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Leo Triplet (M66 Group). This LRGB image (L=11 images 600s 1×1 binning; only 1 image each of RGB 300s 2×2 binning all @-36C using AG12 and QSI683. Calibrated with darks and flats in Maxim DL. Combined in Maxim, stretched in Fits Liberator using Arcsinh function and scaled peak of 30.0. Some levels and curves adjusted in Photoshop and high pass filter applied.
This image is limited by the lack of RGB data (only 1 sub frame of each). Bad weather, lighter evenings, and a badly place apple tree have stopped me getting more data this year – wouldn’t be quite so bad if the apples were nice to eat 🙁
I concentrated on getting lots of H-Alpha data and limited OIII and SII frames. The following images are taken from 300s subs at 2×2 binning (low gain) with a QSI683 at -36C. 21 x H-alpha frames and 5 frames each for OIII and SII.
The frames were aligned, stacked and calibrated as mono-frames in Maxim and then had digital development applied (FFT low pass and hardness 90). Each mono frame had a high pass filter applied in Photoshop and then combined to an RGB image and the H-alpha frame re-used as a luminance frame giving a final LRGB frame.
Cone Nebula at bottom with inverted Christmas Tree cluster above the cone; the bright star just above the cone is the tree topper and the very bright star at the top of the image (S Monocerotis) is the center of the tree trunk. The Fox Fur Nebula is at the top right corner.
Ha=red; SII=green; OIII=blue:
NGC2264
Ha=red; OIII=green; SII=blue:
NGC2264
SII=red; Ha=green; OIII=blue (Hubble palette):
NGC2264
I tried a number of combinations with a Televue x2.5 and x5 barlow lens with and without an Atronomik IR pass filter (742 nm filter that passes light longer than this wavelength). The visible part of the spectrum is more subject to bad seeing condition and this should improve the image. Unfortunately I didn’t try this filter with the x5 Televue and I subsequently rejected all of these videos. I found that the images with the IR pass filter were probably better although the gain of the camera had to turned up significantly more to maintain the 60 fps rate. What seemed to help in the final processing was if the real-time noise reduction was used with the DMK IC Capture software. I intend to try again with a set of colour filters before Jupiter moves too far from opposition. There was a bit of hazy cloud around and the image was jumping around badly with the Televue x5.
Image below: DMK mono camera with AG12 (1150 cms focal length) and x2.5 Televue, IR pass filter with each 8 frames combined for noise reduction at time of capture. Aligned and stacked in AutoStakkert; wavelets applied in Registax 6. The moons are (moving out from the planet), Europa, Io, Callisto and Ganymede (you may need to turn up your monitor brightness to see them).
Jupiter 26-2-15 22:38 UT
The image below: same as above but without the IR pass filter. Notice the Great Red Spot is much more pronounced.
Jupiter 26-2-15 22:48 UT
21-02-2015 H-Alpha, O-III, S-II Astronomik filters. AG12 and QSI683, 12 x 300 sec images at 2×2 binning (low gain). Guided with Lodestar
And with slightly more emphasis on the red channel…
The bright star at the top of the picture is Alnitak – the left hand star of the 3 stars in Orion’s belt.
LRGB image created using the AG12 and QSI 683 taken on 22-01-2015
x9 Luminance @1×1 bin 600s -40C
x5 each of R,G,B @2×2 bin 300s -40C
Calibrated and stacked with SD mask in Maxim DL
Digital Development in Maxim (FFT low pass filter, FFT hardness custom 90, auto background and mid-levels)
Luminance has had 2 high pass filters applied
LRGB combined in Photoshop
Slight colour balance increase in red.
Flame and Horse Head Nebulae
LRGB image. AG12, QSI 683. Sub-frames: 6xRed; 7xGreen; 7xBlue; 13xLuminance all 2×2 binned. Luminance 10 minutes, colours 5 minutes. Calibrated and stacked in MaximDL, levels and curves and high pass filter applied in Photoshop.
M33
M33. All images 2×2 binning. 19 x luminance 600s and 7 each of RGB images at 300s.
Aligned and calibrated in Maxim DL and digital development applied to each LRGB image. The images were then batch converted in Maxim to tiff files for loading into Photoshop (PS). Each image has had a high pass filter applied in PS and then combined to LRGB image in PS.
QSI 683 and AG12.
Taken on 27/10/14 and 24/12/14.
Similar process as above but no digital development but with zone processing in PS.
Jupiter
DMK with Astronomik RGB filters. Green filter yielded the brightest image by far. From 1500 frames only the best 30 or so were kept from each colour channel for stacking in Registax 6. Linked wavelets used to process each image which were then aligned and combine in Photoshop CS6. Here a 15% opacity mask was used over the green image to avoid the final result looking too green. A soft light high pass filter applied to the final image.
NGC 281 is an H II region in the constellation of Cassiopeia and part of the Perseus Spiral Arm. 21x240s subs at 1×1 binning in hydrogen alpha (luminance and red channel), 16x90s subs at 2×2 binning in OIII and SII. The red channel was reduced in brightness to reduce the pink appearance of the final image. Calibrated in Maxim DL and processed in Photoshop.
Pacman Nebula
