Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Around a year ago I posted some shots M16 (Messier object 16 also known as the Eagle Nebula) which contains the somewhat famous object known as the Pillars of Creation from its image from the Hubble Telescope. I recently re-images this object with a bit more expertise in both imaging and processing than I had last year. Below are my newest Narrow band images of this nebula. These images contain much more detail than my earlier version.
The first one contains all the stars with the nebula
The second shows a version with the stars reduced
The third shows the nebula with most of the stars removed.
The early image can be seen at
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-703834-1.html
All question comments and suggestions are welcome.

Tech info
M16 is an open star cluster sounded by a star forming emission nebula 5700 light years away in the constellation of Serpens Cauda. The pillars stretch out for ~between 4 and 5 light years (~25 to 30 trillion miles long). Note: the dark stands of dust in the nebula.

These narrow band images were created using, using 3 narrow band filters. These include a Hydrogen Alpha (Ha) centered at 671.6 nanometers (nm) to capture the Ha spectral line, Oxygen 3 (O3) to capture the doubled ionized oxygen spectral line at 500.7nm (and secondary line at 495.7nm) and the Sulphur 2 to capture the singly ionized Sulphur spectral line at 671.6 nm.

All the images were taken at F10 with a 4096 mm focal length using an ASI 6200MM pro camera using 1x1 binning, gain set to 100 and cooled to -12C. The filtered images were stacked and then combined using the Hubble Palette where O3 data is used for the blue channel, the Ha is used for the green channel and the S2 is used for the red channel. This produces a false color image but makes it easier to see the composition of a nebula.

Exposure times used per filter

Ha -21 exposures at 500 seconds each.
O3 -21 exposures at 500 seconds each.
S2 -20 exposures at 500 seconds each.

M16 with all the stars shown.

(Download)

M16 with all the star intensity reduced.

(Download)

M16 stars removed

(Download)

dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia

I have no idea what you mean, but these pictures are wonderful, beautiful and interesting!

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Dancers, you took the words right outta my mouth . . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I’m also someone who only vaguely understands your technique, but I know for certain that these images are very special and beautiful. Thanks for sharing them.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

And I will repeat that remark from Jimmy T, the photos are (literally) out of this world. Wikipedia has an interesting article on this star cluster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Nebula

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Incredible.

Vaun's photography Loc: Bonney Lake, WA

Very nicely done!

"Cooled to -12C" is that necessary for the narrow band filters to work?

I also viewed your previous images, also nicely done.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

NEAT!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Outstanding. Great set.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Awe-inspiring.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi dancers
Thanks for viewing the Pillars of Creation and for the comment. Beyond all the technical gobbledygook, these are pictures of one of the many places were new stars and worlds are forming.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi Jimmy T
Thanks for checking out the images of the Eagle nebula and for the comment and Thumbs up.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi joehel2
Thanks for viewing the images of the Pillars of Creation and for the Thumbs up. Indeed these images are one of the many special places were new worlds and stars forming.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi PaulBrit
Thanks for checking out the images of Eagle Nebula, for the comment and the link.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi Architect1776
Thanks for checking out the images of M16, for the comment and the smiley face.