IC 1318 Butterfly Nebula Gamma Cygni

[Carole]

Done over 3 nights 400 ISO
Sunday 22nd July 2 x 600 secs (then disappeared behind the dome)
Monday 23rd July 13 x 600 secs
Tuesday 24th July 10 x 600 secs

Total 25 x 600 secs (4 hours 10mins)

Modified Canon 450D, CLS filter
Guided with QHY5 and PHD on NEQ6
Captured in APT with dithering, processed with DSS and PS CS3

Not posting a larger image as it's not worth looking at, too noisy and typical for a DSLR at 22 degrees at night!!!!!

[Fay]

well it looks ok Carole. i will have to a Canon image when it gets cooler.

[Carole]

Thanks Fay.

Carole

[MarkS]

Carole,

That's a really interesting area of sky.  I understand why it looks a bit noisy given it's a DSLR on a warm night from a light polluted location but I fear that something has gone horribly wrong with the colour during processing.

You'll see what I mean if you look at my version from last year:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2011/gammacygni.html

I remember the first time you processed the Pelican you had a similar problem:
http://forum.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/index.php?topic=8407.0
I wonder if this is a similar issue?

Mark

[Carole]

I agree Mark, it was very washed out in colour and I actually was looking at your image and others on the internet while I was processing it and so increased to red and saturation manually trying to get the colour right, looks like I got it wrong.

I'll have another go

Carole

[Carole]

OK, I have had another "go"  is this better?  at least i have managed to get a bit of star colour this time (and horizontal banding!!)



Carole

[MarkS]

Hi Carole,

It's slightly better - there are some star colours.

But sorry to say, something still looks fundamentally wrong

Something is not quite right in your processing sequence.

Thinking about it I think the main thing I don't like is the uniform salmon pink - which seems to be a common Photoshop symptom - Google for "photoshop salmon pink astrophotography" and you'll find lots of stuff which may or may not help.

Mark