Mark

[MarkS]

Nice image,

makes me want to strip everything down and get it all up and working again.

Do it! You know you want to!

Mark

[Carole]

Well I have reliably been informed that this is indeed IFN I am seeing, and so following a bit of a tutorial on how to stretch this further, I am posting a further version of the image:

It's probably a bit noisy now and needs further data, but was pleased to get it.

[Carole]

Thanks Mark, I posted my revision before I saw your reply.

Carole

[JohnP]

Very good & certainly has that milky IFN feel to it - well done - John

[Carole]

Thanks John.

Carole

[Carole]

Processed M82 separately and integrated into image hopefully the stars look better if not too coloured, will get some more data of RGB next time hopefully.

Ha areas in M81 increased.

[MarkS]

Processed M82 separately and integrated into image hopefully the stars look better if not too coloured, will get some more data of RGB next time hopefully.

That's lovely processing of M82 Carole.  The H-alpha filaments look just right!

It's very difficult indeed to make a combined image of M81 and M82 look good if the same processing is applied to both.  Inevitably it is necessary to perform extra enhancement on M82.  But very few people actually admit to doing so 

Mark

[Carole]

Thanks Mark.   I had to go back to the original stacked linear data to do M82.   No way of fiddling with the existing M81/ M82 process as M82 was already burnt out.

  Carole

[Carole]

Just realised, I commented earlier that I need more data, well since I am using a Newtonian and setting up from scratch next time it can't be done as I won't be able to line up the spikes!!!!  Lol,

So only way i can add more data is by using a refractor.  I have done that before and mixed it with a Newtonian and it worked OK.

Duh!!