NGC 2033, Barnard 33, Horsehead Nebula
Jan 30, 2016 11:33:14 #
I had to photograph two basketball games last night - I rushed home and sent 40 pics to our local CBS affiliate. About 11:30 I drug my stuff out and setup to shoot the comet Catalina - nothing but clouds hanging over the northern sky. I decided to shoot an hours worth of NGC 2033 as I haven't done that for a while...hoping the skies would clear. Not - instead they begin to affect my target so I grabbed my 53 subs....took 20 darks, 100 bias, and 100 flats from the other night (used same gear that had remained intact). I eyeballed the polar scope to polaris....did a one star alignment on Rigel and slewed to NGC 2033 - unguided 60 second subs with the 8 inch SCT and .63 focal reducer. Using the ZEQ25 mount (I know a lot of folks hate that mount and the reviews are either horrid or glowing but mine is flawless)
I added the diffraction spike as Anitak or whatever that star is called really kills the image. They eye is always drawn to the brightest part of an image and do I ever have one!
I used PixInsight and PS for all post processing!
I don't think tonight is going to be any better but everything is ready to go if the skies are ok. Catalina here I come!
I added the diffraction spike as Anitak or whatever that star is called really kills the image. They eye is always drawn to the brightest part of an image and do I ever have one!
I used PixInsight and PS for all post processing!
I don't think tonight is going to be any better but everything is ready to go if the skies are ok. Catalina here I come!
Jan 30, 2016 12:00:46 #
Jan 30, 2016 12:18:20 #
Europa wrote:
Nice pic, I like the spikes.
Thanks and have a great weekend!
Jan 30, 2016 12:28:57 #
Ha were are shooting the same target. I only have the HA data done and only a couple of RGB frames so far.
Since our diffraction spikes are differs they would not line up properly but I can upload a starless version of my stacked ha data if you want to play that into your RGB.
Matthew
Since our diffraction spikes are differs they would not line up properly but I can upload a starless version of my stacked ha data if you want to play that into your RGB.
Matthew
Jan 30, 2016 12:46:33 #
Oknoder wrote:
Ha were are shooting the same target. I only have the HA data done and only a couple of RGB frames so far.
Since our diffraction spikes are differs they would not line up properly but I can upload a starless version of my stacked ha data if you want to play that into your RGB.
Matthew
Since our diffraction spikes are differs they would not line up properly but I can upload a starless version of my stacked ha data if you want to play that into your RGB.
Matthew
Absolutely!
Jan 30, 2016 13:09:10 #
nikonshooter wrote:
Absolutely!
You guys are killing me.
It's like watching Chef Ramsey and Master Chef Jean Pierre throw a little something together in the kitchen for super bowl.
I love it!
I'm sure it will be amazing.
:thumbup:
Jan 30, 2016 13:28:49 #
Lol, I am at work and accessing my serve at home give new definition to compressed graphics. I tried to cut and crop close to the same image scale that you are using, but again on such a small screen it's really hard to tell.
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
Jan 30, 2016 14:42:17 #
nikonshooter wrote:
I had to photograph two basketball games last nigh... (show quote)
Just incredible!
Jan 30, 2016 14:43:22 #
Oknoder wrote:
Lol, I am at work and accessing my serve at home give new definition to compressed graphics. I tried to cut and crop close to the same image scale that you are using, but again on such a small screen it's really hard to tell.
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
Incredible structural detail!
Jan 30, 2016 15:11:16 #
nikonshooter wrote:
I had to photograph two basketball games last nigh... (show quote)
Beautiful job Ed, I seems bad reviews like bad press get all the attention.
I'm glad you got a mount that works for you.
Craig
Jan 30, 2016 15:13:07 #
That is the monochrome detail that makes mono so much more desirable than OSC, its main downside being the fact that you have to image at least three times as many images. The human eye gets most if not all of his detail or contrast resolution in black and white I can't remember the real ratio but it's something like 4:1 Rods:Cones in your eyes. So roughly 75% of your vision is based on a black and white image the smattering of color,is your brain's interpretation the blending of both sets of information, if that makes any sense. I could be misunderstanding what I have read, but I believe this is the real reason many use monoCCDs. While taking nothing away from OSCs or DSLRs, it is possible to get this level of detail, you just have to spend much more time imaging along with the fact it is more complicated in PP.
BTW this image was 4h20m of total exposure
Matthew
BTW this image was 4h20m of total exposure
Matthew
Jan 30, 2016 15:13:31 #
Oknoder wrote:
Lol, I am at work and accessing my serve at home give new definition to compressed graphics. I tried to cut and crop close to the same image scale that you are using, but again on such a small screen it's really hard to tell.
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I think this is a great shot Matthew I really do like monochrome
Craig
Jan 30, 2016 15:32:43 #
Oknoder wrote:
Lol, I am at work and accessing my serve at home give new definition to compressed graphics. I tried to cut and crop close to the same image scale that you are using, but again on such a small screen it's really hard to tell.
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
HOLY CRAP - AWESOME!!!!
Jan 31, 2016 09:13:31 #
Jan 31, 2016 10:14:25 #
Oknoder wrote:
Lol, I am at work and accessing my serve at home give new definition to compressed graphics. I tried to cut and crop close to the same image scale that you are using, but again on such a small screen it's really hard to tell.
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
I must ask are your diffraction spike plugin generated, or just excellent focus? I can never get mine that tight.
Well done,
Matthew
no no no.....my spikes are created in Photoshop. It is not so much a focus thing but F/stop thing. The more you stop down your lens - scope, the greater the spikes but most scopes are fixed.
Try taking one of your regular camera lens and shooting a street light at F/16 or F22....you will see spikes galore.
Also, the Newtonians all have those crosses in the scopes and they will always spin off those cool looking thingies.
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