Part NGC7000 - Blacklands

[mickw]

This is one of about 10 different processing attempts - getting bored now  
First proper test to see what I could get regarding nebulosity with modded camera, pleased with what I got and now understand some of the things I got wrong (need shorter exposures and a lot more of them for a start)
Anyway - 10x360@800asa , modded Canon 400D, Burgess Optical 91 APO, QHY5 guided - F,D,B stacked in DSS, Kappa Sigma and AsinH, overprocessed in CS3
Thanks to Duncan for DSS tips



OR (Carole this is what I mean)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-madO8W4gyAY/TgWNrZW6t1I/AAAAAAAABYM/ETSrmoPDTAo/s640/7000-DSS-KS-ASH-RGB-flip-crop-s.png

[JohnP]

ohh.. looks very nice. Well done Mick - nice round stars & lots showing through - if anything I would say you could lower black point a tad - the background is quite light.

need shorter exposures and a lot more of them for a start

..... why shorter..?

[mickw]

Thanks John, I agree about the black point, it seemed to look better last night.

I was thinking shorter subs as big stars look burnt out and couldn't hold them back in PS - I cropped out a real ugly one

[JohnP]

Mick - I know what you mean but you will always burn out the big bright stars - I think it looks great - John

[RobertM]

That looks really good Mick but I agree with John's comment about the black point.  You might find a tad of noise reduction might help too but be careful otherwise you'll spoil the star field.

Robert

[The Thing]

Having seen the initial stack on Saturaday I think you've done a sterling job bringing out the nebulosity, you must have been tweaking those curves and levels for ages. I suspect your next effort will be even better.

I would go for longer exposures not many shorter as you have more chance of picking up photons from the very faint wispy bits that otherwise don't register. Those are the bits that seem to add the real detail and the wow factor.

[Mike]

Really nice image Mick. Definitely your best yet.

[mickw]

Thanks for the comments Robert, Dunc and Mike and yes Dunc too many hours of processing.

I'm quite pleased with the results but each time I try a reprocess I get tempted to drag out more nebulosity (which is in there) but then the black point goes out the window and the big stars go supernova 

I'll give it another crack in a day or two

[Carole]

Making good progress Mick.  I think you need to re-name this one "The Wall" though. 
Ditto previous comments

Well done

Carole

[mickw]

Thanks Carole

It would only be the wall if that was supposed to be the target - the way my goto is behaving, it could have been titled "nearly Albireo" 

[Carole]

 

[MarkS]

Mick,

What an image!  You've done a good job of processing - bringing out the nebulosity. 

I can see it was a pig to process because it has a light pollution gradient which means that wherever you set the black point it will still not look completely right.  The gradients are really difficult to remove when they're mixed in with the nebulosity.

Do you have a CLS filter?  It would have made a big difference to that image because it would have reduced the light pollution down to almost nothing whilst leaving the important H-alpha completely intact.  Seriously I think you should have another go at this using the CLS - you'll be amazed at the difference.

The exposure length is OK - maybe reduce it to 240sec and next time get 2 hours of data.

Mark

[mickw]

Thanks Mark

I'm pleased with the result as it was first nebula with modded camera and guided

I'd not anticipated light pollution and didn't recognise it when it was there - blame weird atmospherics - I did have a CLS in the van though 

2 hours of data ? - I have to stay sober for 2 hours 

[MarkS]

2 hours of data ? - I have to stay sober for 2 hours  

Absolutely not!!!  You just need to be sober enough to set it all up - it'll then just take care of itself leaving you free to indulge in the Pastis and Absinthe!

[mickw]

Absolutely not!!!  You just need to be sober enough to set it all up

That's a relief