M31 work in progress

[MarkS]

Here's another from September.

Modified Sony A7S on Tak Epsilon 180ED.  360 x 30sec exposures at ISO 2000 - 3 hours in total.



I have deliberately kept the colours restrained so this version will look fairly different to what you are accustomed to seeing. As far as possible the colour balances are true to the original data.

There is more work I could do to enhance the dust lanes and some overall sharpening of detail is required.  That's why this is a work in progress.

Larger version here: http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2015/m31_20150920.jpg

Mark

[JohnP]

Mark, Looking very good, Love the small galaxy you have below M110... (UGC394 maybe?)

Only comment I have is around M31 there is hint of a 'green' tinge - Is this correct - probs down to calibration of my monitor - Just being picky cause I know you are a perfectionist..

Excellent image though - John

[The Thing]

Absolutely excellent image. I've just chucked a magazine with the globular clusters around M31, I am sure most must be discernable in this rendition. Lovely. And no green on my monitor.

[JohnP]

probs just my monitor then...

[Ivor]

As always very good Mark was this process in IRIS or PI? Another question regarding star colour how do you make sure you are happy with the result? I've reworking my M27 and a number of the stars are coming out with a blue tinge and I'm not use if it a processing artefact or correct.

Another point I was looking at your website and I noticed you need to add a menu tab for you 2015 images.

[MarkS]

Thanks all, for your comments!

Only comment I have is around M31 there is hint of a 'green' tinge - Is this correct - probs down to calibration of my monitor - Just being picky cause I know you are a perfectionist..

Yes, there is a hint of green tinge - I was hoping no-one would notice that!  I need to do a better background extraction.

As always very good Mark was this process in IRIS or PI? Another question regarding star colour how do you make sure you are happy with the result? I've reworking my M27 and a number of the stars are coming out with a blue tinge and I'm not use if it a processing artefact or correct.

I used PI for the stacking and background extraction.  My own software was used to do the initial big stretch of the data, preserving the correct colour ratios for both stars and faint nebulosity (though the same can be done using PI pixel math or in IRIS - the Asinh or Reduce_hdr  functions).  I also used a bit of IRIS and even some Photoshop.  Photoshop was used only at the very final stage, to merge multiple versions of the processing, selecting the best bits from each.

Another point I was looking at your website and I noticed you need to add a menu tab for you 2015 images.

There's still a few week of 2015 left to do it    
I think 2015 has been my favourite year ever, for imaging.  Shame about the recent cloudy months, though.

Mark

[Carole]

Fabulous image Mark, looking forward to the final version.

Carole

[Fay]

An extremely good M31 mark, I like the colours

[JohnP]

I think 2015 has been my favourite year ever, for imaging.

You've definitely had a productive one....

[Fay]

yes its like the Mark Astro Show when showing members pictures at OAS