IC5068 in Cygnus (new process never liked the first) see 14/8/2025 below

[Carole]

Always avoided imaging this previously because I thought it looked so messy - and it is.  But since I have run out of targets I can do from home, and after seeing Roberto's lovely rendition a while ago, I thought I'd give it a try - but not a patch on Roberto's. 

Taken over 4 nights.  Skywatcher ED72 and Atik460EX. 
Full to last quarter Moon.
SkyshedPOD observatory where the dome had to be taken off as the target was high. 

Ha 21 x 600 (3h 30m)
Oiii 11 x 300 and 14 x 600 all binned x 2 (3h 15m)
Sii 10 x 300 & 16 x 600 all binned x 2 (3h 30m)

Total imaging time 10h 15m

Bortle 7/8 SE London

[Dave A]

Amazing Carole

Could be part of a Monet painting too 

[Carole]

Thanks Dave, looks for like an Abstract painting nightmare to me.  Lol

[Roberto]

It looks very nice Carole!  I like the palette a lot.  I think you can sharpen it a lot more given the amount of signal in it.

Roberto

[Carole]

You are right Roberto, I've done a high pass filter to sharpen it.

[Carole]

Never liked the image above so had another go at it.

[Dave A]

Carole- very nice image
well done

[RobertM]

The stars are still a bit squiffy but the nebula is much better.  Presumably you've 'Xterminated' the stars to correct as much as possible already?

[Carole]

Thanks Robert, yes, I Extermnated the stars early on.  SX has made a huge amount of difference to post-processing, I couldn't use it until this last year when I got a new laptop capable of installing it, it was a real struggle before that.  Have now gone back over many past images and use SX on them and made some good improvements.  Lets face it when you stretch the nebulosity you are stretching the stars at the same time, and making them bigger than they really are, so it makes sense to remove them and put them back when you have finished stretching the Nebulosity. 

Don't have Blur Exterminator that might help with the stars, as it is not made for Photoshop, and I have no intention of using Pixinsight.  So will have to do without. 

When you say squiffy, what are you referring to?  I can see the bottom and top left might be a bit elongated, probably due to a tilt issue, but these things I find difficult to get right.  Is that what you are referring to? 

Carole